Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Sep 2016
Unintended Pregnancy, Depression, and Hazardous Drinking in a Community-Based Sample of Sexual Minority Women.
Unintended pregnancy is a stressful life event with important implications for women's health. Little research has examined sexual minority women's (SMW; lesbian, bisexual, mostly heterosexual) experiences of unintended pregnancy, and no studies have examined the relationship between unintended pregnancy, mental health, and negative coping behaviors in this population. ⋯ Unintended pregnancy among SMW is an understudied topic. Our results suggest that unintended pregnancy is not uncommon among SMW and highlight the need for more research to investigate the mechanisms that link unintended pregnancy to depression and to hazardous drinking within this population.
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Journal of women's health · Aug 2016
Age at First Birth and Psychiatric Disorders in Low-Income Pregnant Women.
Young maternal age at first birth has been associated with poor mental health. However, few studies directly compared the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among adolescent versus adult mothers at first birth using a comprehensive diagnostic tool. This study examined the association between age at first birth and 22 current and lifetime psychiatric disorders in a cohort of low-income pregnant women. ⋯ Low-income women who have their first birth in adolescence have higher odds of psychiatric disorders and should be the target of psychiatric screening during their pregnancy. Mothers beginning childbearing before age 19 should be screened during pregnancy for anxiety disorders, including PTSD, and behavior disorders.
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Journal of women's health · Aug 2016
An Altered Perception of Normal: Understanding Causes for Treatment Delay in Women with Symptomatic Uterine Fibroids.
Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that are the leading cause of hysterectomy in the United States. Despite their high prevalence and associated morbidity, there are little qualitative data characterizing what drives women's treatment-seeking behavior for their fibroids. ⋯ Many women with symptomatic fibroids live with this condition chronically without seeking care. It appears that for some, limited knowledge regarding fibroids and normal menstruation may lead to a distorted view of what is normal with regard to uterine bleeding, resulting in limited treatment seeking behavior. Others know their symptoms are abnormal but simply avoid the problem. There is a need for patient-centered and community-based education to improve women's knowledge of fibroids and symptoms and to promote treatment options.
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Journal of women's health · Aug 2016
Comparative StudyChanges in the Use of Contraception at First Intercourse: A Comparison of the National Survey of Family Growth 1995 and 2006-2010 Databases.
To determine trends in characteristics associated with contraceptive use at coitarche from 1995 to 2006-2010. ⋯ Our results suggest that access to contraception may be associated with use of a contraceptive method at coitarche. Innovative measures need to be investigated so that this young population has increased access to more reliable methods before their first sexual experience.
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Journal of women's health · Aug 2016
Five-Year Progress Update on the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding, 2011.
In 2011, Surgeon General Regina Benjamin issued a Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding (Call to Action) in an effort to mobilize families, communities, clinicians, healthcare systems, and employers to take action to improve support for breastfeeding. The Call to Action identified 20 key action steps to address society-wide breastfeeding barriers in six areas: mothers and families, communities, healthcare, employment, research, and public health infrastructure. This report highlights major federal activities that show progress toward answering the Call to Action in the first 5 years since its launch.