Journal of women's health
-
Lack of social support during pregnancy may be associated with the prenatal use of alcohol. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree, predictors, and consequences of social support in a cohort of 200 pregnant women who scored 2 or more on the T-ACE, a 4-item screening questionnaire for prenatal drinking. ⋯ Regardless of social support, previous, prepregnancy, and early pregnancy drinking were the most predictive factors for subsequent prenatal alcohol consumption in this sample, underscoring the importance of screening pregnant women for drinking.
-
Journal of women's health · Oct 2005
Physician-identified barriers to intimate partner violence screening.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) causes approximately 2 million injuries and 1300 deaths each year. Despite the high frequency of IPV among women seeking healthcare, only a small proportion report being asked by healthcare professionals about abuse. This study examined perceived barriers to IPV screening among obstetricians/gynecologists, family physicians, and internists, so that protocols for IPV training can be tailored to those particular areas of difficulty. ⋯ These findings provide direction for training in IPV recognition. They support a need for continued training throughout the physician's career. More importantly, the findings support a need for better practice systems to encourage routine screening for IPV by healthcare providers.
-
Journal of women's health · Oct 2005
Case ReportsStellate ganglion blockade provides relief from menopausal hot flashes: a case report series.
To investigate whether standard C6 stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) might provide relief from hot flashes associated with menopause. ⋯ Successful SGB appears to be related to relief of hot flashes. Repeat SGB results in efficacious multiple week relief of severe hot flashes associated with menopause.
-
Journal of women's health · Sep 2005
ReviewBotanical and dietary supplements for menopausal symptoms: what works, what does not.
Approximately two thirds of women who reach menopause develop menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes. Hormone therapy long was considered the first-line treatment for vasomotor symptoms. However, given the results of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), many women are reluctant to use exogenous hormones for symptomatic treatment and are turning to botanicals and dietary supplement (BDS) products for relief. Despite the fact that there is limited scientific evidence describing efficacy and long-term safety of such products, many women find these natural treatments appealing. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women are among the highest users of these products, but 70% of women do not tell their healthcare providers about their use. Compounding this issue is the fact that few clinicians ask their patients about use of BDS, largely because they have not been exposed to alternative medical practices in their training and are unfamiliar with these products. ⋯ The evidence to date suggests that black cohosh is safe and effective for reducing menopausal symptoms, primarily hot flashes and possibly mood disorders. Phytoestrogen extracts, including soy foods and red clover, appear to have at best only minimal effect on menopausal symptoms but have positive health effects on plasma lipid concentrations and may reduce heart disease. St. John's wort has been shown to improve mild to moderate depression in the general population and appears to show efficacy for mood disorders related to the menopausal transition. Other commonly used botanicals have limited evidence to demonstrate safety and efficacy for relief of symptoms related to menopause.