J Reprod Med
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Case Reports
Erythropoietin use in a pregnant Jehovah's witness with anemia and beta-thalassemia: a case report.
Anemia in pregnancy is seen often because of iron deficiency and the "physiologic dilution" that occurs in the third trimester. Other causes include genetic conditions, such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemias. In cases not responding to iron therapy, patients occasionally require a blood transfusion to restore adequate circulating red blood cell mass. In patients belonging to the Jehovah's Witness sect, transfusion of blood products is not allowed, and treatment of anemia in pregnancy may require use of erythropoietin. ⋯ Synthetic erythropoietin has been used successfully in patients with renal failure and anemia. In pregnancy associated with renal failure and anemia, synthetic erythropoietin has been shown to be safe except for rare cases of hypertension. We treated anemia caused by beta-thalassemia in pregnancy with synthetic erythropoietin to avoid a transfusion in a Jehovah's Witness.
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Comparative Study
Contributions of physical and sexual abuse to women's experiences with chronic pelvic pain.
To examine the roles of physical and sexual abuse in women with chronic pelvic pain using multi-dimensional pain assessment and to compare the chronic pelvic pain experiences of women with physical abuse to those of women with sexual abuse. ⋯ These results suggest that both physical and sexual abuse are associated with psychological distress in women with chronic pelvic pain but not with other domains of pain experience. Additional research to improve identification and treatment of women with both chronic pelvic pain and abuse is indicated.