Women & Health最新文献

Tandem breastfeeding is defined as the simultaneous breastfeeding of two children of different ages, either during pregnancy or postpartum. Identifying the emotions and difficulties experienced by mothers during the tandem breastfeeding process is crucial in terms of raising awareness. Accordingly, the objective of this study is to investigate the experiences and challenges associated with tandem breastfeeding. This qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological research design. Data were collected through online face-to-face interviews conducted via Google Meet in Turkiye between January and March of 2024. Snowball sampling was employed to recruit participants. Fourteen mothers who were concurrently breastfeeding two children participated in the study. The researchers conducted in-depth, individual, open-ended interviews to collect data. The participants were asked to complete a personal information form and a semi-structured in-depth interview. Participants were encouraged to share their experiences with tandem breastfeeding and the challenges they faced. Descriptive data regarding the socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics of the mothers were presented as numbers and percentages. Qualitative data were examined using content analysis. A comprehensive analysis of interview data from tandem breastfeeding women identified eight key themes: happiness, enjoyment, guilt, fear, breast problems, fatigue/boredom, sibling jealousy, and social pressure. Among the tandem breastfeeding mothers, 64.2 percent reported positive emotions, while 35.8 percent reported negative emotions. Furthermore, 28.6 percent of the mothers mentioned difficulties related to "breast problems," 21.4 percent to "sibling jealousy," 28.6 percent to "fatigue and boredom," and 21.4 percent to "environmental pressure. It is important to note that tandem breastfeeding mothers reported positive emotions, yet concurrently indicated the presence of various challenges. During this process, tandem breastfeeding mothers require information and support. In this regard, midwives and nurses play a crucial role in supporting tandem breastfeeding mothers, thereby promoting positive emotions, addressing negative emotions and difficulties, and encouraging breastfeeding.

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is a well-tolerated compound effective in reducing pain. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study investigated PEA for menstrual pain relief. Conducted in Australia from May to December 2023, the study included adults over 18. Participants consumed 300 mg of PEA or a placebo at menstrual pain onset. Pain scores were recorded on the numerical pain rating scale (NRS) every 30 minutes for up to 4 hours. If pain persisted, a second dose was permitted after 2-hours. The primary outcome measure was the reduction in acute menstrual pain scores from the NRS. Secondary outcome measures included the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, rescue medication use and adverse events. Pain scores were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance. PEA resulted in a significant reduction in pain scores at 1 (p = .045), 1.5 (p = .009), 2 (p = .015) and 2.5 (p = .039) hours post dosage compared to placebo. No difference was seen for the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication, rescue medication used, or adverse events. This study demonstrates PEA supplementation is a safe and effective option for reducing menstrual pain compared to a placebo, with significant pain reduction observed at multiple time points post-dosage.

Women have inadequate access to menstrual health and hygiene, and there is astigma associated with menstruation. A systematic literature review of menstruation-related beliefs, myths, taboos, and harmful practices was conducted on Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Fourteen articles were included, of which eleven were in relation to beliefs, myths, and taboos, and nine to harmful practices, during menstruation. The results show that menstruation is associated with dirtiness and impurity beliefs and with restrictive and possibly harmful practices that go against human rights. Specific educational and hygiene content about menstruation is necessary for programs and interventions to address women's health.

This study aimed to develop a prognostic nomogram to predict the risk of delayed onset lactogenesis II (DOL II) in Chinese women who delivered via cesarean section. A total of 143 women who delivered via cesarean section in our hospital between June 2021 and May 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. A nomogram was constructed using the independent predictors extracted from the logistic regression analysis. Validation of the prognostic model was conducted using the concordance index, calibration curves and decision curve analyses (DCAs). Multivariate analyses revealed that the factors associated with DOL II after cesarean section were gestational weight gain (GWG), gestational hypertension, previous breastfeeding experience and previous insufficient lactation. The nomogram was constructed based on the above four factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.801 in the validation set. The Youden index of the model was 0.49, with a sensitivity of 0.661 and a specificity of 0.829. The DCA indicated that our nomogram provided excellent positive net clinical benefits for predicting the risk of DOL II. This nomogram can provide a scientific basis for medical workers to promptly identify the risk of DOL II in women who have undergone cesarean section, prevent the occurrence of DOL II and improve the breastfeeding rate of mothers and the quality of life of newborns.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and chronic hypertension (CHTN) are related to maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess HDP and CHTN prevalence changes before (January 2015-February 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-December 2021) in South Carolina (SC). SC live births (2015-2021) were included (194,841 non-Hispanic White [NHW]); 108,195 non-Hispanic Black [NHB]; 25,560 Hispanic; 16,346 other race/ethnicity). Linked birth certificate and hospitalization/ED data was used. Relative risks (RRs) and 95 percent CIs adjusted for potential confounders estimated HDP and CHTN risk before and during the pandemic. HDP risk is associated with a one-year increase in calendar time pre-pandemic differed by race/ethnicity. Corresponding RRs (95 percent CIs) were 1.06 (1.05-1.06) in NHW, 1.07 (1.06-1.07) in NHB, 1.07 (1.06-1.09) in Hispanic and 1.09 (1.07-1.12) for other races/ethnicities. During the pandemic, RRs (95 percent CIs) attenuated slightly remaining significant (NHW, 1.03 [1.01-1.04]; NHB, 1.04 [1.02-1.05]; Hispanic, 1.04 [1.02-1.07]; other races/ethnicities, 1.06 [1.04-1.09]). Increasing race-ethnic group-specific trends from 2015 to 2021 were reported for CHTN (NHW, 1.09 [1.08-1.10]; NHB, 1.09 [1.08-1.10]; Hispanic, 1.08 [1.05-1.12]; other races/ethnicities, 1.15 [1.11-1.19]). HDP and CHTN's increasing prevalence from 2015 to 2021 differed by race/ethnicity, with HDP impacted by the pandemic and upward trends observed for both conditions after adjustment. Screening, diagnostic, and reporting practices across different data sources and actual changes may impact HDP and CHTN prevalence.

In this study, we investigated the factors that influence families' decision-making processes about whether to carry a pregnancy to term or to terminate it in cases of fetal anomalies. A questionnaire was administered to 25 participants who chose to terminate their pregnancy and 25 participants who chose to carry their pregnancy to term. Among the sociodemographic characteristics investigated, only monthly income significantly differed between the groups (p = .044), being higher in the termination group. The participants in the non-termination group decided to proceed in a shorter time (p = .014). The majority of the participants in this group made this decision for religious reasons (56 percent), while in the other group, the decision was mostly based on baby-centered or parent-centered factors (48 percent and 52 percent, respectively) (p < .001). In the non-termination group, there was a significantly higher number of participants who expressed that their religious beliefs played an influential role in their decision (p = .002). In contrast, in the termination group, higher number of participants indicated that the information provided by their doctor was very effective in shaping their decisions (p < .001). According to the results of our study, social, cultural, and religious reasons seem to be the most important factors affecting participants' decisions related to pregnancy termination.

Background: A growing body of evidence suggests a potential link between the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and menstrual changes in women who were menstruating at the time of vaccination. Nevertheless, the prevalence of this event in those with secondary amenorrhea for different causes, i.e. formerly menstruating women, remains unclear. It is plausible that, analogous to those observed in currently menstruating women, they experienced some degree of alteration in their reproductive health, defined here as menstrual-related disturbances.

Objective: The aim was to analyze this phenomenon and identify the factors associated with the occurrence of menstrual-related disturbances in this subpopulation. Study design: A retrospective observational cross-sectional study was conducted among adult Spanish in December 2021 using an online survey (N = 17,512). The present analysis includes a subpopulation of vaccinated and formerly menstruating women (N = 548). General characteristics, medical history, and adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination were recorded. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and McNemar mid-P tests were performed. Bivariate logistic regression was then used to identify the key factors influencing this unexpected event.

Results: In comparison with the first dose, significantly higher percentages of respondents experienced menstrual-related disturbances (dose 1: 38.5 percent vs. dose 2: 44.8 percent) after receiving the second one. Among them, those related to the length and flow stand out, being of long-term nature in about 17-20 percent of cases. Interindividual factors influencing this unexpected event after receiving the dose 1 may include weight, perimenopause, preexisting diagnoses of non-autoimmune rheumatic/articular conditions, use of hormonal contraceptives, suffering from other vaccine side effects - such as arm pain and the number of previous pregnancies; for dose 2, these factors may include suffering from menstrual-related alterations after receiving dose 1, as well as the use of hormonal contraceptives and perimenopause.

Conclusion: Formerly menstruating women might experience long-term menstrual-related disturbances following COVID-19 vaccination. Potential influencing factors include weight, perimenopause, rheumatic/articular conditions, hormonal contraceptives, vaccine side effects and previous pregnancies.

In Qatar, hormonal contraceptives are available over the counter in community pharmacies. However, improper use, particularly by women with specific health conditions, can result in adverse events. Community pharmacists (CPs) play a role in counseling women and assessing eligibility for contraceptives. This study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of CPs in Qatar regarding hormonal contraceptives through a survey conducted from August to December 2021. Of 377 respondents, 136 completed the questionnaire (response rate: 35.3 percent). The mean knowledge score was 3.01, reflecting poor to moderate knowledge. The score fell between 3 and 4, with a maximum score of 6. CPs mostly counseled patients about contraceptives' names, instructions on administration, and when to start (82.2 percent, 90.2 percent, and 90 percent respectively). About 40 percent of CPs agreed that their religious beliefs do not affect recommendations about contraceptives. Lack of private rooms (57 percent), and limited counseling time (55.1 percent) were identified as counseling barriers. The study concluded that CPs had poor to moderate knowledge but positive attitudes and fair to good counseling practices, suggesting a need for educational programs and interventions to overcome barriers.