Dr Rama Lakshmi
Qualifications | MBBS, DGO |
Designation | (RETD) Scientist “D”, Head of the Clinical Division, National Institute of Nutrition, ICMR, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India |
Field of Specialisation | OBSTETRICS & GYNAECOLOGY |
Research Experience | 35 years |
Areas of Research | Maternal Nutrition & Reproductive Health |
Number of Publications (International and National Journals | 70 |
Research Specialisation | Was involved in development of maternal and child health surveillance monitoring system to evaluate maternal and child health problems. Data were collected in the hospital and in the rural communities using the surveillance system. An attempt had been made to define `High Risk’ mothers and infants in the community within the existing health care infrastructure.
The main areas of research were involved in contraceptive trials, maternal nutrition and pregnancy complications. Anaemia in pregnancy, preeclampsia, micronutrients and body composition changes in pregnancy and new born. Supplementation trials were carried out in pregnant women on vitamin A status. Reproductive health especially RTI, and bacterial vaginosis was carried out in reproductive age women. The effect of vaginal lactobacilli on bacterial vaginosis and vaginal immunology was investigated. And significant effect of lacto bacilli on treatment of bacterial vaginosis was highlighted. |
Details of Important Multi-centric projects undertaken |
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Major Areas of Research | As Medical Scientist of the Institute in the field of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, I was involved in various research projects to see the interaction of nutrition in women during various phases of life like pregnancy, lactation and contraception. I have been responsible for recruitment, clinical monitoring of women, obstetric follow-up, treatment of women during antenatal and postnatal period. Also involved in laboratory work in some of the projects. Some of the major research projects undertaken are listed below:
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Current Research after Retirement | The main area of current research is vaginal infections in pregnancy –vaginal microbiome.
The title of research project is oral probiotic supplementation in pregnancy and its impact on bacterial vaginosis, pregnancy outcome and birth weight of infant. |
Important recent publications (last five years) | Hemalatha R, B Anantha Ramalaxmi, E Swetha. Evaluation of Vaginal pH as a marker for bacterial vaginosis. Published inInd J Med Research .138:3, 354-359, 2013.
Babu Geddam JJ, Radhakrishna KV, Ramalaxmi BA, Ravinder P, Balakrishna N: Expression of leptin in early placental development – its association with maternal nutritional status. Int. J Medicine and Public health. 2:21-24, 2012. R Hemalatha, Paola Mastromarino, Baru Anantha Ramalaxmi, N.V.Balakrishna and B Sesikeran. Effectiveness of vaginal tablets containing Lactobacilli versus pH tablets on vaginal health and inflammatory cytokines; a randomized, double-blind study. Eur J Clin Microbiol and Infect Dis. DOI 10.1007/s10096-012-1671-1. R Hemalatha, Baru Anantha Ramalaxmi, Gummuluri Krishna Swetha, Dasari Madhusudhan Rao and B Dinesh Kumar. Association of Bacterial vaginosis with Nutritional status in an urban slum in Indian. International Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism Vol. 4(5), pp. 77-82, May 2012. Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/IJNAM. DOI: 10.5897/IJNAM12.005. Babu Geddam JJ, Radhakrishna KV, Ramalaxmi BA, Balakrishna N, Qadri R Hemalatha, Ramalakshmi BA, Krishna Swetha G, Uday Kumar P, Madhusudan Rao D, Balakrishna N, Annapurna V. Cervicovaginal inflammatory cytokines and sphingomyelinase in women with and without bacterial vaginosis. American Journal of Medical Sciences(accepted) July/August 2011. Sreeramulu, D; Ramalakshmi, BA; Balakrishna, N; Raghuramulu, N. Serum Dehydroepiandrosterone And Lipid Peroxides In Human Volunteers Of Different Age Groups. Indian J. Clin. Biochem. Vol.19(1), 79-82, 2004 . Yasodhara, P; Ramalakshmi, BA; Prasanna Krishna, T. Socioeconomic Status And Prevalence Of Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy, Indian J. Microb. Vol. 22, 241-243,2004. |
Family | Son (Venkatesh Tilak) and Daughter in law (Joyeela Mukherjee) both of whom have done MBA and are working with Deloitte Consulting
Mobile Number 98485-13342 |