Women's health (London, England)最新文献

{"title":"Incidence of meningioma in women with a history of combined oral contraceptive pill use and polycystic ovary syndrome.","authors":"Emily Edwards, Kathryn Tsai, Suguna Pappu, Heidi Gaddey, Tyler B Nofzinger, Emily Vachon, Bryan McConomy","doi":"10.1177/17455057261421724","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261421724","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Meningiomas, benign central nervous system tumors, express progesterone and estrogen receptors. Their proliferation has been associated with hormonal and demographic factors, including female sex, obesity, and race. Prior studies on oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use and meningioma risk have been limited in their analysis of the modifying effects of race, obesity, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To assess the association between combined OCP use and meningioma development, and to assess how race, obesity, and PCOS influence this relationship.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Retrospective cohort study using aggregated electronic health record data in Epic Cosmos.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Women aged 13-50 from 2005 to 2023 with and without combined OCP use were identified. Patients with history of radiation, neurofibromatosis 2, progestin-only contraceptive use, and hormone replacement therapy were excluded. The cohort was then stratified by PCOS status, obesity, and race.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Combined OCP users saw a 40% lower risk of meningioma compared to non-users. PCOS was associated with a bidirectional effect on meningioma risk, modified by obesity. Among patients with obesity, those with PCOS had a 30% lower risk of developing meningioma compared to those without PCOS. Among non-obese patients, those with PCOS had a 108% greater risk of developing meningioma compared to those without PCOS. After adjusting for both PCOS and obesity, women with a history of combined OCP usage had 42% reduced odds of developing meningioma. When stratified by race, combined OCP use was associated with 47% decreased risk in White patients, 34% lower risk in Black patients, and 28% lower risk in Asian patients. Controlling for race overall, combined OCP use remained significantly protective, with 43% reduced odds of meningioma development.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings suggest a potential protective association between combined OCP use and meningioma that remained significant after controlling for obesity, PCOS status, and race. Additionally, this study found that meningioma risk in patients with PCOS differed based on obesity status.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261421724"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12917173/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146208244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling economic exploitation: The hidden struggles of Palestinian women amid conflict and cultural norms.","authors":"Oqab Jabali, Hanan Abu Mukh, Rana Qadri","doi":"10.1177/17455057261464220","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261464220","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundIn the context of ongoing conflict and socioeconomic instability in Palestine, economic exploitation remains a significant yet underexamined dimension of gender-based vulnerability. Structural inequalities, displacement, and war-related pressures may intensify financial control and abuse against women, particularly those in marginalized settings.ObjectivesThis study investigates the prevalence and forms of economic exploitation among Palestinian women and examines how education level, residential location, and marital status shape vulnerability. It also explores how conflict conditions influence women's financial experiences and coping strategies.DesignA convergent mixed-methods design was employed, integrating quantitative survey data with qualitative interview findings to provide a comprehensive understanding of economic exploitation in a conflict-affected context.MethodsFifty-four women aged 20-50 completed the Arabic-translated Scale of Economic Abuse (α = 0.957). Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted to assess levels and patterns of economic exploitation. Additionally, twelve purposefully selected participants representing diverse socioeconomic backgrounds were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to explore lived experiences and coping mechanisms.ResultsFindings indicate low-to-moderate levels of economic exploitation (M = 2.41, SD = 0.67). Indirect financial abuses-such as coerced borrowing (41%), unauthorized use of savings (39%), and theft of personal funds (38%)-were most prevalent. Vulnerability was higher among women residing in refugee camps, those with lower educational attainment, and divorced or separated women. Qualitative findings revealed that war-related instability intensified financial control, prompting adaptive strategies including secret savings, rotating loan circles, and strict budgeting practices.ConclusionEconomic exploitation in Palestine is shaped by intersecting structural and conflict-related factors. While women demonstrate resilience through adaptive financial coping strategies, systemic interventions are needed. Financial literacy initiatives, strengthened legal protections, and gender-responsive economic policies are essential to enhance women's autonomy and reduce vulnerability in conflict-affected settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261464220"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13305642/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148310585","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Women's empowerment measurements in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic literature review.","authors":"Immanuel Shipanga, Opeoluwa Oyedele, Lawrence Kazembe","doi":"10.1177/17455057251401817","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057251401817","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quantifying women's empowerment has gained prominence as a research focus globally. We conducted a systematic review of the literature examining the measurement of women's empowerment in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The objectives of the study is to describe quantitative measurements of women's empowerment based on individual-level data. We searched PubMed/Medline, Scopus and ScienceDirect databases, along with forward and backward citation tracking, for studies published between 2010 and 2025. The search yielded 1898 records, of which 98 studies met the inclusion criteria. All included studies were peer-reviewed, conducted either across multiple countries or within specific national contexts and analysed data from women of reproductive age. The review revealed considerable variations in the definition of women's empowerment indicators, the conceptualization of dimensions and a general lack of consensus regarding what specific indicators were intending to measure. This review offers a comprehensive synthesis of the existing quantitative evidence on women's empowerment measurement in SSA. Furthermore, the findings underscore that empowerment is inherently multidimensional, encompassing aspects such as women's decision-making, control over resources and autonomy in sexual and reproductive matters. Importantly, the selection of dimensions and indicators is often constrained by the availability of relevant data.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057251401817"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12924980/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146208388","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Classifying Veterans' pre-pregnancy health risks using latent class analysis.","authors":"Deirdre A Quinn, Franya Hutchins, Florentina E Sileanu, Gregory T Procario, Maria K Mor, Ann-Marie Rosland, Jodie G Katon, Lisa S Callegari, Sonya Borrero","doi":"10.1177/17455057261430209","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261430209","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare have a high burden of pre-pregnancy chronic disease that likely contributes to the observed high rate of pregnancy-related morbidity. Many common diseases frequently co-occur; understanding patterns of multimorbidity may inform the design and delivery of pre-pregnancy interventions to lower pregnancy morbidity risk.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The current study sought to identify patterns of co-occurrence of pre-pregnancy chronic disease among Veterans.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>We conducted a retrospective cohort study using VA administrative data.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Our population included Veterans ages 18-45 with ⩾1 pregnancy outcome (ectopic, spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, and/or live birth) during fiscal years 2010-2019. Presence of common chronic diseases with implications for pregnancy was detected using encounter International <i>Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th Revision</i> (ICD-9 and ICD-10) codes in the 2 years prior to pregnancy. Patients were grouped based on latent class models of diagnosis patterns; two to seven latent groups were examined for model fit and clinical interpretability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified 56,853 pregnancies from 41,034 Veterans. More than half of pregnancies were complicated by an array of pre-pregnancy medical and mental health conditions that may negatively impact pregnancy health and contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The most frequently occurring conditions included chronic pain (51.2% of pregnancies), depression (31.4%), anxiety (25.9%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (22.8%). A five-group model demonstrated the best balance between model fit and clinical interpretability. Groups included: \"Pain and Mental Health\" (28%), with high prevalence of chronic pain, depression, and anxiety; \"Pain and Metabolic\" (17%), high prevalence of chronic pain, obesity, and migraines; \"Substance Use and Mental Health\" (7%), high prevalence of alcohol use disorder, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder; \"Low Diagnosis\" (43%), lower than average prevalence of diagnoses; and \"High Complexity\" (5%), high prevalence of conditions across multiple physiologic systems.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We identified five distinct, clinically meaningful groups of Veterans based on co-occurring pre-pregnancy diseases. Tailoring interventions to these groups may address Veterans' complex pre-pregnancy health risks effectively and efficiently.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261430209"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13009854/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147476674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effective coverage of antenatal care service utilisation in Ethiopia using service provision assessment and demography and health survey data.","authors":"Ayal Debie, Molla M Wassie, Claire T Roberts, Annabelle Wilson, Jacqueline H Stephens","doi":"10.1177/17455057261438733","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261438733","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Globally, maternal deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth-related causes are still high. In response to the high maternal deaths, countries committed to achieving universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. Effective coverage (EC) is a key metric for tracking the progress in the service coverage component of UHC.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study aimed to assess the magnitude of EC of four or more antenatal care (ANC4+) in Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Ethiopian Mini-Demography and Health Survey (EMDHS) 2019 and Ethiopian Service Provision Assessment (ESPA) 2021-2022 cross-sectional surveys were used for analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>EC of ANC4+ was estimated using the EMDHS 2019 with a weighted sample of 3617 women with their most recent live birth and ESPA 2021-2022 data with a sample of 659 health facilities. Accordingly, crude coverage (CC) was calculated from the EMDHS 2019, while a quality score was calculated from the ESPA 2021-2022 data. ArcGIS Pro software was used to display EC of ANC4+ across the administrative regions of Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study, the overall CC and EC of ANC4+ were 41.5% (95% CI: 38.9, 44.0) and 21.6% (95% CI: 20.0, 23.2), respectively with the lowest in Somali region and the highest in Addis Ababa. The overall facility-weighted quality of ANC was 52.1% (95% CI: 51.3, 52.8) with the lowest in Gambela and the highest in Benishangul-Gumuz region.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study revealed that the EC of ANC4+ was low due to low achievement in the CC of ANC4+ and quality of care with high regional disparities. Without urgent action, Ethiopia is unlikely to meet Sustainable Development Goal-3 (SDG-3) targets for maternal health. Therefore, administrative region-specific intervention strategies should be designed to improve community engagement, infrastructure, access, and quality of ANC in Ethiopia.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261438733"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13400925/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148581597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial variation and factors associated with women's injury due to intimate partner violence in Madagascar: Evidence from the 2021 demographic and health survey.","authors":"Anmut Endalkachew Bezie, Altaseb Beyene Kassaw, Adisu Meles Kabtyimer, Halid Worku Jemil, Awoke Keleb, Gosa Mankelkl","doi":"10.1177/17455057261473443","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261473443","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundIntimate partner violence (IPV) is a violation of human rights that affects the physical, mental, and social well-being of women. It reduces their productivity and quality of life and results in injuries. Despite its serious impact, there is limited evidence about the magnitude, spatial variation, and determinants of women's injury in Madagascar.ObjectiveThis study aimed to find the spatial variation of women's injury due to IPV and its determinants in Madagascar.DesignCommunity-based cross-sectional.MethodsThis study was conducted using the Madagascar Demographic and Health Survey 2021. A total of 1515 women (weighted) aged 15-49 who experienced IPV were included. The data were cleaned and analyzed using STATA version 17. ArcGIS version 10.8 software was used for mapping the special variation, hot spot analysis, and spatial autocorrelation. Spatial cluster detection of injury was conducted through SaTScan version 10.1 software. A multi-level binary logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with injury.ResultsWomen's injury due to IPV showed geographical variations in Madagascar. The prevalence of injury was 37.4% (95% CI, 34.97, 39.85). The strongest hot spots were identified in the central and northern regions of Madagascar. The multi-level logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with women's injury due to IPV, including old age category [AOR = 1.49 (95% CI, 1.003, 2.21)], husband drinking alcohol [AOR = 2.36 (95% CI, 1.64, 3.39)], the husband's jealousy or anger when she talks to other men [AOR = 2.08 (95% CI, 1.47, 2.95)], the husband's attempts to limit her contact with family members [AOR = 2.16 (95% CI, 1.50, 3.11)], and high community poverty [AOR = 1.47 (95% CI, 1.01, 2.14)].ConclusionThis study identified significant geographical variation in the IPV-related injury of women in Madagascar. In addition, husband's alcohol drinking, old age, community poverty and marital control behaviors were risk factors. Therefore, interventions that address the spatial variation of women's injury, community-based awareness and behavioral change programs that reduce marital-controlling behaviors, promote and strengthen social networks and support for old-age women, reduce poverty and alcohol-use reduction strategies are advised.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261473443"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13420064/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148610906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The use of robotics in gynecology and reproductive medicine.","authors":"Panagiotis Peitsidis, Christos Iavazzo","doi":"10.1177/17455057251414919","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057251414919","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Over the last several years, there has been a significant development in the utilization of robotics in gynecology and reproductive medicine. Robotic surgery offers several technical advantages over conventional laparoscopy, including stable and highly magnified 3D vision, enhanced hand-eye coordination, a surgeon-controlled field, optimized ergonomics, motion scaling, and physiological tremor filtering. Women's Health has solicited and published articles as part of a special collection aiming to focus on the current progress of robotics in gynecology and reproductive medicine. In this interesting and innovative issue, three articles were published: one editorial and two retrospective studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057251414919"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12924972/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146260383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and hyperglycemic recognition among menopausal women: A 20-year analysis of sociodemographic disparities.","authors":"Jeong-Hui Park, Matthew Lee Smith, Ledric D Sherman, Taehyun Roh, Tyler Prochnow","doi":"10.1177/17455057261474458","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261474458","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundMenopausal hormonal and metabolic changes may increase susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet long-term national trends and socio-demographic disparities in both T2D burden and hyperglycemia recognition among menopausal women remain insufficiently characterized.ObjectivesTo examine 20-year trends in T2D, prediabetes, and recognition of prediabetes- or diabetes-range hyperglycemia among U.S. menopausal women and to assess sociodemographic disparities associated with abnormal glycemic status.DesignRepeated cross-sectional analysis of continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles (2003-2023).MethodsThe analytic sample included 3,574 naturally menopausal women aged ≥45 years with fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, and diabetes questionnaire data. T2D and prediabetes were defined using ADA-aligned biomarker thresholds. Hyperglycemia was operationalized specifically as biomarker-defined prediabetes- or diabetes-range hyperglycemia (fasting plasma glucose ≥100 mg/dL or HbA1c ≥5.7%). Recognition status was categorized as recognized hyperglycemia, unrecognized hyperglycemia, or normoglycemia based on glycemic biomarkers and self-reported prior clinician communication of diabetes or borderline diabetes. Survey-weighted prevalence estimates, trend models across cycles, and multinomial/survey logistic regression assessed associations with race/ethnicity, education, marital status, employment, and poverty-to-income ratio (PIR).ResultsOverall crude prevalence was 13.7% for diabetes and 34.8% for prediabetes. From 2003 to 2023, diabetes rose modestly from 11.3% to 11.9% (p<.001), while prediabetes increased substantially from 24.3% to 35.2% (p<.001). Unrecognized hyperglycemia increased from 23.9% to 32.9% (p<.001). Higher odds of diabetes were observed for non-Hispanic Black (OR=4.03) and Hispanic/Latina women (OR=2.81) versus non-Hispanic White women, for ≤high school education (OR=2.77) versus ≥4-year degree, for disability (OR=1.46) and retirement (OR=1.50) versus employment, and for PIR<1.3 (OR=1.54) versus PIR>3.5; marital status was not associated. Similar patterns were observed for recognized and unrecognized hyperglycemia.ConclusionAmong menopausal women, prediabetes and unrecognized hyperglycemia increased over two decades, with pronounced disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position. Integrating routine glycemic screening and tailored, culturally responsive prevention efforts into menopausal care may reduce unrecognized abnormal glycemic status and related inequities.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261474458"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13420071/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148610853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depressive and anxiety symptoms, their predictors, and pregnancy outcomes among Omani pregnant women: A prospective cohort study.","authors":"Mohammed Al Sinani, Samir Al-Adawi, Mohammed Al Meqbaali","doi":"10.1177/17455057261476574","DOIUrl":"10.1177/17455057261476574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundMaternal depression during pregnancy is a major global health concern that affects both mothers and infants. However, limited studies have examined maternal depression across pregnancy stages in Arabic-speaking populations, where fertility rates are high.ObjectivesThis study aims to evaluate the relationship between antenatal depression and anxiety symptoms during the early (8-12 weeks) and later stages (24-28 weeks) of pregnancy and their effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes among Omani women.DesignProspective cohort study.MethodsA prospective cohort design was used, involving 302 pregnant Omani women receiving antenatal care at Al Buraimi Hospital. Eligible participants were aged 18-45 years, between 8-12 weeks of gestation and expected to continue care at the same clinic. Depression and anxiety were measured at both stages using the Arabic version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the EPDS-3A subscale. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, were used to examine associations between anxiety, depression, and pregnancy outcomes. Multiple regression analyses controlled for maternal age, marital status, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, and household income.ResultsHigh levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms were identified, particularly as pregnancy advanced. Among 302 pregnant Omani women, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 29.8% and anxiety symptoms was 24.8% in early pregnancy. Women with elevated EPDS scores had higher risks of caesarean delivery, low birth weight, and preterm birth. Elevated anxiety was associated with greater maternal distress and poorer neonatal outcomes.ConclusionFindings highlight the importance of integrating mental health screening into routine antenatal care in Oman. Early identification and management of depression and anxiety may reduce adverse outcomes for mothers and infants. Further research should investigate barriers to mental health services for pregnant women and the long-term developmental effects of antenatal depression on children.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261476574"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13458133/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148708781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"NHS England breast screening: Who attends, and why? The influence of psychosocial and demographic determinants.","authors":"Sarah Chapman, Brian Fenech, Haritini Tsangari, Daniel Gaffiero","doi":"10.1177/17455057261484363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057261484363","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>BackgroundBreast cancer is the most common cancer among women in England. However, participation in the NHS England Breast Screening Programme has consistently fallen below the national minimum standard of 70%.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to identify psychosocial predictors of breast screening uptake among women aged 50-70.DesignA cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among women aged 50-70 (<i>n</i> = 250) living in England.MethodsThe study measured constructs derived from the Extended Health Belief Model, breast cancer awareness, and demographic factors. Binomial logistic regression was used to examine predictors of attendance at participants' most recent breast screening appointment and intention to attend their next breast screening appointment.ResultsEducational level, perceived benefits of mammography, and perceived barriers to mammography significantly predicted attendance at participants' most recent breast screening appointment. Intention to attend future screening was predicted by employment status, perceived susceptibility to breast cancer, and beliefs regarding the benefits and barriers of breast screening practices. Perceived benefits and barriers to mammography emerged as the most consistent predictors across both outcomes.ConclusionThis study highlights key psychosocial and demographic determinants of engagement with the NHS England Breast Screening Programme. Findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing perceived barriers and increasing awareness of the benefits of breast screening may help improve participation, particularly among underserved groups. Enhancing engagement with breast screening has the potential to support earlier detection and improved breast cancer outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":75327,"journal":{"name":"Women's health (London, England)","volume":"22 ","pages":"17455057261484363"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148908233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}