The candidates for this study were chronically anemic women that were:

• Pregnant women.
• Pregnant women in their second or third trimester with at least 2 years birth gap.
• Hemoglobin levels were lesser than or equal to 7gm%.

The candidates excluded from this study included those with:

• Related medical disarrays if any.
• More than one pregnancy.
• Hypertension.
• Antepartum bleeding or placenta previa noted during ultrasound scan.
• Those aged past 35 years of age.
• Past of any bleeding disorders.

For the study 161 moderately chronic anemic women were taken in after they passed through physical exam and the routine procedures of antenatal tests to sideline any medical-related anemia. An ultrasound was recommended in those whose past periods were missing.

One half of the study group that were arbitrarily selected were given a single dosage of albendazole of strength 400mg during 28 to 30 weeks of pregnancy. The remaining part of the group constituted the control group. Both the sets of women were given 200mg ferrous sulphate tablets two times per day. 22 women from the study could not be tracked and were lost to follow up. Hence, the study set was made up of 72 women from set A and 67 women from control set C with no set B present. The duo drugs namely albendazole and iron tablets were given to women to ascertain regular ingestion. The hemoglobin levels at the time of administering albendazole were measured with the assistance of a photoelectric colorimeter. The similar procedure was replicated on those women that were admitted to the labor room when delivery was forthcoming. The babies that were born were accurately weighed on an electronic weighing scale. Any birth defect if present was recorded.

The outcome of the study revealed that the mean hemoglobin levels at term in sets A and C were found to be 10.288gm/dl and 9.052 gm/dl respectively with a mean difference cited at 1.236gm/dl in between the two sets. There was additionally a noticeable difference in birth weight of set A of 196.7g with respect to set C.

Hence, it was concluded that the ease of administering the dosage, no grave maternal or fetal side effects, high efficiency and less costing made albendazole the idyllic de-worming means during pregnancy. Hence, this indicates to the importance of including albendazole in one’s maternal anemia control program.

A latest study has revealed that the use of anti-depressants has accelerated at more than twice the rate in the time spans of 1999-2003. A research undertaken in 2003 uncovered that one among eight women consumed anti-depressants at some stage of their pregnancy that comprised of the widely popular range of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI anti-depressants such as Paxil, Prozac and Zoloft.

Though these medications were widely deemed safe during pregnancy, but safety issues swiftly surfaced particularly in case of Paxil, that showed cases of women from Sweden and United States that consumed Paxil when pregnant had a greater chance of having babies with inborn heart abnormalities. Following these reports FDA issued an instructive advisory regarding its likely risks in 2005 that was later ruled out by a common board who found the evidence indecisive.

If the risk is factual, then it could be mostly due to a class outcome rather than just Paxil alone. There are few studies that have revealed the correlation between the administration of SSRI and greater probability of miscarriage, lower birth weight and premature delivery, though no conclusive links have been found between the two.

A collaborative report by the American Psychiatric Association and American College of Obstetrics & Gynaecologists substantiates the fact that there has been growing apprehensions regarding the perils of women taking anti-depressant medication and their effect on the babies born has had an overshadowing effect on the need of their use in the first place. However, if depression is not treated, it has a potential to pose greater risk to the baby.

The joint team has recommended the steady decreasing and eventual halting of anti-depressant doses in those women with few, milder versions of depression that lasted for six or more months and are planning for pregnancy.

However, pregnant women with chronic depression, psychotic tendencies, bipolar disorder or suicidal past must not try to halt their anti-depressant medication. Such women many times find no reprieve despite medication, and could find psychotherapy beneficial.

Mentally steady women who wish to continue anti-depressants during pregnancy must do so following a detailed medical consultation with the psychiatrist and their gynaecologist.

The primeval, conservative perception that everything is hunky-dorky during pregnancy and those with a past of depressive tendencies would smooth-sail through the pregnancy phase, easily weaning off their anti-depressants, is a wisdom that has been eventually shattered.