| 12 Jan 2009 |
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Doha becomes centre for foetal studies
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Doha: Doha has become the centre of foetal brain studies with a number of ground breaking researches being done here.
HMCHMC
has become the first center in the world to detect Cerebral Palsy in fetus inside the womb with research done by the research wing of Obstetrics and Gynaecology department at the Hamad Medical Corporation.
"The research wing is trying to change concept of HMCHMC from being excellent for routine work with good clinical work to move on with scientific research center, " said Dr Asim Kurjak, Research Director, HMCHMC.
"Qatar has a highest number of medical publications per capita in the region. Doha is now capital for fetal brain research. Top people from the field are visiting us, thanks to the latest machines made available here," he told The Peninsula.
Three doctors at HMCHMC are doing four-year PhD studies on fetal medicine. "HMCHMC has successfully finished the first Fellowship programme on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology attended by 17 doctors from Qatar and neighbouring countries.
Now the second batch of the one-year programme has started with 13 doctors. The programme is so popular that now we already have a waiting list of 85 doctors from different countries."
The fellowship is followed by PhD programme during which individual researches on specific topics have to be done. The HMCHMC has taken up some of the most challenging researches in the world involving Foetal Brain Function.
"We have learned a lot about many other parts of the body but we know nothing about the foetal brain.The new possiblility to investigate integrity of foetal central nervous system came with 4-D sonography. It shows anatomy and dynamics of the foetus in 3-D. For the first time we can measure the facial expression, limb movement and all these movements are based on brain signals. These are revolutionary researches in which each baby tested will have an immediate analysis by neonatologist or paediatrician," the world authority on Feto-Maternal Medicine said.
With researches done so far, the department has detected two cases of brain dysfunctions in fetus even though the they are physicaly fit. "This is for the first time in the world that cerebral palsy is detected when the baby is inside the womb. One was detected two months ago and the second three weeks ago. Three to four out of every 1000 live born babies suffer from cerebral palsy. "
The researches done at HMCHMC are on the effect of maternal diabetes on the brain function, detecting how cytokin produced during maternal infection effects brain and on abnormal baby brain functions.
"Qatar has 26 percent incidence of diabetes which is neuro-toxic. It cause abnormalities and effects fetal brain function. Structure malformation can or cannot effect the brain. So this test aims at finding structuraly malformed babies with sharp brains. Most people opt to abort once a malformation is found thinking the brain too is effected. However, some malformed babies will be much successfull in life because their brains are perfect," he said.
By Huda NV
© The Peninsula 2009
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