Aymen Elsous; Dina El-oka; Fadwa Abo-Namos; Amna Jnead; Eslam Abo-Ajwa
Abstract
Background: Causes of maternal deaths could be prevented if women are aware of maternity danger signs. We aimed to examine women’s awareness about obstetric danger signs and associated factors among females attending primary health facilities in Gaza strip, Palestine.Methods: A cross-sectional ...
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Background: Causes of maternal deaths could be prevented if women are aware of maternity danger signs. We aimed to examine women’s awareness about obstetric danger signs and associated factors among females attending primary health facilities in Gaza strip, Palestine.Methods: A cross-sectional clinic-based study was employed. An interview-based questionnaire, prepared after a review of literature, comprises two parts: socio-demographic and Obst/Gyn information and second awareness about obstetric danger signs during pregnancy, delivery, and after delivery was administered to 185 women between September and mid of November, 2020. Descriptive analysis (mean, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) was employed. Moreover, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were applied to determine independent factors related to women knowledge.Results: One hundred thirty-eight (138) women participated. The mean age was 26.3±6.1 years and 76.1% were married for less than 10 years. Women had adequate knowledge about obstetric danger signs during pregnancy, childbirth, and post-partum (82.6%, 71%, and 68.1% respectively). Common danger signs reported were blurred vision, severe headache, convulsion, and severe vaginal bleeding. One third of women relied on more than two sources of information regarding danger signs and 90.6% thought that danger signs lead to death. Independent factors related to the knowledge about obstetric danger signs are being literate (OR: 2.46; CI95%: 1.77–6.23), previous maternal health problem (OR: 2.4; CI95%: 1.67–5.93), utilization of ante-natal care services (OR 2.21; CI95%: 1.72–4.02), and parity (OR: 3.6; CI95%: 1.48–5.64).Conclusion: Women have an adequate level of awareness about obstetric danger signs; however, it is quite less in post-partum. Efforts should be made to target knowledge deficit about danger signs in post-partum and to reduce the stress resulted from these danger signs.
Shervin Assari; Abbas Mardani; Maryam Maleki; Mohsen Bazargan
Abstract
Background: Previous research has documented bidirectional associations between age at childbirth and socioeconomic status (SES) among mothers. Built on the Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, this study compares the association between maternal age at childbirth and income between ...
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Background: Previous research has documented bidirectional associations between age at childbirth and socioeconomic status (SES) among mothers. Built on the Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory, this study compares the association between maternal age at childbirth and income between non-Hispanic Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites. Methods: We used the data of the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal study from 1998 to 2016 in the United States (US). This study included 2922 women who were non-Hispanic White (n=776) or non-Hispanic Black (n=2146). Maternal age at childbirth was the independent variable, and income was the dependent variable. Educational attainment, marital status, delivery characteristics, car ownership, and welfare dependence were the covariates. For data analysis, linear regressions were applied. Results: Higher maternal age at childbirth was associated with higher income (adjusted b=0.30). We found a significant interaction between maternal age at childbirth and race on income, suggesting that the positive association between mothers’ age at childbirth and income was weaker for non-Hispanic Blacks than non-Hispanic Whites (b=-1.14, 95% CI=-1.50, -0.77). Conclusion: Postponing childbirth may have a smaller economic return for non-Hispanic Black women, which is in line with Marginalization-related Diminished Returns theory. Diminished returns of postponing reproduction may be a result of social stratification and structural inequalities that separate the lived experience of Blacks and Whites in the United States.
Shirin Shahbazi; Lida Moghaddam-Banaem
Abstract
Background: Postpartum pyrexia results from various causes with bacterial infection heading the list. However, there are many other possible causes such as bleeding. Congenital deficiency of the coagulation factors causes inherited coagulopathies most of which are rare. Following delivery, the reduction ...
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Background: Postpartum pyrexia results from various causes with bacterial infection heading the list. However, there are many other possible causes such as bleeding. Congenital deficiency of the coagulation factors causes inherited coagulopathies most of which are rare. Following delivery, the reduction in coagulation factors puts these mothers at greater risk of postpartum excessive bleeding.
Objectives: We aimed to assess postpartum pyrexia in bleeding disorder mothers.
Methods: This study was conducted on 98 bleeding disorder patients and 199 controls. Using a standardized questionnaire, the data were collected by consulting a specialist. The subject`s medical records during pregnancy and labor were also reviewed. Postpartum fever was defined as temperature > 38°C in the first 10 days after delivery excluding the first day. The data were analyzed using Chi-square statistical analysis and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Postpartum pyrexia was detected in 11.2% of the patients compared to 4% of the controls. The statistical analysis revealed a significantly higher incidence of postpartum fever among the coagulation disorder patients (P = 0.019). Considering the infection, our data showed that in the patient group, fever was mostly due to (unknown) reasons other than infection.
Conclusions: Our results revealed that besides hemorrhagic complications in inherited bleeding disorders, postpartum fever could also be a sign of threat. Early identification and diagnosis of these threats greatly improve the childbirth outcomes in high-risk mothers.
