Genital hygiene behaviors and practices: A cross-sectional descriptive study among antenatal care attendees

The female genital tracts harbor a wide variety of microorganisms’ knowns as microflora mostly constituted by lactobacilli, involved in the healthy state of the vagina without causing infection. Urinary tract infections (UTI) are frequent in pregnant women due to physiological and anatomical changes that occur during pregnancy. These infections can result to disabilities or serious health problems both for the mother and the new-born. Vaginal douching has been reported among risky practices associate with UTIs. However, this remains debatable and contradictory when other studies report the benefit effects of vaginal cleaning in infection prevention. The aim of this study was to assess pregnant women behaviors and practices regarding genital hygiene. This was a cross sectional descriptive study conducted on exhaustive sample of pregnant women coming for antenatal visits in Lafé Sub-divisional Hospital (SDH) and Baleng Catholic Health Center (BCHC) between 16 and 30 September 2013. Data were collected using a paper based standardized questionnaire directly self-administered after obtain a free consent. Overall, 80 pregnant women were enrolled. The majority of them had attended at least primary education (97.5%; n=78/80) and many were lived in couple (81.25%; n=65/80). Almost one on three participants identified antenatal consultation (ANC) as a key element to be taken into account by pregnant women. 70.1% (n=56/80) of women declared wearing undergarments in cotton. Regarding the daily vaginal douching behaviors, the majority (76.3%; n=61/80) of participants used the recommended gynecological measure, while the remaining use self-prescribed measures. Both genital parts (vulva area and vagina) were cleaned and use of water was mostly cited (63.8%; n=51/80). Almost one participant on four (n=29/80) use antiseptic solutions for genital cleaning. Antiseptic solutions were associated with water in 34.5% of cases (n=10/29), and in 65.5% (n=19/29) of cases it was used only for the vagina. Our findings suggest that knowledge and genital hygiene cleaning practices are acceptable among our study population. Risky practices such as use of antiseptic solutions and synthetic underwear’s were reported. Skills of health care providers on good hygiene practices for pregnant should be improved and community-based communication strategies need to be implemented to reach all women of child bearing age.

Download Full-text

Health anxiety and related factors among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study from Iran

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03092-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Najmieh Saadati ◽

Poorandokht Afshari ◽

Hatam Boostani ◽

Maryam Beheshtinasab ◽

Parvin Abedi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Care Providers ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Third

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many countries around the world and Iran was no exception. The aim of this study was to evaluate health anxiety of Iranian pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 300 pregnant women in different trimesters (n = 100 in each trimester) were recruited. A demographic questionnaire and the Health Anxiety Questionnaire were used to collect data. Scores of < 27, 27–34 and more than 35 were defined as low, moderate and high health anxiety, respectively. Due to nationwide restrictions, data were collected through social media groups. Chi-square tests, ANOVA and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results Mean (SD) total anxiety scores were 22.3 ± 9.5, 24.6 ± 9.3 and 25.4 ± 10.6 in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. 9, 13 and 21% of women had severe anxiety in the first, second and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. Women in the third trimester had significantly higher health anxiety scores than those in the first trimester (p = 0.045). Conclusion At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy were more worried about consequences of disease, but total health anxiety scores were significantly higher among women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Health care providers should pay more attention to the mental health of pregnant women in times of crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Full-text

The Relationship Between Language Barrier in Non-Arabic Nurses and Anxiety in Cardiovascular Patients: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Journal of Patient Experience ◽

10.1177/2374373521989242 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 237437352198924

Author(s):

Jassem Almualem ◽

Amal Darwish ◽

Ahmed AlFaraj

Keyword(s):

Health Care Providers ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Descriptive Study ◽

Language Barrier ◽

P Value ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Related Information ◽

Arabic Speakers ◽

Arabic Speaking

Patients with cardiac conditions may suffer from anxiety related to prognosis and further rehabilitation. Anxiety could be exacerbated by different factors including miscommunication, which could be attributed to the linguistic barrier, that exists among health care providers. At Saud Al-Babtain Cardiac Center (SBCC), nurses who are non-native Arabic speakers could have difficulty communicating disease-related information at different stages of nursing care. Is it possible to identify the language barrier as a source of anxiety for admitted patients with cardiac diseases? In this cross-sectional, descriptive study, 50 patients were included following the diagnosis of cardiac disease and post-cardiac surgery. A questionnaire that measures anxiety level showed that patients who were handled by Arabic-speaking nurses reported less collective mean for the anxiety domain statements of (20.08) versus those who were handled by Non-Arabic-speaking nurses (28.55, P value = .041). Our finding indicates that anxiety levels increased when there was a language barrier between nurses and patients, which could affect the quality of care delivery at SBCC.

Download Full-text

Disclosure of herbal medicine use to health care providers among pregnant women in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies ◽

10.1186/s12906-020-03142-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mansoor Ahmed ◽

Hyea Bin Im ◽

Jung Hye Hwang ◽

Dongwoon Han

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Herbal Medicine ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Concern ◽

Care Providers ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background Pregnant women’s disclosure of herbal medicine (HM) use to their health care providers during pregnancy is crucial, as misuse of HM can have a detrimental effect on both pregnant woman and the fetus. However, the lack of disclosure of HM use to physicians remains a public health concern in developing countries such as Nepal. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 postpartum women admitted at Maternity and Women’s Hospital located in Kathmandu, Nepal. The survey instrument included 30 questions on the use of HM during pregnancy, sociodemographic and health characteristics, and pregnancy outcomes. Chi-square test and logistic regression were conducted for data analysis using SPSS ver. 21.0., and a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all analyses. Results 60.3% of respondents used at least one herbal remedy during their previous pregnancy, and the overall disclosure rate of HM use to healthcare providers was 54.6%. Women with secondary education level and four or more antenatal care visits were more likely to disclose their HM use to healthcare providers. Conclusions This study highlights that despite the popular use of HM among pregnant women in Nepal, most women obtained HM-related information from informal sources and did not disclose their HM use to physicians. To ensure the safe use of HM, physicians should integrate questions regarding patients’ HM use into their routine patient assessments to facilitate active communication and improve the quality of care.

Download Full-text

Assessment of physical activity status among pregnant women in southwestern China

Frontiers of Nursing ◽

10.2478/fon-2019-0020 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 135-141 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ya-Nan Yin ◽

Yan Huang ◽

Xing-Hui Liu ◽

Bi-Ru Luo

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Chinese Women ◽

First Trimester ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Southwestern China ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Exercise During Pregnancy

Abstract Objective To assess the patterns and intensities of physical activity among pregnant women in southwestern China, which help us create a fitness regimen based on the 2002 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines for exercise during pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed to recruit pregnant women at a prenatal checking visit clinic with the self-administered Chinese version of Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ). Results A total of 1179 Chinese pregnant women were enrolled, of whom 92.60% were classified as not meeting the ACOG guidelines. By intensity, 47.36% of the score was attributed to light-intensity activities (1.5 to <3.0 metabolic equivalent [MET]) in the first trimester; the other 2 trimesters were similar. By patterns, about 45.15% of the score was attributed to inactivity. More than 82.35% of enrolled pregnant women regarded slowly walking as the most common type of exercise during pregnancy. Conclusions This study represents a group of Chinese women who maintained an inactive lifestyle, including low-intensity activities and unitary type of exercises during their pregnancy. Health-care providers are advised to provide appropriate physical activity guidelines to pregnant women. Development of MET-hours/week recommendations is warranted to promote greater physical activity during pregnancy.

Download Full-text

Health anxiety and related factors among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study from Iran

10.21203/rs.3.rs-26840/v3 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Najmieh Saadati ◽

Poorandokht Afshari ◽

Hatam Boostani ◽

Maryam Beheshtinasab ◽

Parvin Abedi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Health Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Care Providers ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Third

Abstract Background: The pandemic of COVID-19 affected many countries around the world and Iran was no exception. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health anxiety of the Iranian pregnant women during the pandemic of the COVID-19. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 300 pregnant women in different trimesters (n=100 in each trimester) were recruited. A demographic questionnaire and the Health Anxiety questionnaire were used to collect the data. The total score < 27 of means low health anxiety, scores between 27-34 mean moderate health anxiety, and scores more than 35 means high health anxiety. Due to nationwide restrictions, data were collected through social media groups. The chi-square, ANOVA and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. Results: The total score of anxiety was 22.3±9.5, 24.6±9.3 and 25.4±10.6 in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy, respectively. Particularly, 9%, 13% and 21% of the women had severe anxiety or scores≥35 in the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy respectively. Pregnant women in the third trimester had significantly higher health anxiety score and higher scores of “total health anxiety” than did those in the first trimester (p=0.045). Conclusion: At the time of the pandemic of COVID-19, women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy were more worried about consequences of disease, but the total score of health anxiety was significantly higher among women in the third trimester of pregnancy. Health care providers should pay more attention to the mental health of pregnant women in times of crises such as Corona pandemic.

Download Full-text

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Contraception among Pregnant Women in Ende District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Journal of SAFOG with DVD ◽

10.5005/jp-journals-10006-1470 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 110-118 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Budi I Santoso ◽

Raymond Surya

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Unmet Need ◽

High Rate ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Primary Health ◽

Attitude And Practice ◽

Knowledge Attitude And Practice

ABSTRACT Introduction Indonesia has the fourth largest population in the world with 255.7 million people and a rate of birth of 21 per 1,000 population. There is also a high rate of unmet need and total fertility rate (TFR), which can potentially lead to unwanted pregnancies, consequently increasing the maternal mortality rate (MMR). Thus, family planning program through postpartum contraceptive use is one of the efforts to reduce the MMR and TFR. This study is conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of contraception among pregnant women in Ende district. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was carried out at three primary health centers in the main district of Ende from July to August 2015. A total of 305 pregnant women who completed questionnaires assessing their KAP of contraception were enrolled in this study. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.0 for Windows with Pearson or Spearman correlation tests. Results In this study, 86.53% of pregnant women were aware of family planning methods, among which the best known was injection (63.97%). Most respondents obtained information from health professionals (63.30%). More than half of the respondents agreed that contraception was beneficial and would recommend it to their families. The most prevalent reason for not wanting to use contraception in the future was the desire to have a child (44.59%). The total knowledge score was correlated with attitude and practice scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion More than half of respondents knew, agreed, and would like to recommend contraception. Primary health care providers play a major role in improving women's knowledge of family planning. To support the success of family planning, the government should emphasize on family planning education. In particular, there appears to be need for counseling about family planning for pregnant women. How to cite this article Santoso BI, Surya R. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Contraception among Pregnant Women in Ende District, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. J South Asian Feder Obst Gynae 2017;9(2):104-112.

Download Full-text

Pattern of oral diseases and associated contributing factors in pregnant women attending a maternity center in Dhaka city, Bangladesh

Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine ◽

10.3329/jopsom.v39i1.51862 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 50-59

Author(s):

Mumtahana Nabi ◽

Abul Masud Md Nurul Karim ◽

SM Mamun Ur Rashid

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Oral Health ◽

Prenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Large Scale ◽

Family Income ◽

Oral Disease ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Oral health care in pregnancy is often neglected by women and is also not appropriately addressed by prenatal and other health care providers and justify appropriate attention. The purpose of this cross sectional study was to describe percentage of oral disease occurrence and underlying causes in this sample of pregnant women. Methods: The study included 147 women aged between 15 to 49 years receiving prenatal care at the outdoor department of Azimpur Maternal and Child Health Training Institute in Dhaka, Bangladesh were invited to participate in this study from January 2013 to April 2013. Semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. Clinical exam data were recorded using validated scales in a special form. Results: Majority (72%) of the women were between 20 to 24 years. 57% had secondary school education. 88% of the women were unemployed and 52% women had very low family income of BOT s;10000. More than 90% of the women had good oral hygiene practices. However, 68% liked to have sugary snacks or drinks in between main meals, 7% visited their dentists during pregnancy , only 3% received advice for routine oral health screening from their prenatal care providers and only 4% women started their antenatal check-up during first trimester. All these negative influences might expose expecting mothers to high level of dental caries (54%), dental erosion (52%), gingivitis (100%) and periodontitis (27%). This study also showed that majority of the women acquired oral health information through watching television (61%) or reading newspaper (12%) while only 4% received information from doctors/dent ists throughout their lifetime. Conclusion: The undertaken research highlighted the importance of using media in modifying Bangladeshi pregnant woman's behaviours toward oral health. It also emphasizes the need for inclusion of oral health preventive programme as part of pre and postnatal care. Further study in this area on a large scale will facilitate formulation of appropriate oral health policy to achieve satisfactory oral and general health outcomes during pregnancy and ensure optimum oral health conditions of their offspring. JOPSOM 2020; 39(1): 50-59

Download Full-text

Demand on Sectio Caesarea's Labor among Pregnant Women in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review

Childhood Stunting, Wasting, and Obesity, as the Critical Global Health Issues: Forging Cross-Sectoral Solutions ◽

10.26911/the7thicph.03.16 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Maisaroh Nurasih ◽

◽

Cesa Septiana Pratiwi ◽

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Sectio Caesarea ◽

Care Providers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Medical Indications

ABSTRACT Background: The Sectio Caesarea (SC) has continued to increase in the last decades, both globally and in developing countries. SC is not only performed on medical indications but is also performed at the request of the mother so that it has an impact on increasing CS in general. This study aimed to review the demand on Sectio Caesarea’s labor among pregnant women in developing countries. Subjects and Method: This scoping review method was selected for this study using the Arksey and O’Malley framework. This study consisted of 5 stages, namely: 1) Identifying the scoping review questions with the Population Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) Framework; 2) Identifying articles relevant to inclusion and exclusion criteria, conducting literature searches through PubMed, Sciencedirect, Wiley and EBSCO, searching for gray literature through search engines, namely google scholar; 3) Article selection using Covidance Software with PRISMA Flowchart (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyzes) to describe the flow search literature, conduct critical appraisal using The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Tools to assess the quality of articles; 4) Mapping data (data charting);and 5) Compile, summarize and report results. Results: Based on 5 articles that fit the inclusion criteria, the study design used included were qualitative, cross sectional, mix methods. Articles obtained were came from developing countries, 2 Iranian, 1 Jordan, 1 Nigerian, and 1 Cambodia. Two themes emerge from this study, namely the factors affecting the demand for SC and the role of antenatal education. Conclusion: The formation of positive and trusting relationships between women, families and health care providers can result in proper communication. Meaningful discussion is important for women in making labor decisions. Keywords: sectio caesarea, demand for pregnant women, developing countries Correspondence: Maisaroh Nurasih. Universitas ‘Aisyiyah Yogyakarta. Jl. Ringroad Barat No. 63, Mlangi Nogotirto, Gamping, Rice Field Area, Nogotirto, Gamping District, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta. Email: [email protected]: Mobile: +6282137175569 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26911/the7thicph.03.16

Download Full-text

22 Housing Need Amongst Children with Medical Complexity: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study of Three Populations

Paediatrics & Child Health ◽

10.1093/pch/pxab061.016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. e14-e16

Author(s):

Kayla Esser ◽

Clara Moore ◽

Kara Grace Hounsell ◽

Adrienne Davis ◽

Alia Sunderji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care Providers ◽

Financial Burden ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Descriptive Study ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Care Providers ◽

Children With Medical Complexity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Medical Complexity

Abstract Primary Subject area Complex Care Background Children with medical complexity (CMC) have medical fragility, complex chronic disease necessitating specialized care, functional disability, and/or high technology dependence. Housing is an important social determinant of health, yet research on prevalence and types of housing need in CMC is limited. Housing need encompasses unstable (frequent moves), inaccessible (lack of ramps/lifts), inadequate (major repairs needed), unsuitable (not enough bedrooms), or unaffordable housing. Given the association between housing and health, housing need may be an important consideration when caring for CMC. Objectives The primary objective was to describe the prevalence of and factors related to housing need in CMC. The secondary objective was to compare housing need between CMC, children with one chronic condition (Type 1 diabetes; CT1D) and healthy children (HC) to understand the relationship between chronic conditions and housing need. Design/Methods This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Housing affordability, adequacy, suitability, stability, and accessibility were evaluated through surveys administered to caregivers of CMC, CT1D, and HC at a tertiary-care paediatric hospital using convenience sampling. The association of binary outcomes of housing need between groups was analyzed using logistic regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic factors (income, education, employment, geography, immigration status). Results 453 caregivers participated (Table 1). Compared to caregivers of HC, caregivers of CMC had higher odds of reporting one or more moves in the last two years (1.3 times), having safety concerns (3 times), using a common area as a bedroom (5.2 times), and experiencing housing stress (3.2 times), after sociodemographic factors were adjusted for (Table 2). Families of CT1D also had elevated odds of some indicators of housing need compared to HC, although to a lesser extent than CMC. 62.2% of CMC indicated they had to reduce spending on basics in order to afford their rent/mortgage, compared to 35.9% of CT1D and 25.2% of HC. Nearly two-thirds of CMC (60.2%) reported a need for accessibility accommodations in their home. Of those who installed accommodations, 62.9% felt the installations were a financial burden (cost ranged from $800-$80,000). Conclusion Families of CMC had higher odds of reporting unstable, inadequate, unsuitable, and stressful housing compared to HC even after sociodemographic factors were accounted for, suggesting an association between complexity of child health conditions and housing need. Access to appropriate housing may improve the health of CMC. Health care providers can screen for housing need, become familiar with housing interventions, and advocate for improved resources to address housing need in CMC.

Download Full-text

Pregnant women’s well-being and worry during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-021-03548-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Forough Mortazavi ◽

Maryam Mehrabadi ◽

Roya KiaeeTabar

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Psychological Disorder ◽

World Health ◽

Infected Person ◽

Care Providers ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background COVID-19 caused some worries among pregnant women. Worries during pregnancy can affect women’s well-being. We investigated worry and well-being and associated factors among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 484 pregnant women using an online questionnaire. Sampling was performed in a period between May 5 and Aug 5, 2020. Inclusion criteria were having a single healthy fetus and having no significant psychological disorder. We collected the data using the Persian versions of the World Health Organization’s Well-Being Index (WHO-5 Well-Being Index) and the Cambridge Worry Scale. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to identify predictors of women’s worry and well-being. Results The mean total scores of the WHO-5 Well-Being Index and the percentage of WHO-5 score < 50 were 64.9 ± 29.0 and 24.4%, respectively. Predictors of women’s worry are the increased level of fear of COVID-19 (OR = 6.40, p < 0.001), a low family income (OR = 3.41, p < 0.001), employment status (OR = 1.86, p = 0.019), nulliparity (OR = 1.68, p = 0.024), having a COVID-19 infected person among relatives (OR = 2.45, p = 0.036), having a history of abortion (OR = 1.86, p = 0.012), having participated in the study after the first wave of COVID-19 outbreak (OR = 2.328, p = 0.003), and women’s age < 30 year (OR = 2.11, p = 0.002). Predictors of low level of well-being in pregnant women are worry about their own health and relationships (OR = 1.789, p = .017), worry about fetus health (OR = 1.946, p = 0.009), and having at least one infected person with COVID-19 among relatives (OR = 2.135, p = 0.036). Conclusions The percentage of women experiencing a low well-being state was relatively high. This result is worthy of attention by health care providers and policy makers. Providing care and support to pregnant women should have high priority during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Full-text