Journal of women's health最新文献

Comprehensive prenatal care incorporates recommended vaccines to help protect the mother, the pregnancy, and the infant from adverse health outcomes and severe illness from vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). However, vaccinations during pregnancy remain underutilized, often influenced by concerns about vaccine safety and low perception of disease risk. Self-reported vaccine hesitancy among pregnant people in the United States has significantly increased in the last few years, and influenza and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) vaccination rates have declined. Furthermore, the number of vaccines routinely recommended during pregnancy has expanded. Communication strategies tailored to pregnant people may help build vaccine confidence among pregnant people and their health care providers. While characteristics and perceptions associated with hesitancy to vaccinate during pregnancy are documented in existing literature, more information is needed on promising communication practices preferred by subgroups of pregnant persons, particularly Black pregnant people who have higher rates of illness from VPDs and greater risk of pregnancy-related complications. This article summarizes literature on the current landscape of prenatal vaccination, discusses qualitative findings from focus groups with non-Hispanic Black pregnant people, and describes promising practices for communicating with this group about vaccination. Promising practices include specifying the benefits of vaccination for both the pregnant person and the infant, outlining potential risks, and emphasizing the overall importance of vaccination during pregnancy, while also acknowledging that many non-Hispanic Black pregnant people may have health concerns they perceive as superseding vaccination.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among Black women. When compared with their non-Hispanic White counterparts, Black women are about 50% more likely to have uncontrolled high blood pressure (BP). The disproportionate burden of CVD in Black women highlights the need for CVD prevention programs in this population. The present systematic literature review examined the updated literature on the efficacy of primary prevention self-management interventions for Black women with CVD risk factors. Searches were run on PubMed, Cochrane, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO databases based on the following inclusion criteria: papers published from September 22, 2018; English language; U.S. studies only; original research reports; prospective clinical trials; cardiovascular health promotion/self-management interventions that target at least two health practices for primary prevention; comorbid conditions without a cardiovascular event; at least one patient-level outcome; and Black women at least 18 years of age. Twelve papers met the inclusion criteria. Health practices targeted included physical activity, nutrition, weight loss, health knowledge, and BP control. Nine of the 12 papers reported statistically significant improvements on at least one CVD risk factor including weight loss, physical activity, BP control, waist circumference, and depression. Culturally tailored self-management interventions appear to be feasible with weak to moderately high evidence of efficacy for reducing CVD risk factors in Black women. Further research should focus on the influence that social determinants of health, including mental health, may have on self-management and CVD risk in this population.

Objective: To examine publication trends pertaining to fertility-sparing management in patients of reproductive age with gynecological malignancies. Methods: Ovid MEDLINE was used to aggregate all publications on gynecological cancers and fertility between 1946 and 2022. Original research, reviews, case series/reports, and editorials were included. Publication information was extracted from Ovid MEDLINE. Individual authors' subspecialty credentials were individually reviewed and confirmed. Descriptive statistics were generated. Results: The initial query generated 2,057 publications. Of these, 1,057 (51.4%) publications met search criteria, with the first study being published in 1991 and with 16.6% published in the last 2 years. Only 34 (5.5%) studies were published with collaboration between reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) and gynecological oncology physicians in the United States. Gynecological oncologists comprised most senior authors (50.9%), followed by REI specialists (18.6%). Topics of the publications centered on fertility-sparing surgical management (43.1%), medical management of gynecological malignancies (11.3%), and oocyte/ovarian tissue preservation (6.0%). Most publications focused on ovarian malignancies (349, 33.3%), followed by cervical cancer (299, 28.5%), and uterine/endometrial cancer (258, 24.6%). While the number of publications regarding fertility-sparing management has increased over the last 30 years, the majority are retrospective studies and case reports/series. In the last 10 years, only five studies were randomized controlled trials. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for more prospective research in oncofertility. While fertility care in the setting of gynecological cancer is a collaborative effort between the specialties of gynecological oncology and REI, this partnership is not reflected in the authorship of current literature.

Objective: Failure to "make weight" carries significant consequences for military personnel including additional training burdens, stigma, possible demotion, or even separation from service. The aim of this study was to examine potential gender differences in, and investigate relationships between, military making weight behavior and obesity, eating pathology, and mental health later in life. Method: Iraq and Afghanistan war era Veterans (N = 1,126, 51.8% women) completed the Making Weight Inventory (MWI), a measure of making weight behaviors engaged in during military service, and validated measures of eating behavior and mental health. Analyses compared participants who engaged in at least one making weight behavior (MWI+) versus those who did not (MWI-). Results: Overall, 41% (n = 462) of the sample was categorized as MWI+. The most frequently endorsed making weight behavior was excessive exercise (35.7%). Among those who were MWI+, there was a significantly greater proportion of women (58.2% versus 47.3%, p < 0.001). The MWI+ group had higher rates of obesity (52.4% versus 26.2%) and had significantly higher levels of dietary restraint, emotional eating, food addiction, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder than the MWI- group (p's < 0.001). Conclusions: Military making weight behavior was associated with female gender, higher weight, eating pathology, and mental health later in life. Collectively, these findings suggest these factors may place female service members at a disadvantage for career advancement and salary. Efforts to better understand and address extreme making weight efforts in military populations, particularly in female service members and Veterans, are warranted.

Introduction: Postpartum acute care utilization (PACU), including visits to an emergency department, obstetric triage, or urgent care ("outpatient"), and hospital readmissions, may indicate medical complications and signal unmet health needs. Methods: We estimated the incidence of PACU and examined patterns by sociodemographic factors, pregnancy and birth characteristics, time since discharge from the birth hospitalization, and medical indications. We constructed a retrospective cohort of people aged ≥18 years who delivered ≥1 liveborn infant >20 weeks of gestation from July 1, 2021, to December 31, 2022, using electronic health record data from a quaternary maternity hospital in the Southeastern United States PACU data throughout the health care system were collected through March 31, 2023. We excluded people with a hospital stay >6 days (n = 29). Results: In this cohort of 6,041 birthing people, 11.3% had ≥1 outpatient encounters (range 0-6) and 3.2% had ≥1 hospital readmissions (range 0-4) within 12 weeks of discharge from the birth hospitalization. Median time to first outpatient PACU was 10 days post-discharge and 6 days for first hospital readmission. Among encounters for the top five medical indications, time to first postpartum acute care encounter varied by medical indication (log-rank test of equality over strata Chi-square = 69.93, degrees of freedom = 4, p < 0.0001). Complications specified during the puerperium (n = 234) and hypertension and hypertensive-related conditions complicating the puerperium (n = 87) were the two most frequent indications. Conclusion: These findings can inform efforts to direct health resources to improve postpartum health care and health outcomes.

The landscape of research on the benefits of influenza vaccines and antivirals to protect pregnant persons and infants has increased in recent years, while influenza vaccination rates and antiviral usage have declined. Pregnant people and infants <6 months of age are at increased risk of hospitalization with influenza, making protection of this population essential. Maternal influenza vaccination at any time during pregnancy is the best way to reduce the risk of influenza and severe influenza in both pregnant people and their infants <6 months of age. Influenza antiviral medications for pregnant people and infants are also recommended as early as possible if influenza is confirmed or suspected. This report will update on the current research on the benefits of influenza vaccination during pregnancy and influenza antiviral medication for the pregnant person and infant, current Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for influenza vaccination in pregnancy and vaccination coverage rates, current influenza antiviral medication guidance and usage rates in pregnancy and among infants, and future directions for influenza pregnancy research. With over half a century of maternal influenza vaccination in the United States, we have improved protection for pregnant persons and infants against influenza, but we still have room for improvement and optimization with new challenges to overcome following the COVID-19 pandemic. By continuing to fill research gaps and increase vaccination coverage and antiviral usage, there is potential for significant reductions in the domestic and global burden of influenza in pregnant persons and infants.

Background: Migraine prevalence has been estimated to be as high as 25% during reproductive years. Despite this, and the known significantly lower odds of acute stroke being correctly diagnosed among women versus men, little is known about the migraine-stroke connection in this vulnerable population. Our study seeks to provide a consolidated examination of cerebrovascular and obstetric complications of migraines in pregnant women and to evaluate the role of concurrent comorbidities. Methods: We utilized the 2016-2020 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample with the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision diagnostic codes to compare pregnant patients with migraines with those without migraines. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the incidence of subtypes of stroke while controlling for confounding variables. Results: Overall, 19,825,525 pregnant patients were evaluated; 219,175 (1.1%) had a concomitant diagnosis of migraine. Pregnant patients with migraines were more likely to suffer ischemic (0.1% versus 0.0%) or hemorrhagic stroke (0.3% versus 0.1%). On multivariate analysis, acute ischemic stroke was most strongly associated with migraine with aura (odds ratio [OR], 23.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 18.46-29.31), followed by migraine without aura (OR, 8.15; 95% CI, 4.79-13.88). Conclusions: Pregnant women with migraine are at a significantly increased risk for both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Pregnant women with migraines should be cautioned that they may be at an increased risk of stroke, particularly if they are experiencing an aura, and encouraged to contact their medical providers to rule out neurological complications.

Objective: This analysis explored relationships between mental health symptoms and conditions and cognitive function in a cohort of Vietnam-era women veterans from the Health of Vietnam Era Veteran Women's Study (HealthViEWS). Methods: Vietnam-era women veterans completed a mail survey assessing self-reported symptom severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. A telephone-based structured interview assessed mental health conditions and cognitive function (telephone interview for cognitive status [TICS]). Participants were categorized using a TICS threshold of ≤29 to designate possible cognitive impairment versus nonimpaired. Separate logistic regression models were used to determine associations between possible cognitive impairment and each self-reported and interviewer-rated assessment of PTSD and depression while adjusting for age, education, race, marital status, and wartime service location. Results: The sample consisted of 4,077 women veterans who were ≥60 years old and completed the TICS. Of these women, 7.20% were categorized with possible cognitive impairment. Logistic regression models indicated that self-reported PTSD and depression symptom severity were each significantly associated with higher odds of possible cognitive impairment (adjusted odds ratios [aOR]: 1.03 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.04] and 1.07 [95% CI: 1.04-1.09], respectively). Women veterans with a probable diagnosis of depression had higher odds of possible cognitive impairment compared to those without depression (aOR: 1.61 [95% CI: 1.07-2.42]). No association was found for probable diagnosis of PTSD. Conclusions: Although further examination remains necessary, results suggest that Vietnam-era women veterans with self-reported PTSD and depression symptom severity or a probable diagnosis of depression may benefit from screening of cognitive function to inform clinical care.