BMC Women's Health最新文献

{"title":"Cue-specific sexual avoidance, metacognitive beliefs, and sexual functioning in women with lifelong vaginismus: a cross-sectional case-control study.","authors":"Gülin Özdamar Ünal, Sinay Önen, Memduha Aydın","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04761-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12905-026-04761-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Avoidance is a key maintaining factor in lifelong vaginismus and may extend beyond penetration attempts to broader sexual cues. Metacognitive beliefs, particularly beliefs about the usefulness of worry and the uncontrollability and danger of thoughts, may shape threat appraisal and coping responses in sexual contexts. We characterized clinician-elicited sex-related avoidance behaviors in lifelong vaginismus and examined how avoidance and metacognitive beliefs relate to sexual functioning beyond anxiety and depressive symptoms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional case-control study was conducted in three outpatient clinics in Türkiye. Participants were 64 women evaluated for lifelong vaginismus and 30 controls. Sex-related avoidance over the past 6 months was assessed using five standardized yes/no clinician-elicited items; endorsing ≥ 1 item defined the avoidant subgroup. Participants completed ASEX (Arizona Sexual Experiences Scale), GRISS (Golombok-Rust Sexual Satisfaction Scale), MCQ-30 (Metacognitions Questionnaire-30), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Between-group comparisons examined sexual outcomes and metacognitive beliefs across groups, and hierarchical regression models examined whether MCQ-30 subscales accounted for additional variance in ASEX and GRISS scores beyond BDI and BAI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty of 64 women with vaginismus (46.9%) were classified as avoidant. The avoidant subgroup showed poorer ASEX and GRISS scores than the non-avoidant subgroup and controls (all adjusted pairwise p < 0.05). Women with vaginismus showed greater endorsement of dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs than controls. However, the avoidant and non-avoidant vaginismus subgroups did not differ on MCQ-30 indices. In logistic regression, adding three theoretically selected MCQ-30 subscales did not significantly improve model fit beyond BDI and BAI (Δχ²(3) = 3.84, p = 0.279). Adding MCQ-30 subscales accounted for an additional 19% of variance in ASEX-total scores (R²=0.13 to 0.32) and an additional 21% of variance in GRISS-total scores (R²=0.05 to 0.26). Negative beliefs about uncontrollability and danger showed the strongest associations with higher ASEX-total (β = 0.52, p = 0.004) and GRISS-total (β = 0.58, p = 0.002) scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Sex-related cue avoidance beyond penetration attempts was endorsed by nearly half of women with lifelong vaginismus and marks poorer sexual functioning. Dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs-particularly beliefs about uncontrollability and danger-relate to sexual impairment beyond anxiety and depressive symptoms, supporting brief screening for avoided cues and metacognitive targets in clinical assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13560228/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148928702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Lived experiences of parenting-related distress in mothers with gynecological cancer: a descriptive phenomenological study.","authors":"Dan Liu, Bing Fu, Silan Yang, Quan Shen, Qinjing Yang, Rong Li","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04745-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12905-026-04745-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Mothers with gynecological cancer face unique challenges in balancing their maternal role with the demands of diagnosis and treatment. However, their experiences of parenting-related distress during the early phase remain underexplored. This study aimed to explore these experiences.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A descriptive phenomenological design was adopted. Using purposive maximum variation sampling based on age, cancer type, disease stage, residence, and time since diagnosis, 16 mothers with gynecological cancer were recruited from a tertiary hospital between January and March 2025. Data were collected through face-to-face, in-depth, semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three main themes emerged: (1) disrupted maternal identity, including cancer shock, interrupted caregiving, and dependency-amplified concern for children's future; (2) renegotiated maternal practice, through constrained adjustment, family support, and protective silence; and (3) reconstructed maternal meaning, via reframed expectations, child-centered motivation, and restored maternal worth.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Parenting-related distress in mothers with gynecological cancer is a role-specific experience arising from the conflict between illness and maternal responsibilities. Healthcare providers should assess this distress early, support mothers in maintaining their maternal identity, and facilitate family communication and practical caregiving arrangements.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13563939/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148954858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery versus conventional multiport laparoscopy for hemorrhagic ovarian cyst rupture with hemoperitoneum: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Emre Biton, Kemal Gungorduk, Berican Sahin Uyar, Serkan Ustuntas, Furkan Karaoz, Varol Gulseren","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04743-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12905-026-04743-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare perioperative outcomes, postoperative pain, early recovery, and patient-reported sexual and cosmetic outcomes between vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (vNOTES) and conventional multiport laparoscopy (CML) in hemodynamically stable women undergoing surgery for hemorrhagic ovarian cyst rupture with hemoperitoneum.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Design Multicenter retrospective cohort study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology of two tertiary referral centers, January 2020 to December 2025.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Forty-two non-pregnant women aged ≥18 years with imaging-confirmed hemoperitoneum from a ruptured ovarian cyst and clinical evidence of ongoing bleeding undergoing minimally invasive surgery.</p><p><strong>Interventions: </strong>vNOTES via posterior colpotomy with a multichannel single-port device (n = 13) versus CML with a 10-mm umbilical and two or three 5-mm ancillary trocars (n = 29). Both arms used a standardized Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Primary outcomes were operative time, estimated blood loss, visual analog scale (VAS) pain at 6, 12, and 24 hours, length of stay, and Quality of Recovery-15 score at discharge. Secondary outcomes included complications (Clavien-Dindo), conversion, transfusion, additional analgesia, and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS) scores at 6 months. Baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Operative time (44.6 ± 17.1 vs 49.1 ± 16.5 min; p = .20), blood loss (124.0 ± 116.3 vs 132.8 ± 127.1 mL; p = .72), transfusion (7.7% vs 6.9%; p = .92), and intraoperative complications (7.7% vs 6.8%; p = .93) did not differ, and no conversion to laparotomy occurred. VAS pain at 12 hours was lower after vNOTES (1.9 ± 0.7 vs 3.2 ± 1.1; p = .002). FGSIS favored vNOTES (24.28 ± 1.80 vs 22.31 ± 3.47; p = .009), whereas FSFI total and domain scores, including lubrication, were comparable between groups. There were no conversions from vNOTES to conventional laparoscopy or to laparotomy. Exploratory adjusted and IPTW sensitivity analyses were consistent with the primary unadjusted findings. Because approach selection was non-random, the pain and genital self-image differences cannot be causally attributed to the technique.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In hemodynamically stable women with hemorrhagic ovarian cyst rupture, vNOTES is feasible and safe, with hemostatic efficacy comparable to CML and advantages in 12-hour pain and genital self-image. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13474963/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148764346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Retained products of conception complicated by hemoperitoneum: a case report.","authors":"Xiaoyan Huang, Qian Zhu","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04739-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12905-026-04739-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Hemoperitoneum, a well-documented manifestation of various gynecological conditions, is herein presented in the first documented case secondary to retained products of conception (RPOC) following a medical abortion. This condition can pose significant diagnostic challenges and carry a high risk of misdiagnosis.</p><p><strong>Case presentation: </strong>A 33-year-old woman presented with acute-onset heavy vaginal bleeding and mild lower abdominal pain 33 days after a first-trimester medical abortion (mifepristone and misoprostol). Transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) revealed an intrauterine mass and significant hemoperitoneum. Emergency dilation and curettage was performed, and histological examination confirmed RPOC with degenerated gestational villi.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This case highlights an unusual but critical mechanism of hemoperitoneum-retrograde transtubal bleeding from RPOC-expanding the differential diagnosis of hemoperitoneum in women of reproductive age.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13621621/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149079874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The uterine corpus flexion angle: a novel and objective sonographic marker for endometriosis severity and the quantification of the question mark sign.","authors":"Jing Chen, Shulin Zhong, Jiale Liang, Fang Liu, Lijuan Li, Shuyi Guo, Xiaoling Leng","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04695-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04695-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the uterine corpus flexion angle (UCFA) and the severity of endometriosis, evaluate its clinical utility as a novel objective sonographic parameter, and provide an angular definition for the question mark sign.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This mixed prospective-retrospective case-control study enrolled participants in a 1:1:1 ratio into three groups: the endometriosis group, the benign control group, and the normal control group. All participants underwent transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS). The UCFA and uterine flexion angle (UFA) were independently measured in the standard midsagittal plane by two blinded sonographers. The subjective question mark sign was assessed by sonographers. In the endometriosis group, pelvic adhesions were graded intraoperatively using the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) criteria. The correlation of the UCFA with the severity of endometriosis and the question mark sign was evaluated via Spearman's correlation, multivariate linear regression, and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The UCFA progressively increased with higher rASRM stage (P < 0.001) and greater pelvic adhesion severity (P < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that UCFA was primarily determined by pelvic adhesion score (β = 0.441), whereas UFA was predominantly influenced by baseline uterine position (β = 0.508). Subgroup analysis in 166 adenomyosis-free endometriosis patients confirmed that adhesion score remained the primary predictor of UCFA (β = 0.457). The optimal cutoff for the sonographic question mark sign was UCFA ≥ 220°, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.958. UCFA values were relatively stable in women without endometriosis, with a median of 179.0° in the benign control group and 178.0° in the normal group.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The UCFA is a reliable objective sonographic marker for assessing the severity of endometriosis-related pelvic adhesions. The proposed criterion of UCFA ≥ 220° provides a validated, quantitative definition for the question mark sign, offering a practical tool for standardized ultrasonography assessment and preoperative surgical risk stratification.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149227342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human papillomavirus awareness and prevention practices among patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome after neovagina reconstruction: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Yi Zhai, Jia Kang, Lan Zhu, Na Chen","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04704-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04704-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Patients with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome (MRKH) who undergo neovagina reconstruction remain at risk of Human papillomavirus infection (HPV), yet evidence regarding their awareness of HPV-related health risks and engagement in preventive behaviours is limited. This study aimed to assess HPV-related awareness, preventive practices and behavioural factors among Chinese patients with MRKH syndrome after neovagina reconstruction, and to describe HPV screening and vaccination uptake in this population.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted at a tertiary referral hospital in Beijing, China. A total of 157 patients with MRKH syndrome who had undergone neovagina reconstruction completed validated questionnaires assessing HPV awareness, preventive practices and behavioural factors. In addition, outpatient clinical records of 1,756 patients with MRKH syndrome attending specialist care between 2012 and 2024 were retrospectively reviewed to obtain information on HPV testing and ThinPrep cytologic test (TCT) results where available. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed to summarise awareness levels, behavioural characteristics and preventive practice uptake.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most participants demonstrated relatively high awareness of HPV-related health risks: 82.8% recognised their susceptibility to HPV infection and 75.8% expressed support for HPV vaccination. However, preventive practices remained limited. Only 11.5% of participants reported having undergone HPV screening, and 18.5% had received HPV vaccination, indicating a substantial gap between awareness and preventive action. Engagement with routine gynaecological follow-up was generally low. Among those who underwent HPV testing, HPV positivity was detected in a small proportion of patients, with observed rates ranging from 7.4% to 11.1%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite relatively high awareness of HPV and its prevention, Chinese patients with MRKH syndrome after neovagina reconstruction showed markedly low uptake of HPV vaccination and limited engagement with HPV testing. These findings highlight an unmet need for accessible HPV vaccination, neovaginal HPV risk education, and tailored sexual health education for this rare and underserved population. Further research is warranted to identify barriers to preventive care and to develop effective interventions to improve HPV prevention practices among women with MRKH syndrome.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149227356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Atherogenic lipid indices and metabolic syndrome in polycystic ovary syndrome: a comparative cross-sectional study.","authors":"Sujata Baidya, Pratibha Kandel, Smrity Rajkarnikar, Sagar Parajuli, Apeksha Niraula, Eans Tara Tuladhar, Raju Kumar Dubey, Mithileshwer Raut, Aseem Bhattarai, Poonam Koirala, Vijay Kumar Sharma","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04734-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04734-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the causes of infertility in females. It is also associated with hyperandrogenism and hyperinsulinemia. With these hormonal imbalances, there can be an equally important risk of cardiometabolic consequences as a result of altered atherogenic lipid indices and metabolic syndrome which has not been much explored in context of Nepal. The purpose of this study was to delve into different lipid profile parameters to calculate atherogenic lipid indices to identify the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and cardiovascular risk in PCOS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We enrolled 70 PCOS and 60 age-matched non-PCOS females visiting the Infertility Clinic at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. After written informed consent, anthropometric measurements as well as a blood samples were taken and biochemical analysis of glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides were measured in Abbott ARCHITECT ci4100 autoanalyzer. Based on the examined variables, various formulas to assess atherogenic risk and metabolic syndrome [Castelli's risk index I & II (CRI-I, CRI-II), atherogenic coefficient (AC), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), lipoprotein combined index (LCI), lipid accumulation product (LAP)] were applied. Descriptive and inferential analysis was carried in SPSS version 23.0. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The PCOS group had higher atherogenic lipid indices (CRI-I, CRI-II, AIP, AC, LCI and LAP) compared to their non-PCOS counterparts. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) was also higher in the PCOS (81.4%, n = 57) compared to non-PCOS (30%, n = 18). The LAP score was found to be an efficient indicator of MetS in the PCOS patients with an AUC of 0.829 (p < 0.001), with the sensitivity and specificity of 80% and 94.5% respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study showed a higher frequency of MetS and cardiovascular risk in PCOS as determined by higher atherogenic lipid indices than non PCOS. LAP score was the most efficient indicator of MetS.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149227353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-management strategies for menstrual cycle symptoms: a systematic review.","authors":"Rebecca Tarpey, Laura Keaver, Lisa Ryan, Kerry McGawley, Charles R Pedlar, Ken van Someren","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04717-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04717-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Menstrual cycle symptoms, such as discomfort, fatigue, and mood swings, are prevalent among women and can significantly diminish quality of life. Many women employ non-clinical, self-management strategies to mitigate symptoms, yet the supporting evidence for these strategies is equivocal. This systematic review sought to identify, evaluate and synthesise existing evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) for non-clinical, self-management strategies for menstrual cycle symptoms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library in March 2025 and updated in December 2025. The review adhered to PRISMA principles. Eligible studies comprised double- and triple-blinded RCTs published from 2000 onwards that examined non-clinical, self-management strategies including physical activity, nutrition, heat treatment, sleep, stress management, education, and over-the-counter medications for alleviating menstrual cycle symptoms in females aged 18 years and older. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for RCTs was utilised for quality assessment.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 13,208 screened records, 39 were included in the final synthesis, comprising 42 treatment interventions and 3,806 participants. This provided categories of physical activity strategies (n = 5), nutritional strategies (n = 26), other self-management strategies (n = 7), and combined strategies (n = 4). Physical activity, especially yoga, consistently showed improvements in menstrual discomfort, exhaustion, and mood. The most researched strategies were nutritional, including vitamin and mineral supplementation, and demonstrated varied yet predominantly positive results. Some of the other self-management strategies, including low light therapy, listening to music and drawing, also reduced total PMS scores. Some of the combined strategies, investigating two or more strategies in combination, reduced menstrual cycle symptoms and menstrual pain intensity. Methodological shortcomings were prevalent, including small sample sizes and inconsistent outcome measurements.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Data from 39 RCTs indicate that strategies including physical activity, nutrition, other self-management strategies and combined strategies may effectively alleviate menstrual cycle symptoms. There are limitations in the evidence base due to limited research and methodological inconsistencies, and publication bias may have skewed the results to being predominantly positive. Future research ought to evaluate common strategies that are yet to be investigated using blinded RCTs, and the long-term efficacy of existing self-management strategies.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>CRD420250612937.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149104361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Serum androstenedione levels are associated with dysmenorrhea and pain severity among women without endometriosis: an exploratory cross-sectional study.","authors":"Tingting Li, Sihui Yu, Peipei Shi, Sheng Yin, Jiarong Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04725-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04725-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological condition with heterogeneous etiologies. Endometriosis is an important condition associated with dysmenorrhea, but the serum steroid and reproductive hormone profiles related to dysmenorrhea, and whether these associations differ by endometriosis status, remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations of serum hormone profiles with dysmenorrhea and pain severity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2022 to January 2024 at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. A total of 139 premenopausal participants were classified into dysmenorrhea (n = 73) and non-dysmenorrhea (n = 66) groups and further stratified by endometriosis status. Serum steroid and reproductive hormones were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and immunoassays. Group comparisons were performed according to data distribution, and false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment was applied for multiple hormone comparisons. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between androstenedione (A4) and dysmenorrhea.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the overall cohort, women with dysmenorrhea showed higher A4 levels and a higher luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) ratio, although these differences did not remain significant after FDR adjustment. After stratification by endometriosis status, these differences were mainly observed among women without endometriosis. In this subgroup, A4 levels were significantly higher in women with dysmenorrhea than in those without dysmenorrhea (0.85 ± 0.36 vs. 0.65 ± 0.28 ng/mL, P = 0.004; FDR-adjusted P = 0.024), as was the LH/FSH ratio (2.11 ± 1.47 vs. 1.44 ± 1.02, P = 0.013; FDR-adjusted P = 0.047). Among women without endometriosis, A4 was modestly correlated with visual analogue scale score (Spearman r = 0.285, P = 0.006) and remained associated with dysmenorrhea after multivariable adjustment (odds ratio = 8.07, 95% confidence interval: 1.60-40.65, P = 0.011). A4 and the LH/FSH ratio showed modest discrimination, with area under the curve values of 0.660 and 0.655, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Serum A4 levels were associated with dysmenorrhea and pain severity, particularly among women without endometriosis. The LH/FSH ratio showed a weaker supportive association. These exploratory findings support further investigation of androgen-related endocrine profiles in dysmenorrhea without endometriosis, but A4 and the LH/FSH ratio showed limited standalone discriminatory value.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2400079587, Retrospectively registered on 2024-01-08.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149223353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Infertility-related stress and attachment styles as predictors of fertility readiness in women undergoing infertility treatment.","authors":"Rukiye Sulu Dursun, Mehtap Duran, Ebru Gozuyesil, Sefa Arlier","doi":"10.1186/s12905-026-04729-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-026-04729-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to identify the predictors of fertility readiness, specifically examining the roles of infertility-related stress and attachment styles in women undergoing infertility treatment.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used a descriptive and cross-sectional design. It was conducted with 316 women who sought treatment at the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Center at Adana City Hospital, located in Adana Province, Turkey, between April 2024 and September 2024. Data were collected through the \"Personal Information Form,\" the \"Fertility Problem Stress Scale,\" the \"Relationship Scales Questionnaire,\" and the \"Fertility Preparedness Scale for Women Receiving Fertility Treatment\".</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The participants' Fertility Preparedness Scale total mean score was 89.88 ± 13.34. A negative, low-level, and significant relationship was found between fertility preparedness and personal stress domain score (p < 0.05). A negative and significant relationship was also found between the prepared body and brain and the social stress domain score (p < 0.05). Regression analysis, including all stress domain and attachment subscale scores, explained 4.6% of the variance in readiness for fertility (R²adjusted = 0.046, p < 0.001); within this model, increased personal stress and increased preoccupied attachment emerged as the only statistically significant individual predictors (p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggested that women may feel more ready for fertility as their personal stress decreases and their preoccupied attachment levels decline.</p>","PeriodicalId":9204,"journal":{"name":"BMC Women's Health","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149227315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}