scholarly journals Intake of vitamin B12 and other characteristics of women of reproductive age on a vegan diet in Australia

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Benham ◽  
Danielle Gallegos ◽  
Katherine L. Hanna ◽  
Mary T. Hannan-Jones

Abstract Objective: (i) to examine demographic and health characteristics of women of reproductive age on a vegan diet in Australia and compare these to the general population, (ii) to identify sources and intake of vitamin B12, and compare intake to current recommendations (iii) examine associations between participant characteristics and adequacy of vitamin B12 intake. Design: In this cross-sectional study data was collected via an online survey. Demographic and health characteristics of women on a vegan diet were compared to women in the general population (using Australian Bureau of Statistics data). Intake of vitamin B12 was estimated using a food frequency questionnaire and estimation of supplemental intake. Setting: Australia. Participants: Participants (n1530) were women 18-44 years who had been on a vegan diet for at least six months. Results: While Body Mass Index, smoking habits and intakes of fruit and vegetables compared favourably to the general population, 26% of respondents had estimated intakes of vitamin B12 below recommendations. Analyses of relationships between vitamin B12 intake and participant characteristics revealed that the strongest predictor of intake was supplementation (p<0.001), however, 25% had not supplemented with vitamin B12 in the past three months. Conclusions: The vitamin B12 intakes of a substantial proportion of Australian women of reproductive age consuming a vegan diet do not meet the recommended intake, which could adversely affect their health, and, if they are pregnant or lactating, that of their infants too. There is a need for further research in this area to identify effective strategies to address this situation.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2481
Author(s):  
François Margueritte ◽  
Xavier Fritel ◽  
Marie Zins ◽  
Marcel Goldberg ◽  
Henri Panjo ◽  
...  

Dysmenorrhoea, dyspareunia, and non-menstrual chronic pelvic pain (NMCPP) are symptoms that are probably underreported and neglected. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and overlapping relations between these symptoms among a general population of French women of reproductive age. A cross-sectional study among the nationwide CONSTANCES cohort study recruiting a representative sample of women within different French areas was constructed. Women aged 18–49 years (n = 21,287) who reported periods in the previous three months and experienced intercourse at least once were asked about prevalence of three types of chronic pelvic pain: mild, moderate and severe dysmenorrhea; dyspareunia assessed according to its frequency; NMCPP from a binary question. Between the start of 2012 through the end of 2017, 21,287 women were enrolled, 39.8% of them (95% confidence interval (CI), 39.2–40.5) reported moderate to severe dysmenorrhea; 20.3% (95% CI, 18.7–21.9) of the youngest group (18–24 years) reported severe dysmenorrhea. Dyspareunia was reported to happen often or always by 7.9% (95% CI, 7.5–8.2) and peaked among the youngest women at 12.8% (95% CI, 11.5–14.1). NMCPP was reported by 17.0% (95% CI, 16.5–17.5). Moreover, 7.5% (95% CI, 6.4–8.6) of the women reported two or more types of severe or frequent pain. More attention should be paid to this substantial proportion (7.5%) of French women of reproductive age who experience multiple, severe and frequent pelvic pain symptoms.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieudonne Hakizimana ◽  
Marie Paul Nisingizwe ◽  
Jenae Logan ◽  
Rex Wong

Abstract Background Anemia among Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) continues to be among the major public health problems in many developing countries, including Rwanda, where it increased in prevalence between the 2015 and 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) reports. A thorough understanding of its risk factors is necessary to design better interventions. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted in Rwanda on a nationally representative sample to assess factors associated with anemia among WRA. Accordingly, this study was conducted to address such gap. Methods A quantitative, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the RDHS 2014-2015 report. The study population consisted of 6680 WRA who were tested for anemia during the survey. Anemia was defined as having a hemoglobin level equal to or below 10.9 g/dl for a pregnant woman, and hemoglobin level equal to or below 11.9 g/dl for a non-pregnant woman. Pearson’s chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression were conducted for bivariate and multivariable analysis, respectively. Results The prevalence of anemia among WRA was 19.2% (95% CI: 18.0 - 20.5). Four factors were found to be associated with lower odds of anemia, including being obese (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40 - 0.91), being in the rich category (OR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63 - 0.87), sleeping under a mosquito net (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74 - 0.98), and using hormonal contraceptives (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.50 - 0.73). Five factors were associated with higher odds of anemia, including being underweight (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.09 - 1.78), using an intrauterine device (OR: 1.98, 95% CI: 1.05 - 3.75), being separated or widowed (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.09 - 1.67), and living in the Southern province (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.11 - 1.89) or in the Eastern province (OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.06 - 1.88). Conclusion Anemia continues to pose public health challenges; novel public health interventions should consider geographic variations in anemia risk, seek to improve women’s economic statuses, and strengthen iron supplementation especially for Intrauterine device users. Additionally, given the association between anemia and malaria, interventions to prevent malaria should be enhanced.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (02) ◽  
pp. 237-241
Author(s):  
Shabana Rafiq ◽  
Razia Bibi ◽  
Samina Ashraf

Objectives: To determine the frequency of ovarian malignancy in women ofreproductive age presenting with ovarian mass and to determine frequency of factors leadingto ovarian malignancy. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics& Gynaecology, Lady Wallington Hospital, Lahore. Period with Dates: From 05.11.11 to26.06.12. Results: The result of our study reveals majority of the patients between 21-30 yearsi.e. 45.88%(n=39), common age was 24.21+3.76 years, 43.53%(n=37) were nulliparous (inmajority), while frequency of ovarian malignancy in women of reproductive age presenting withovarian mass was recorded in 14.11%(n=12) while frequency of factors leading to ovarianmalignancy was 91.67%(n=11) patients were nulliparous while family history of ovarianmalignancy was in 8.33%(n=1) patients. Conclusions: The frequency of ovarian malignancy ishigher among reproductive age females with increased risk of nulliparity.


Author(s):  
Stefano Palermi ◽  
Anna Maria Sacco ◽  
Immacolata Belviso ◽  
Veronica Romano ◽  
Pietro Montesano ◽  
...  

National and international healthcare organizations propose guidelines for physical activity worldwide, defining its characteristics. These guidelines’ practical applications are difficult to estimate, since they are not fully followed. The aim of the present cross-sectional observational study was to assess awareness about guidelines for physical activity and to evaluate their practical applications in a sample of the Italian population. In total, 310 participants completed an online survey (mean age 29.10 ± 4.44), assessing the habits, beliefs and health effects of physical activity. In total, 39.35% of respondents were inactive. In total, 6.91% of active respondents did not perform a warm-up phase at the beginning of each training session and 77.14% did not check their own heart rate during the training session. Approximately half of respondents reported erroneous beliefs about the type, frequency and volume of physical activity, compared to data proposed by the guidelines. The preventive effect of physical activity was clearly perceived for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and depression. Several subjects misinterpreted the preventive role of physical activity in colon and breast cancers, and in femur and vertebral fractures. Habits and beliefs about physical activity in the general population are far from the guidelines and recommendations. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the conscious practice of physical activity further.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Dehesh ◽  
Elaheh Salarpour ◽  
Neda Malekmohammadi ◽  
Sepideh Arjomand Kermani

Abstract Background Optimal pregnancy spacing is an important incidence in reproductive women’s health. Short or long pregnancy spacing leads to the greatest health, social and economic problems such as increase in maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this study is to assess the mean of pregnancy spacing and associated factors of pregnancy spacing among women of reproductive age group with recurrent event analysis. Methods The fertility history of 1350 women aged 15–49 years was collected in this cross-sectional study. The women were selected through multistage random sampling method from a list of clinics in 2018. Some predictors were collected from their records and others were collected by face-to-face interview. The recurrent event survival analysis was used to explore the effect of predictors on pregnancy spacing. The R software program was used for analysis. Results There were nine predictors that had significant effect on pregnancy spacing. These predictors included the age of mother at marriage, mother’s BMI, contraception use, breast feeding duration of the previous child, the education level of husband, the sex preference of the mother, presence of abortion or stillbirth in the preceding pregnancies, income sufficiency, and mother’s awareness of optimum pregnancy interval. The most influential predictors; contraception use (HR = 2.34, 95%CI = 1.23 to 2.76, P < 0.001) and income sufficiency (HR = 2.046, 95%CI = 1.61 to 3.02, P = 0.018) lead to longer and son preference of mother (HR = 2.231, 95%CI = 1.24 to 2.81, P = 0.023) lead to shorter pregnancy spacing. Conclusion The up to date contraception tool should be at hand for couples to manage their pregnancy intervals. The unfavorable economic situation of a family leads to long pregnancy spacing. Despite the relative equality of the status of girls and boys in today’s societies, the desire to have a son child is still an important factor in shorter pregnancy spacing. The benefit of optimal pregnancy spacing should be more announced.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Djibril M Ba ◽  
Paddy Ssentongo ◽  
Muzi Na ◽  
Kristen H Kjerulff ◽  
Guodong Liu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Background Universal salt iodization (USI) is the most feasible and cost-effective, and equitable, approach to prevent iodine deficiency. Severe maternal iodine deficiency during pregnancy is associated with serious adverse gestational and birth outcomes. Objectives The aim was to assess iodine status and identify independent factors associated with urinary iodine concentration (UIC) among women of reproductive age in Tanzania. Methods This was a weighted, population-based, cross-sectional study in 2985 women of reproductive age (20–49 y) in Tanzania who participated in the Demographic and Health Surveys in 2015–2016 (DHS 2015–2016) and had measured UIC. Multivariable generalized linear regression was used to identify potential factors that were associated with UIC. Results The median UICs among women consuming inadequately iodized salt (93.6 μg/L; 25th and 75th percentiles: 43.1, 197.9 μg/L) and women in the lowest socioeconomic status (92.3 μg/L; 45.6, 194.4 μg/L) were below the WHO-recommended ranges (≥150 μg/L for pregnant women and ≥100 μg/L for nonpregnant women). The results of multivariable models indicated that pregnant women had 1.21 μg/L lower UIC than nonpregnant women (β = −1.21; 95% CI: −3.42, −0.12), breastfeeding women had 1.02 μg/L lower UIC than nonbreastfeeding women (β = −1.02; 95% CI: −2.25, −0.27), and women with no education had a 1.88 μg/L lower UIC compared with those with secondary/highest education (β = −1.88; 95% CI: −4.58, −0.36). Women consuming inadequately iodized salt had 6.55 μg/L lower UIC than those consuming adequately iodized salt (β = −6.55; 95% CI: −9.24, −4.33). The median UIC varied substantially across geographic zones, ranging from 83.2 μg/L (45.9, 165.3) in the Western region to 347.8 μg/L (185.0, 479.8) in the Eastern region. Conclusions Our findings indicated a great heterogeneity in median UIC across regions of Tanzania among women of reproductive age. Poverty, consuming inadequately iodized salt, and lack of education appeared to be the driving factors for lower UIC in Tanzania.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jutatip Jamnok ◽  
Kanokwan Sanchaisuriya ◽  
Pattara Sanchaisuriya ◽  
Goonnapa Fucharoen ◽  
Supan Fucharoen ◽  
...  

Diseases ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenia Vlachou ◽  
Dimitra Anna Owens ◽  
Maria Lavdaniti ◽  
John Kalemikerakis ◽  
Eleni Evagelou ◽  
...  

Dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation) is one of the most common medical conditions among women of reproductive age. Dysmenorrhea has been studied around the world but not yet in Greece. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of dysmenorrhea on the wellbeing (exercising, and social and academic functioning) among nursing students in Greece. A cross-sectional study of 637 nursing students was conducted by administering a questionnaire at a university in Athens. The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 89.2% and the rate of severe intensity was 52.5%. Factors that were associated with severe dysmenorrhea were family history (p = 0.02), early menarche (p = 0.05) and menstruation duration (p = 0.05). Women with moderate and severe pain reported using pain relievers (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), paracetamol etc., p < 0.0005). Finally, activities affected by severe pain were class attendance (p = 0.01), personal studying (p < 0.0005), exercising (p < 0.0005), and socializing (p < 0.0005). Exam attendance (p = 0.27) and clinical placement attendance (p = 0.48) were not affected by severe dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea has a high prevalence among nursing students and seems to affect important aspects of wellbeing and academic performance when the pain intensity is severe. The present findings lay the foundation for further investigation of dysmenorrhea both in the Greek population and cross-culturally.


2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-109
Author(s):  
Sulbha Joshi ◽  
Varsha Kose

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the awareness and level of knowledge toward emergency contraception among married women in the reproductive age group. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted employing prestructured questionnaire, which included information about age, occupation, income, education, obstetric profile, knowledge and use of emergency contraception. Results The average age of women included in the study was 24.6 years. About 33% of women knew about emergency contraception. They mainly belonged to educated category, working class and with income group more than 5000 per month. There are about 5% of women who know about emergency contraception and have used it in the past. Conclusion There is a need to popularize emergency contraception in India for its better usages among women to avoid unwanted pregnancies and abortions. How to cite this article Kose V, Joshi S. Knowledge of Emergency Contraception among Married Women of Reproductive Age in a Rural-based Teaching Hospital of Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2012;4(2):106-109.


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