African journal of reproductive health最新文献

This journal proudly presents a groundbreaking special issue from China, that spotlights cutting-edge transformative research in reproductive health from resource constrained settings around the world. In this issue, 16 manuscripts -14 original research, one commentary, and one review article - converge to illuminate the intersections of technology, environment, mental wellness, and policy in shaping maternal and reproductive outcomes.

Globally rising metabolic syndrome (MS) prevalence underscores the need to understand component changes, especially in China's aging population. This study projects metabolic burden trends from 2000-2030 in Chinese children and adolescents using overweight/obesity (OWOB) and hypertension (HTN) as markers, addressing a critical knowledge gap. Analyzing data from three adult surveys (n=38,725) and five national student surveys (n=1,106,416), we found a 100% increase in adult MS cases, driven primarily by rising high blood pressure, blood glucose, and waist circumference. Projections for 2030 indicate a 34.4% decline in the youth population but a 180.6% surge in OWOB and a 131.5% increase in HTN cases. A significant negative correlation was found between the Population Development Index (PDI) and metabolic risk. Decomposition analysis confirmed rising prevalence as the main driver of increasing case numbers, partially offset by population decline. We conclude that China's deteriorating adult metabolic health, reflected in worsening pediatric trends, portends a rising non-communicable disease burden, demanding urgent public health resource allocation.

L'augmentation mondiale de la prévalence du syndrome métabolique (SM) souligne la nécessité de comprendre les changements de ses composantes, particulièrement dans la population vieillissante de la Chine. Cette étude projette les tendances du fardeau métabolique de 2000 à 2030 chez les enfants et adolescents chinois, utilisant le surpoids/obésité (OWOB) et l'hypertension (HTN) comme marqueurs, comblant ainsi une lacune critique des connaissances. En analysant les données de trois enquêtes sur les adultes (n=38 725) et de cinq enquêtes nationales auprès des étudiants (n=1 106 416), nous avons constaté une augmentation de 100 % des cas de SM chez les adultes, principalement due à la hausse de l'hypertension artérielle, de la glycémie et du tour de taille. Les projections pour 2030 indiquent une baisse de 34,4 % de la population jeune, mais une augmentation de 180,6 % de l'OWOB et une hausse de 131,5 % des cas d'HTN. Une corrélation négative significative a été observée entre l'Indice de Développement de la Population (PDI) et le risque métabolique. L'analyse de décomposition a confirmé que la prévalence croissante était le principal moteur de l'augmentation du nombre de cas, partiellement compensée par le déclin démographique. Nous concluons que la détérioration de la santé métabolique des adultes en Chine, reflétée par l'aggravation des tendances pédiatriques, laisse présager un fardeau croissant des maladies non transmissibles, exigeant une allocation urgente des ressources de santé publique.

The rapid economic rise of China has encouraged a growing number of migrants from Latin America and Spain to pursue employment, education, and family life across major Chinese cities. Mothers who relocate to China often experience language barriers, cultural distance, limited support networks, and irregular access to mental health services. These stressors shape their emotional resilience and psychological well-being. This study examines the associations between migration-related stress, emotional resilience, and maternal mental health among Spanish-speaking mothers living in China. Using a cross-sectional survey of 250 mothers residing in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, the study employs validated scales including the Migration Stress Scale (MSS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Regression analysis reveals that higher migration stress is significantly associated with poorer maternal mental health, while emotional resilience moderates this relationship. Findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive interventions, access to Spanish-language counseling, and community support structures for migrant mothers in China.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping cancer diagnostics by enhancing accuracy, speed, and clinical decision support. However, its adoption in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) raises critical governance challenges related to data protection, regulatory oversight, equity, and infrastructural readiness. This quantitative scoping review synthesizes evidence from 19 studies published between 2015 and 2024 to map the governance landscape surrounding AI-driven cancer diagnostics in LMICs. Following the PRISMA-ScR approach, the review identified key governance domains including data sovereignty, regulatory gaps, algorithmic transparency, infrastructural constraints, and risks of inequitable access. Results indicate that data governance challenges were the most frequently reported (n=14), followed by regulatory limitations (n=12) and workforce and infrastructural barriers (n=11). The findings highlight that while AI holds transformative potential for improving timely and accurate cancer diagnosis, its benefits cannot be realized without context-sensitive governance frameworks that ensure safety, transparency, accountability, and equity. The review proposes actionable policy pathways to support responsible AI integration across LMIC health systems.

Maternal health literacy remains a key determinant of maternal and neonatal outcomes in China. Although traditional health communication approaches have been widely used, new media-especially animated educational content-offers a low-cost, scalable alternative. This experimental study examines the effectiveness of animated maternal-health videos in improving maternal health literacy among women of reproductive age in China. Using a randomized controlled pre-post design (N = 240), participants were assigned either to an experimental group exposed to animated content on prenatal nutrition, danger signs, and antenatal care or to a control group receiving standard text-based information. Data were collected using a validated Maternal Health Literacy Scale (Cronbach α = 0.89). Paired t-tests and ANCOVA were used to compare mean score differences. Results show a significant improvement in maternal health literacy for the experimental group (M_pre = 21.84, M_post = 32.45, t = 14.72, p < .001), while the control group showed only minimal improvement. ANCOVA confirmed that animated content remained a significant predictor of literacy after controlling for age, education, and parity (F (1,236) = 28.51, p < .001). The study concludes that animated new-media interventions can significantly enhance maternal health literacy in China, offering valuable policy implications for public health communication.

This study examines delayed childbearing, a growing reproductive health concern, among urban professional women in Hebei, China, where traditional family expectations intersect with intense workplace competition. It explores how women perceive childbearing under work pressure, how work-related stress shapes the postponement of births, and how support systems intervene in this process. This qualitative study, using a constructivist grounded theory approach, conducted in-depth interviews with 26 married professional women aged 28-40 working in enterprises, public institutions, and government agencies. Analysis identified four themes: workplace "ideal worker" norms, embodied work-related strain, insufficient multi-level support, and strategic postponement of childbearing. The study concludes that delayed childbearing among urban professional women is a rational response to overlapping pressures rather than weak fertility intentions, with potential consequences for reproductive health risks associated with advanced maternal age. It provides policy implications for building more fertility-friendly work environments and gender-equitable support systems and offers comparative insights into similar patterns of fertility postponement in other rapidly modernizing settings, including parts of Africa.

The digitalization of reproductive healthcare-from teleconsultations to electronic medical records and mobile fertility applications-has improved access, efficiency, and continuity of care. However, this transformation has simultaneously introduced significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities that directly threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and reliability of reproductive health services. Because reproductive health information is deeply sensitive, breaches can lead to severe social, psychological, and clinical consequences. This commentary discusses the growing relevance of cybersecurity in reproductive healthcare delivery, outlines key vulnerabilities across digital care pathways, and emphasizes the ethical and governance imperatives for safeguarding reproductive health data. The paper argues that cybersecurity is not merely a technical requirement but an essential component of reproductive healthcare quality and patient protection.

The study was conducted to determine the effect of making decisions over the internet during pregnancy on self-care skills and prenatal attachment. The study was conducted in Türkiye between January and May 2024. It was determined that the difference between the pregnant women's Scale of Decision-Making Via The Internet In Pregnancy (DMIP) score averages and their ability to obtain information about age, education level, number of pregnancies, pregnancy, birth and postpartum period; between the Prenatal Attachment Inventory (PAI) score averages and their ability to obtain information about age, education level, employment status, family type, number of pregnancies, pregnancy, birth and postpartum period; and between the Self-Care Agency Scale (SCAS) score averages and their education level and number of pregnancies were statistically significant (p<0.05). It has been determined that the prenatal attachment and self-care levels of pregnant women who make decisions via the internet increase depending on their age, education level, employment status and number of children. According to study, midwives should constantly communicate with the woman during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period and have sufficient capacity and sensitivity in terms of providing her with information based on her needs.

This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of dydrogesterone in protecting the endometrium in females experiencing irregular uterine bleeding arising from endometrial hyperplasia. A cohort of 112 patients suffering from abnormal uterine bleeding due to endometrial hyperplasia, who underwent hysteroscopic surgery at our institution between January 2019 and May 2023, were assigned to two groups. Following the surgery, dydrogesterone was provided to the observation group. In contrast, medroxyprogesterone acetate-ethinyl estradiol tablets were utilized for the control group in conventional treatment. Primary outcomes included symptom improvement, treatment effectiveness, and safety profiles. Secondary outcomes involved assessing health-related life quality by employing the SF-36 questionnaire. The base characteristics were nearly the same between groups (P > 0.05). Following treatment, the observation group exhibited significantly greater improvements in symptoms and treatment effectiveness as opposed to the control group (P < 0.05), without an increase in adverse reactions. Moreover, while both groups experienced significant enhancements in SF-36 scores from baseline, the observation group showed more pronounced improvements in certain dimensions (P < 0.05). Dydrogesterone treatment following hysteroscopic surgery for females with abnormal uterine bleeding and endometrial hyperplasia demonstrates superior efficacy in endometrial protection and symptom management, without escalating adverse effects. The observed enhancements in quality of life underscore its clinical utility, suggesting dydrogesterone as a valuable therapeutic option in this clinical context.

Maternal mortality remains a major public health issue in Burkina Faso. We analyzed data from the Centre-East health region, a setting with a high maternal mortality rate to identify the underlying driving factors. We conducted a case-control study with 1:2 matching ratio. Cases (deceased women) were randomly selected from a registry of maternal deaths, while the controls were selected from hospital logs of uncomplicated deliveries between January 1st, 2020, and June 30th, 2022. We fitted logistic regression to identify associated factors, considering differences significant when the 95% confidence intervals of the odds ratio do not include 1. Overall, among deceased women, 81% were referred, 33% were aged between 19 and 24 years, 82.4% were illiterate, 47% attended less than 4 antenatal care visits, and 39% came from the Ouargaye health district. Fever was associated with an increased odd of maternal death, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.94 (95%CI: 1.47-5.90). women with a normal coloration of conjunctivae during labor were less likely to die compared to those with conjunctival pallor: aOR =0.02 (95%CI: 0.004-0.11). These results suggest that preventing and treating fever and infections could help to reduce maternal deaths during delivery in the Centre-East region, Burkina Faso.