Journal of women's health
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2016
Comparative StudyAdequacy of Prenatal Care and Gestational Weight Gain.
The goal of prenatal care is to maximize health outcomes for a woman and her fetus. We examined how prenatal care is associated with meeting the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines for gestational weight gain. ⋯ Whereas prenatal care was effective for preventing insufficient weight gain regardless of prepregnancy body size, educational background, and racial/ethnic group, there were no indications that adequate prenatal care was associated with reduced risk for excessive gestational weight gain. Further research is needed to improve prenatal care programs for preventing excess weight gain.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2016
A New Way to Estimate the Potential Unmet Need for Infertility Services Among Women in the United States.
Fewer than 50% of women who meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility receive medical services. Estimating the number of women who both meet the medical/behavioral criteria for infertility and who have pro-conception attitudes will allow for better estimates of the potential need and unmet need for infertility services in the United States. ⋯ Studies of the incidence of infertility should include measures of both trying to have a child and wanting to have a child.
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Journal of women's health · Feb 2016
Taming Healthcare Costs: Promise and Pitfalls for Women's Health.
When it comes to healthcare, women are often the primary decision makers for their families. Therefore, focusing on women and their health needs can have a profound effect on health reform efforts to control costs and improve quality for all segments of the population. ⋯ Massachusetts cost containment law, Chapter 224, seeks to control the healthcare cost growth through innovative approaches to increase efficiency and transparency including the adoption of new delivery system models, investments in wellness and prevention programs, and implementation of standard quality and evaluation measures. In this paper, we outline four approaches to delivering on the promise of cost containment reform to maximize women's access to comprehensive, quality healthcare while avoiding the pitfalls of cost containment's adverse impact on women's health.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2016
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPain Rating in Women with Provoked Vestibulodynia: Evaluating Influence of Race.
Chronic pain may be perceived differently according to gender and race, which may affect physical health and psychological wellbeing. We evaluated daily pain ratings in black women as compared to white women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD). ⋯ While race was associated with functional impairment, after accounting for this, race was not associated with level of vulvar pain with PVD.
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Journal of women's health · Jan 2016
ReviewPostpartum Lifestyle Interventions to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Among Women with History of Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials.
Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Several postpartum lifestyle intervention studies have been conducted for this high-risk group; however, the randomized clinical trials have not been evaluated systematically. Thus, the aim of this article is to evaluate the outcomes of clinical trials that focus on diabetes prevention among women with DGM. ⋯ Postpartum lifestyle interventions can be effective in reducing T2DM development and insulin resistance, and decrease weight in women with GDM history, regardless of the intervention types (technology-based or in-person). Effective interventions typically include dietary changes while some physical activity changes can also improve outcomes. However, more interventions with long-term efficacy evaluation are warranted.