Articles: health.
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Unintended pregnancy is a worldwide problem that affects women, their families, and society. Unintended pregnancy can result from contraceptive failure, non-use of contraceptive services, and, less commonly, rape. Abortion is a frequent consequence of unintended pregnancy and, in the developing world, can result in serious, long-term negative health effects including infertility and maternal death. ⋯ It is essential to identify those at risk for unintended pregnancy, provide the services they require, and remain diligent to ensure that those women and their families have safe options to consider when faced with an unintended pregnancy. In 1920, Magaret Sanger said, "No women can call herself free who does not control her own body." Although great strides have been made to improve the health and status of women since Ms. Sanger spoke those words, there remains much work to be done.
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A case control study was conducted to examine the theorized differences for eating and exercise behaviour among the obese and non-obese women from an urban health center in Saudi Arabia. Perceptions regarding actual and ideal body size were also determined. The obese were significantly more likely to eat under emotional conditions of stress and anger, in secrecy, and indulge in binge eating (P < 0.05). ⋯ A sizable proportion of women either overestimated (28.6%) or underestimated (28.9%) their actual body weight with increasing education significantly related to overestimation of weight and vice versa (P < 0.05). A change in the concept of an ideal body image from the overweight female to that of the slim figure was also observed with advancing education. To control and prevent obesity in this region, it is suggested that health education related to an awareness of a healthy body size and appropriate eating and exercise behaviour should be given through primary health centers, other health facilities and schools.
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Br J Obstet Gynaecol · Oct 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffects of psychosocial support during labour and childbirth on breastfeeding, medical interventions, and mothers' wellbeing in a Mexican public hospital: a randomised clinical trial.
To evaluate the effects of psychosocial support during labour, delivery and the immediate postpartum period provided by a female companion (doula). ⋯ Psychosocial support by doulas had a positive effect on breastfeeding and duration of labour. It had a more limited impact on medical interventions, perhaps because of the strict routine in hospital procedures, the cultural background of the women, the short duration of the intervention, and the profile of the doulas. It is important to include psychosocial support as a component of breastfeeding promotion strategies.
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Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol · Oct 1998
Comparative StudyThe practice of antenatal care: comparing four study sites in different parts of the world participating in the WHO Antenatal Care Randomised Controlled Trial.
In the preparation of a randomised controlled trial to evaluate a new programme of antenatal care (ANC) in different parts of the world, we conducted a baseline survey of the ANC procedures in all 53 clinics participating in the trial. There were two components of this survey: (1) description of clinic characteristics and services offered: the staff of each clinic was interviewed and direct observation was made by field supervisors, and (2) the actual use of services by pregnant women attending these clinics: we reviewed a random sample of 2913 clinical histories. The clinical units surveyed were offering most of the activities, screening, laboratory tests and interventions recommended as effective according to the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database (PCD), although some of these were not available in some sites. ⋯ There was a large variation in the actual use of screening and laboratory tests and interventions that should be offered to all women according to Cochrane PCD criteria: some of these are simply not available in a site; others are available, but only a fraction of women attending the clinics are receiving them. The participating sites all purport to follow the traditional 'Western' schedule for ANC, but in three sites we found that a high percentage of women initiate their ANC after the first trimester, and therefore do not have either the recommended minimum number of visits during pregnancy or the minimum first trimester evaluation. It is concluded that the variability and heterogeneity of ANC services provided in the four study sites are disturbing to the profession and cast doubts on the rationale of routine ANC.