Postpartum depression (PPD) is a severe mental health condition that affects women following childbirth and is marked by persistent sadness, anxiety, fatigue, and difficulty functioning. Unlike the temporary “baby blues”, PPD is more severe and long-lasting, potentially leading to negative consequences for mother and child. Globally, PPD impacts approximately 10–20% of postpartum women, with prevalence influenced by genetic, hormonal, psychological, and socio-environmental factors. Early detection is crucial, with screening tools such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) commonly used in clinical practice. Treatment options include pharmacological interventions such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), psychological therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT), and lifestyle modifications. Despite the growing awareness of PPD, stigma remains a significant barrier to treatment, discouraging many women from seeking help. In low-income countries, where mental health care is often underfunded, accessing professionals trained in perinatal mental health presents an even greater challenge. This gap underscores the urgent need for a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach involving obstetricians, psychiatrists, pediatricians, and midwives to ensure comprehensive support and care for affected individuals.

Introduction: Perinatal mortality is labeled as the loss of fetuses at or beyond 22 weeks of gestation, deaths during labor and delivery, as well as early neonatal deaths. Appropriate medical care provided in the perinatal period is an integral indicator of high-quality medical care. Although developed countries managed to decrease perinatal mortality, it remains high in the developing world. This study aims to perform a confidential audit of perinatal mortality (CAPM) across Kazakhstani maternity hospitals. Methods: A descriptive, observational cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2024 to December 2024. The structure of the underlying causes of mortality in the antenatal, intranatal, and early neonatal periods among different maternity hospitals of the Republic of Kazakhstan was analyzed. Results: A total of 116 cases were assessed: 34 antenatal deaths, 6 intranatal, and 76 early neonatal. Most deaths occurred on the second day post-delivery. The analysis revealed that 93% of cases fell into categories indicating substandard or potentially inadequate care (categories 2 and 3). Intraventricular hemorrhage and sepsis emerged as leading causes of neonatal death. Among antenatal and intranatal deaths, significant proportions were associated with comorbid maternal conditions, insufficient antenatal visits, and inadequate perinatal support. Conclusions: CAPM proves to be a critical tool for identifying systemic gaps and guiding improvements in maternity services without attributing blame to health professionals. Findings underscore that many perinatal deaths could have been avoided with timely, evidence-based interventions across antenatal and neonatal care. Broader implementation and institutionalization of CAPM in Kazakhstan could lead to measurable reductions in perinatal mortality and improvements in maternal/newborn care outcomes. Factors such as preconception planning, improving the health of reproductive-age women, administration of folic acid, and reducing primary cesarean sections could assist in achieving the reduction in the perinatal mortality rate.

The scientific article focuses on the application of deep learning through simple U-Net, attention U-Net, residual U-Net, and residual attention U-Net models for diagnosing retinal diseases based on medical image analysis. The work includes a thorough analysis of each model's ability to detect retinal pathologies, taking into account their unique characteristics such as attention mechanisms and residual connections. The obtained experimental results confirm the high accuracy and reliability of the proposed models, emphasizing their potential as effective tools for automated diagnosis of retinal diseases based on medical images. This approach opens up new prospects for improving diagnostic procedures and increasing the efficiency of medical practice. The authors of the article propose an innovative method that can significantly facilitate the process of identifying retinal diseases, which is critical for early diagnosis and timely treatment. The results of the study support the prospect of using these models in clinical practice, highlighting their ability to accurately analyze medical images and improve the quality of eye health care.

Background: Acute pancreatitis is a major issue in surgical practice, with high complications and mortality rates. It severely affects patient quality of life and places a significant economic strain on healthcare systems, making its study crucial for public health. This study aims to analyze trends in acute pancreatitis incidence in the Akmola region from 2009 to 2022. Materials and methods: The study is based on a retrospective analysis of data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 code: K85. Methods of health statistics and time series analysis were used to assess the dynamics of morbidity. Results: There was an increase in the total number of hospitalizations from 865 cases in 2009 to 1.061 in 2022. The percentage of surgical interventions decreased from 5.7% to 4.2%, while the share of conservative treatment increased to 95.8%. The mortality rate among operated patients was 20.4% in 2019 and increased to 33.3% in 2022. The incidence of hospitalization increased from 117.1 per 100000 population in 2009 to 144.6 per 100000 population in 2022, with a decrease in the rate of late visits from 42.6 to 36.1 per 100000 population, respectively. Conclusion: It has been established that for patients in the second group according to the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery strategy, hemodynamic support and effective pain management can contribute to early patient mobilization after surgery. Early mobilization, in turn, can expedite recovery and reduce the length of hospital stay, ultimately leading to potential cost savings. Conclusion. The study highlights the need to improve medical approaches to acute pancreatitis in the Akmola region. The results indicate the critical importance of early diagnosis and timely hospitalization to reduce complications and mortality. Additional research is needed to develop more effective clinical protocols.

The purpose of this study: to evaluate the incidence of breast cancer (BC) in Astana using component analysis. Methods. In a retrospective study of the data of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan on new cases of BC in Astana, obtained from Form No. 7, descriptive and analytical methods of epidemiology were used. Component analysis was used to analyze the dynamics of incidence based on the number of cases from 2012 to 2021. Results. During the study period (2012-2021), 2.672 new cases of BC were registered in Astana. The average age of the patients was 55.7 years. The average annual incidence of BC in Astana was 53.0±1.7 (95% CI=49.7-56.2) per 100.000 population. The general growth in incidence was +1.00/0000. The overall increase was +2.690/0000 and depended on changes in the age structure of the population (∑ΔA=+5.400/0000), the risk of getting sick (∑ΔR=−3.400/0000) and the combined effect of the age structure and the risk of getting sick (∑ΔAR=+0.680/0000). According to the calculations of the component analysis, 369 patients were expected in 2021. However, the number of patients was 322. Thus, BC is characterized by an increase in cases, mainly due to population growth (+56.8% of the total increase by +64.5%). Conclusion. Our research highlights the rise in breast cancer cases linked to demographic factors, primarily population growth. Simultaneously, there's a decrease in the disease's risk factor, possibly attributed to successful screening efforts. This underscores the significance of enhancing healthcare policies and raising public awareness of cancer prevention as key measures to alleviate the disease burden.

Relevance. Colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and colonic polyposis are major public health problems. These diseases reduce quality of life, increase disability and healthcare costs, and affect screening policy. Population aging, urbanization, and lifestyle changes have altered their incidence and age distribution in many countries. This burden makes their epidemiological assessment particularly important for public health planning, prevention, early detection, and organization of appropriate healthcare services. Objective. To summarize recent evidence on the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and prevention of major colon diseases worldwide and in Kazakhstan, with attention to regional differences and gaps in knowledge. Evidence was considered globally and nationally to provide comparative perspective. Methodology. A structured narrative literature review was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, eLibrary, and Google Scholar. The initial literature search was performed from June to August 2025, and the evidence base was subsequently updated to include relevant publications available through October 2026. The review primarily covered literature published between 2015 and 2026, with earlier landmark studies included where appropriate. Eligible sources comprised original research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, clinical guidelines, authoritative reference materials, and official epidemiological and statistical reports. A total of 89 sources were included in the final narrative synthesis. Results. Colorectal cancer remains a major contributor to cancer incidence and mortality worldwide and in Kazakhstan. According to GLOBOCAN 2024 estimates, colorectal cancer accounted for 3,598 new cases (12.1% of all estimated cancer cases) in Kazakhstan. National statistical data demonstrated regional differences in colorectal cancer incidence and the continued occurrence of advanced-stage disease. Colorectal carcinogenesis involves chromosomal instability, microsatellite instability, and serrated neoplasia pathways, while hereditary syndromes contribute to increased individual risk. Advances in image-enhanced endoscopy, artificial intelligence-assisted colonoscopy, capsule endoscopy, and molecular testing offer additional diagnostic opportunities. However, gaps remain in population-based epidemiological data on inflammatory bowel diseases and colonic polyposis in Kazakhstan. Conclusions. The reviewed evidence highlights the importance of risk-factor modification, organized colorectal cancer screening, early detection and removal of precancerous lesions, and risk-adapted surveillance of individuals with hereditary predisposition. For Kazakhstan, priorities include improving screening quality, strengthening national cancer registration and epidemiological monitoring, expanding access to diagnostic services, and developing population-based research on inflammatory bowel diseases and colonic polyposis. Modern diagnostic technologies should complement established clinical pathways rather than replace colonoscopy and histological examination. Keywords: colorectal neoplasms, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, intestinal polyposis, epidemiology, Kazakhstan.