Women & Health最新文献

{"title":"Menopause in Brazil: lived experiences, inequities, and opportunities for inclusive care (MARIE-Brazil WP2a).","authors":"Cristina Benetti-Pinto, Gabriela Pravatta Rezende, Renan Massao Nakamura, Daniela Angerame Yela, Jie Sun, Julie Taylor, Om Kurmi, Sharron Hinchliff, Carol Atkinson, Kristina Potocnik, Vikram Talaulikar, Ashish Shetty, Lucky Saraswat, Kathleen Riach, Jian Qing Shi, Sohier Elneil, Nirmala Rathnayake, Vindya Pathiraja, Jeevan Dhanarisi, Tharanga Mudalige, Teck-Hock Toh, Nihal Al-Riyami, Lamya Al-Kharusi, Yassine Bouchareb, George Uchenna Eleje, Nana Mintah-Afful, Ieera Aggarwal, Muhammad Irfan, Rabia Kareem, Bernard Mbwele, David Chibuike Ikwuka, Helen Felicity Kemp, Peter Phiri, Gayathri Delanerolle","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2659044","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2659044","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite global prevalence of Menopause, evidence on lived experiences across diverse populations remains limited, particularly in Brazil. Addressing these gaps is essential for designing equitable health policies. MARIE-Brazil conducted a qualitative study to explore menopausal experiences. Twenty women were selected from a cohort of 262 women in the MARIE-Brazil quantitative study who consented to the qualitative phase. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a topic guide with participants self-identifying as experiencing perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause. Sampling captured heterogeneity across age, menopausal stage, socio-economic position, ethnicity, and healthcare access. The findings indicate intersecting biological, psychological, socio-cultural, and health system determinants shaping experiences. Participants reported vasomotor symptoms, sleep, cognitive, and urogenital changes that influenced quality of life and occupational participation. Barriers to care included limited clinical knowledge, \"front-desk gatekeeping,\" and financial inaccessibility of treatments. Cultural stigma and gender norms exacerbated inequities, while peer networks and supportive clinicians improved coping. Menopause is not solely a biological milestone but a multifaceted transition shaped by structural and cultural determinants. Findings highlight urgent needs to adapt robust clinical protocols (e.g. Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Associations-FEBRASGO, Brazilian Society of Climacteric-SOBRAC) for the public sector (SUS) and provide training for non-clinical staff, and accessible treatment pathways. Incorporating lived experiences into service design and policy frameworks is critical to promoting equity in menopause care across diverse Brazilian population.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"178-194"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147964992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of abdominal obesity in women using conventional and novel anthropometric and body composition indices: a comprehensive analysis based on waist circumference.","authors":"Fatemeh Ghannadiasl","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2675280","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2675280","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Anthropometric and body composition indices offer a non-invasive and cost-efficient approach to assessing body fat distribution. This study designed to assess the effectiveness of both conventional and novel anthropometric indices in diagnosing abdominal obesity among women, with a particular focus on waist circumference (WC) as a central metric. A cross-sectional analysis was done on 916 healthy women aged 18-50 years. Measurements included weight, height, waist circumference, and hip circumference, with novel indices derived from these data. Percent Body Fat (PBF) and Visceral Fat Area (VFA) were estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and the diagnostic accuracy of the indices was assessed through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The Abdominal Volume Index (AVI) and Fat Mass (FM) demonstrated the highest diagnostic accuracy, with Youden Indices of 1.00 (AUC = 1.00) and 0.99 (AUC = 0.99), respectively. In contrast, the A Body Shape Index (ABSI) (Youden index = 0.003, AUC = 0.37) and Hip Index (HI) (Youden index = -0.67, AUC = 0.11) showed poor diagnostic performance. Notably, the Body Mass Index adjusted for Fat Mass (BMI FAT) (Youden index = 0.88, AUC = 0.98) outperformed traditional BMI (Youden index = 0.83, AUC = 0.98), underscoring its potential for more accurate obesity classification. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate anthropometric indices for the accurate assessment and management of abdominal obesity in women, providing valuable insights for clinical practice and public health strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"223-231"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148017626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A patient-centered framework for an underrecognized global burden: The FIGO-IPPS classification system for female chronic pelvic pain.","authors":"Juan Diego Villegas-Echeverri","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2687969","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/03630242.2026.2687969","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":"66 3","pages":"163-167"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148303245","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global, regional, and national ectopic pregnancy burden: A trend analysis of global disease burden from 1990 to 2021.","authors":"Zhang-Zhou Shen, Fen Wang, Xiang-Yang Ma, Qin-Qin Feng","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2675288","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2675288","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ectopic pregnancy is a serious gynecological emergency that imposes a significant global burden. This research aims to provide an effective reference for future strategic planning in various countries. Ectopic pregnancy data from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed, the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and exponential smoothing (ES) models were used to predict future disease burden. Compared with 1990, the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) increased, while the incidence number decreased notably. The age‑standardized incidence rate (ASIR) decreased by 46.12 per 100,000 (estimated annual percentage change (EAPC): -0.91, 95 percent CI: -1.02 to -0.8). The age‑standardized mortality rate (ASMR) remained stable (EAPC: 0.01, 95 percent CI: -0.07-0.08), and the age‑standardized DALY rate (ASDR) decreased slightly (EAPC: 0.05, 95 percent CI: -0.03-0.13). Prevalence also declined (ASPR EAPC: -0.91, 95 percent CI: -1.02 to -0.8), though incidence remains the primary focus for this acute condition. Across all indicators, the burden of ectopic pregnancy was concentrated within the age group of 10-54 years and predominantly in the 20-29 age group. Disease burden in low sociodemographic index (SDI) regions was higher than in other SDI regions. The regions and countries with the highest disease burden were located mainly in Africa. Although some global indicators have decreased over the past 30 years, the burden in low SDI regions has remained high. Enhancing cross-national collaboration may help reduce the disease burden in high-burden nations and areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"212-222"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147983568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validity and reliability study of the Turkish version of the menstrual quality of life scale: A methodological study.","authors":"Rabia Atilla, Mesut Teleş, Didem Kaya, Ferdane Koçoğlu, And Semra Kocaöz","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2681529","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2681529","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Menstrual Quality of Life (PERIOD-QOL) scale. This methodological study was conducted with 332 nurses and midwives. Validity and reliability were analyzed using item analysis, content and construct validity, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the Spearman-Brown formula, and the test-retest method. Cronbach's alpha, Spearman-Brown reliability, and test-retest reliability coefficients were 0.86, 0.81, and 0.63, respectively. According to the emerging unidimensional structure, factor loadings of the scale items were between 0.50 and 0.80, and this structure alone explained 45.75 percent of the total variance. The results of the known groups validity method showed that the mean PERIOD-QOL total score of nurses and midwives with very little to little menstrual bleeding (38.00 ± 6.89) was higher than those with heavy menstrual bleeding (28.73 ± 8.09) and very heavy to extremely heavy menstrual bleeding (23.50 ± 10.34) (<i>p</i> < .05). The confirmatory factor analysis revealed perfect and good-fit indices (χ²/<i>df</i> = 2.95, RMSEA = 0.077, SRMR = 0.044, CFI = 0.98, IFI = 0.98, GFI = 0.95, and NFI = 0.97). The mean items of the scale ranged between 2.71 ± 1.38 and 4.27 ± 1.19. The Turkish version of the PERIOD-QOL scale is a valid and reliable tool to assess the level and perception of menstrual QOL of women.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"232-245"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148164604","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing sexual function and sexual satisfaction in breastfeeding women: A randomized controlled trial of BETTER model-based sexual counseling.","authors":"Maryam Kiani Aliabadi, Rafat Bakht, Maryam Farhadian, Mohammad Ahmadpanah, Soodabeh Aghababaei","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2639496","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2639496","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Women's sexual function and satisfaction can be impacted by various natural life events, such as childbirth and breastfeeding. The impact of BETTER model-based sexual counseling on sexual function and satisfaction among primiparous breastfeeding women with sexual dysfunction was assessed in a randomized controlled trial conducted in Hamadan, Iran, in 2024. Eighty eligible women were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups, and data were collected using a demographic and midwifery questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Larson Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire at baseline and four weeks post-intervention. The intervention group received four weekly group counseling sessions based on the BETTER model, while the control group did not. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 19 with a 95 percent confidence level. Post-intervention, the intervention group exhibited significantly higher mean scores for sexual function (28.67 ± 2.70 vs. 21.67 ± 3.45; <i>p</i> = .001) and sexual satisfaction (100.24 ± 4.85 vs. 93.81 ± 11.53; <i>p</i> = .003) compared to the control group. Within the intervention group, significant improvements were observed post-intervention in all sexual function domains and sexual satisfaction compared to baseline (<i>p</i> < .05). Findings indicate that BETTER model-based sexual counseling is beneficial and applicable for improving sexual function and sexual satisfaction in primiparous mothers.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"168-177"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148266239","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hormonal contraceptive use prevalence and its association with menstrual cycle symptom clusters among exercising women in seven different countries.","authors":"Jessica A Freemas, Rachel Suss, Marissa N Baranauskas, Esther Goldsmith, Charles R Pedlar, Georgie Bruinvels","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2648530","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2648530","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We aimed to identify factors associated with the prevalence of contraceptive use in exercising women, including reason for usage and receipt of information about the relationship between menstruation and sports, and menstrual cycle symptom clusters in hormonal contraceptive (HC) users and non-users. A survey about contraceptive use and menstrual cycle symptoms was sent to women via the STRAVA™ App. Associations between country, age, training intensity, contraceptive use, reason for use, receipt of information about the relationship between the menstrual cycle and sports were examined. Principal component analysis identified menstrual cycle symptom clusters. Of 7,766 women, 40.1 percent reported using a hormonal contraceptive, and type varied by age (<i>p</i> < .001) and by country (<i>p</i> < .001). The most common reason was avoidance of pregnancy (81.8 percent), followed by to control/regulate cycles (37.9 percent). Three symptom clusters were observed with eigenvalues >1, and hormonal contraceptive use was associated with lower frequency of all three clusters compared to nonusers. Among contraceptive users, factor-based scores for Cluster 3 varied significantly by contraceptive type (<i>p</i> = .008), while Cluster 1 (<i>p</i> = .144) and Cluster 2 (<i>p</i> = .611) did not. These findings underscore the importance of providing exercising women with tailored information about hormonal contraception options to support informed decision-making.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"83-97"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inter-rectus distance and its relation to pelvic floor function in primiparous women in the remote postpartum period: A cross-sectional study.","authors":"Cristiane Kilian, Alexandre Delgado, Ester Pereira Dezan Martins Gonçalves, Ingridy Kammers, Natália Wolff Aguiar, Gabriela Bosquetti Grams, Soraia Cristina Tonon da Luz, Gesilani Júlia da Silva Honório","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2660231","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2660231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Postpartum diastasis recti abdominis (DRA), characterized by increased inter-rectus distance (IRD), is common and linked to functional impairments, but its association with pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) remains uncertain. This study investigated whether IRD correlates with pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function and examined the association between DRA and PFD in primiparous women during the remote postpartum period. This cross-sectional study included primiparous women 45 days to 12 months postpartum. The IRD and PFM function were assessed using standardized ultrasound protocols, with additional clinical, anthropometric, and questionnaire data collected in face-to-face interviews. PFD and sexual function were evaluated using the QMAP-Br and FSFI-6 instruments, respectively. Among 51 primiparous women, DRA was most prevalent at the umbilical level (31.4 percent), weak PFM function was observed in 60.8 percent, and sexual dysfunction in 62.8 percent. No significant correlations were found between IRD and PFM function. Weak correlations were identified between IRD (supraumbilical and umbilical levels) and PFD, and between IRD and sexual function. Greater IRD at the umbilical and infraumbilical levels was associated with a lower likelihood of absent/weak PFM function, and DRA at the infraumbilical level was strongly associated with sexual dysfunction. Current findings suggest that IRD is not associated with PFM function and shows only weak correlations with PDF. These results support the multifactorial nature of postpartum PFM function, indicating that IRD alone does not explain these outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"122-131"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147782923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Barriers and reasons for initiating the use of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) in a cohort of Brazilian women.","authors":"Suzana Ivete Manhiça, Luis Bahamondes, Karla Simonia de Padua, Charles Mpoca Charles, Lucia Costa-Paiva","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2624442","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2624442","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Identify barriers and reasons for initiating the use of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods in a cohort of Brazilian women. A cross-sectional study surveyed women aged 18-49 attending a tertiary Family Planning clinic for long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). A tailored questionnaire gathered information on demographics, contraceptive preferences, motivations for choosing LARC and challenges in obtaining their preferred method. we revised it to: The participants had a mean age of 29.5 years (SD = 8.0). Nearly half (47.9%) were between 20 and 29 years old. The sample was predominantly composed of non-white women (600, 50.5%), the majority of whom were single (56.0%), had completed 10 to 12 years of schooling (56.9%), and 56.9% came from a region outside Campinas. Among the 1,193 women 965 (81.2%) choose the levonorgestrel 52 mg IUD, whereas 43 (3,6%) chose the etonogestrel implant, and 164 (13,79%) the copper-IUD. The primary motivations for seeking LARC at a tertiary clinic included lack of availability at Primary Basic Units, free of cost, and presence of trained healthcare providers. The main reasons for choosing the SIU-levonorgestrel 52 mg were high efficacy, bleeding control, and preference for achieving amenorrhea. Social disparities, limited availability, lack of trained health care hinder awareness and access to LARCs. In conclusion, the key barriers identified were the lack of availability of preferred LARC methods in public healthcare facilities and the considerable delay between a woman's decision to use contraception and its actual initiation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"151-161"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147869725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Co-development of an empowerment toolkit: A collaborative approach to promote maternal mental health.","authors":"Saima Hirani, Shams M F Al-Anzi, Rishika Selvakumar, Nilanga Aki Bandara, Sarah Dow-Fleisner, Salima Kerai, Melissa Twomey, Jacqueline Denison, Annette J Browne","doi":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2659041","DOIUrl":"10.1080/03630242.2026.2659041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Women often face unique and compounding challenges to their mental health and well-being, particularly during motherhood, due to a combination of physiological, emotional, and social demands. While empowerment is associated with positive mental health outcomes, there is limited evidence on women-led empowerment-based interventions specifically targeting maternal mental well-being. Using a community-based participatory approach, we recruited a diverse group of 12 mothers from British Columbia. The study unfolded in three phases, including three Focus Group Discussions to co-develop the empowerment toolkit. This collaborative process resulted in a comprehensive toolkit comprising 10 empowering skills aligned with the self-identified needs of mothers. Participants' feedback revealed mothers' strong interest in the toolkit and their recognition of its potential to support maternal mental health. The Empowerment toolkit represents a unique integration of mothers' lived experiences, perceived needs, and evidence-based strategies. Future research will focus on the evaluation of the toolkit's effectiveness on maternal mental health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23972,"journal":{"name":"Women & Health","volume":" ","pages":"110-121"},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147730339","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}