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American Family Physician Aug 2021
Topics: Disease Management; Female; Humans; Menstrual Cycle; Menstruation; Menstruation Disturbances
PubMed: 34383457
DOI: No ID Found -
AMA Journal of Ethics Aug 2022Many patients face years of recurrent and debilitating menstrual pain that affects their ability to work and study. Patients often normalize their severe pain as an...
Many patients face years of recurrent and debilitating menstrual pain that affects their ability to work and study. Patients often normalize their severe pain as an expected part of menses. Both underrecognition and lack of awareness of available therapies for this remediable condition serve as a quintessential example of hermeneutic injustice. Hermeneutic injustice describes a structural lack of access to epistemic resources, such as shared concepts and knowledge. Pervasive menstrual stigma further discourages people with dysmenorrhea from discussing their symptoms and seeking health care. A lack of respect for women's experiences of pain in clinical encounters acts to worsen these issues and should be considered a source of iatrogenic harm. Health care workers can promote hermeneutic justice by preemptively destigmatizing discussions about menstruation and validating patients' concerns. On a systemic level, there should be greater awareness of dysmenorrhea and the various treatments availabe for it.
Topics: Dysmenorrhea; Female; Humans; Iatrogenic Disease; Menstruation; Social Justice
PubMed: 35976930
DOI: 10.1001/amajethics.2022.740 -
ELife Dec 2022The human endometrium experiences repetitive cycles of tissue wounding characterised by piecemeal shedding of the surface epithelium and rapid restoration of tissue...
The human endometrium experiences repetitive cycles of tissue wounding characterised by piecemeal shedding of the surface epithelium and rapid restoration of tissue homeostasis. In this study, we used a mouse model of endometrial repair and three transgenic lines of mice to investigate whether epithelial cells that become incorporated into the newly formed luminal epithelium have their origins in one or more of the mesenchymal cell types present in the stromal compartment of the endometrium. Using scRNAseq, we identified a novel population of PDGFRb + mesenchymal stromal cells that developed a unique transcriptomic signature in response to endometrial breakdown/repair. These cells expressed genes usually considered specific to epithelial cells and in silico trajectory analysis suggested they were stromal fibroblasts in transition to becoming epithelial cells. To confirm our hypothesis we used a lineage tracing strategy to compare the fate of stromal fibroblasts (PDGFRa+) and stromal perivascular cells (NG2/CSPG4+). We demonstrated that stromal fibroblasts can undergo a mesenchyme to epithelial transformation and become incorporated into the re-epithelialised luminal surface of the repaired tissue. This study is the first to discover a novel population of wound-responsive, plastic endometrial stromal fibroblasts that contribute to the rapid restoration of an intact luminal epithelium during endometrial repair. These findings form a platform for comparisons both to endometrial pathologies which involve a fibrotic response (Asherman's syndrome, endometriosis) as well as other mucosal tissues which have a variable response to wounding.
Topics: Female; Mice; Humans; Animals; Menstruation; Endometrium; Endometriosis; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Epithelial Cells; Sequence Analysis, RNA
PubMed: 36524724
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.77663 -
La Clinica Terapeutica 2024The combination of femininity and inequality is an increasingly studied in the field of social medicine, even more if the girls or women in question experience... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The combination of femininity and inequality is an increasingly studied in the field of social medicine, even more if the girls or women in question experience conditions of disability or neurodivergence. The onset of menstruation, menarche, constitutes a significant and transformative event in women's lives comprising a true and proper watershed in mental and reproductive health and sexual welfare. The onset of menstruation has a profound effect not just for girls but, in the case of disabled girls, for the whole family. In this scoping review, we have researched the literature in studies which consider the issue of menstruation and autism. The works in scientific literature have been selected which, in the last 5 years, investigated the issue of menstrua-tion for autistic girls and/or women.
RESULTS
Selected studies, although few in number, have all equally evidenced the total lack of in-depth understanding of this theme, notwithstanding the fact that females, girls and women with autism would benefit from specialized services if these existed. Families, girls and women involved, moreover, although not experiencing menstruation per se in a negative light, note a deterioration in their condition particularly in respect of sensorial perception and the intensification of anxious depressive instances. This work highlights the need to deepen the aspects concerning the period in autistic girls/women, up to now the question appears to have been little studied, investigated in an uneven way. We propose a social medical program to improve sexual-affective knowledge and body awareness in autistic people.
Topics: Humans; Female; Autistic Disorder; Menstruation; Menstrual Cycle; Menarche
PubMed: 38767074
DOI: 10.7417/CT.2024.5058 -
BMC Women's Health Apr 2023There is growing recognition of the important role menstrual health plays in achieving health, education, and gender equity. Yet, stigmatisation and taboo remain present...
There is growing recognition of the important role menstrual health plays in achieving health, education, and gender equity. Yet, stigmatisation and taboo remain present and negative emotions like fear and shame dominate the narrative when speaking about periods. This paper analyses how formal and informal menstrual education is received in Spain, to understand the role of menstrual health literacy in the way menstruation is experienced, and to identify what information would be useful to integrate into formal menstrual education. An online survey with more than 4000 participants (aged between 14 and 80, both people who will/do/have previously menstruate/d and those who do not menstruate) was conducted. Data was gathered using the digital platform Typeform, descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed with SPSS software and qualitative data was thematically analysed using Nvivo. Many participants declared not having received sufficient information on menstruation prior to menarche, particularly about how to physically manage it. Furthermore, negative emotions like shame, worry, and fear were recurrently reported to describe menarche; this has not changed between generations. Interestingly, we saw an increase in stress and sadness with an increase in perceived knowledge of the reproductive role of menstruation. We did observe a reduction in negative emotions when people who menstruate perceived they had sufficient information on how to manage their first bleeding. It is recommended that menstrual education beyond reproductive biology, particularly including how to physically manage periods, is integrated into school curricula. Menstrual education of everyone - including those who do not menstruate-can improve how periods are experienced in Spain.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Educational Status; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Menarche; Menstruation; Schools; Surveys and Questionnaires; Social Stigma; Taboo; Spain
PubMed: 37016318
DOI: 10.1186/s12905-023-02293-4 -
PloS One 2020Puerperal period is an important and thought-provoking period for puerperal mothers. Surprisingly, reports have indicated that there is increasing number of women...
BACKGROUND
Puerperal period is an important and thought-provoking period for puerperal mothers. Surprisingly, reports have indicated that there is increasing number of women resuming menstruation within six weeks of childbirth (puerperal menstruation). To the best of knowledge, there is no prior study on predictors of puerperal menstruation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine frequency and predictors of puerperal menstruation.
METHODS
This was a single tertiary health institution cross-sectional study at ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, Nigeria that included data from May 2015 to December 2018. Women were interviewed at the end of the first six weeks of their childbirth. Women with HIV positive or had uterine rupture or peripartum hysterectomy were excluded. Bivariate analysis was performed by the chi-squared test and conditional logistic regression analysis was used to determine variables associated with puerperal menstruation. Statistical significance was accepted when P- value is <0.05.
RESULTS
A total of 371 women met the inclusion criteria. The return of menses within 6 weeks was present in 118(31.8%) women versus 253 (68.2%) women without puerperal menstruation, given a ratio of 1:3. Of the 371 women, 249 (67.1%) were on exclusive breastfeeding. The significant associated risk factors were age (p = 0.009), parity (p<0.001), early use of family planning (p = 0.001), socio-economic status (p<0.001) and manual removal of placenta (p = 0.007). At conditional logistic regression analysis, early use of family planning (p = 0.001), exclusive breastfeeding (p = 0.027) and manual removal of placenta (p = 0.012) were independently associated with puerperal menstruation. Induction/augmentation of labor, postpartum misoprostol use and mode of delivery were not statistically significant (p>0.05, for all).
CONCLUSION
One in 3 women resumes menstruation within 6 weeks of childbirth. The major predictor was early initiation of family planning, and exclusive breastfeeding with manual removal of placenta a major protective factor. These interesting issues require further investigation to better understand the mechanism of puerperal menstruation.
Topics: Adult; Breast Feeding; Cross-Sectional Studies; Delivery, Obstetric; Family Planning Services; Female; Humans; Lactation; Menstruation; Nigeria; Postpartum Period; Socioeconomic Factors; Young Adult
PubMed: 32649685
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235888 -
BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health Apr 2021There has been a phenomenal worldwide increase in the development and use of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) that monitor menstruation and fertility. Critics... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
There has been a phenomenal worldwide increase in the development and use of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) that monitor menstruation and fertility. Critics argue that many of the apps are inaccurate and lack evidence from either clinical trials or user experience. The aim of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the research literature on mHealth apps that track menstruation and fertility.
METHODS
This project followed the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews. The ACM, CINAHL, Google Scholar, PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for material published between 1 January 2010 and 30 April 2019. Data summary and synthesis were used to chart and analyse the data.
RESULTS
In total 654 records were reviewed. Subsequently, 135 duplicate records and 501 records that did not meet the inclusion criteria were removed. Eighteen records from 13 countries form the basis of this review. The papers reviewed cover a variety of disciplinary and methodological frameworks. Three main themes were identified: fertility and reproductive health tracking, pregnancy planning, and pregnancy prevention.
CONCLUSIONS
Motivations for fertility app use are varied, overlap and change over time, although women want apps that are accurate and evidence-based regardless of whether they are tracking their fertility, planning a pregnancy or using the app as a form of contraception. There is a lack of critical debate and engagement in the development, evaluation, usage and regulation of fertility and menstruation apps. The paucity of evidence-based research and absence of fertility, health professionals and users in studies is raised.
Topics: Female; Fertility; Humans; Menstruation; Mobile Applications; Pregnancy
PubMed: 32253280
DOI: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200488 -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Mar 2019
Topics: Female; Global Health; Humans; Menstruation; Shame; Women's Health
PubMed: 30872823
DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.19.0158 -
Fertility and Sterility Aug 2022
Topics: Female; Humans; Menstruation
PubMed: 35786307
DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.06.004 -
Family Medicine and Community Health Apr 2024
Topics: Humans; Female; Family Practice; Women's Health; Menstruation
PubMed: 38599789
DOI: 10.1136/fmch-2023-002149