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The Lancet. Global Health Sep 2020Unintended pregnancy and abortion estimates document trends in sexual and reproductive health and autonomy. These estimates inform and motivate investment in global...
BACKGROUND
Unintended pregnancy and abortion estimates document trends in sexual and reproductive health and autonomy. These estimates inform and motivate investment in global health programmes and policies. Variability in the availability and reliability of data poses challenges for measuring and monitoring trends in unintended pregnancy and abortion. We developed a new statistical model that jointly estimated unintended pregnancy and abortion that aimed to better inform efforts towards global equity in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
METHODS
We developed a model that simultaneously estimated incidence of unintended pregnancy and abortion within a Bayesian framework. Data on pregnancy intentions and abortion were compiled from country-based surveys, official statistics, and published studies found through a literature search, and we obtained data on livebirths from the World Population Prospects. We analysed results by World Bank income groups, Sustainable Development Goal regional groupings, and the legal status of abortion.
FINDINGS
In 2015-19, there were 121·0 million unintended pregnancies annually (80% uncertainty interval [UI] 112·8-131·5), corresponding to a global rate of 64 unintended pregnancies (UI 60-70) per 1000 women aged 15-49 years. 61% (58-63) of unintended pregnancies ended in abortion (totalling 73·3 million abortions annually [66·7-82·0]), corresponding to a global abortion rate of 39 abortions (36-44) per 1000 women aged 15-49 years. Using World Bank income groups, we found an inverse relationship between unintended pregnancy and income, whereas abortion rates varied non-monotonically across groups. In countries where abortion was restricted, the proportion of unintended pregnancies ending in abortion had increased compared with the proportion for 1990-94, and the unintended pregnancy rates were higher than in countries where abortion was broadly legal.
INTERPRETATION
Between 1990-94 and 2015-19, the global unintended pregnancy rate has declined, whereas the proportion of unintended pregnancies ending in abortion has increased. As a result, the global average abortion rate in 2015-19 was roughly equal to the estimates for 1990-94. Our findings suggest that people in high-income countries have better access to sexual and reproductive health care than those in low-income countries. Our findings indicate that individuals seek abortion even in settings where it is restricted. These findings emphasise the importance of ensuring access to the full spectrum of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception and abortion care, and for additional investment towards equity in health-care services.
FUNDING
UK Aid from the UK Government, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Topics: Abortion, Induced; Adolescent; Adult; Bayes Theorem; Developed Countries; Developing Countries; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Models, Statistical; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Young Adult
PubMed: 32710833
DOI: 10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30315-6 -
The Journal of Adolescent Health :... Feb 2015To examine pregnancy rates and outcomes (births and abortions) among 15- to 19-year olds and 10- to 14-year olds in all countries for which recent information could be...
PURPOSE
To examine pregnancy rates and outcomes (births and abortions) among 15- to 19-year olds and 10- to 14-year olds in all countries for which recent information could be obtained and to examine trends since the mid-1990s.
METHODS
Information was obtained from countries' vital statistics reports and the United Nations Statistics Division for most countries in this study. Alternate sources of information were used if needed and available. We present estimates primarily for 2011 and compare them to estimates published for the mid-1990s.
RESULTS
Among the 21 countries with complete statistics, the pregnancy rate among 15- to 19-year olds was the highest in the United States (57 pregnancies per 1,000 females) and the lowest rate was in Switzerland (8). Rates were higher in some former Soviet countries with incomplete statistics; they were the highest in Mexico and Sub-Saharan African countries with available information. Among countries with reliable evidence, the highest rate among 10- to 14-year olds was in Hungary. The proportion of teen pregnancies that ended in abortion ranged from 17% in Slovakia to 69% in Sweden. The proportion of pregnancies that ended in live births tended to be higher in countries with high teen pregnancy rates (p = .02). The pregnancy rate has declined since the mid-1990s in the majority of the 16 countries where trends could be assessed.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite recent declines, teen pregnancy rates remain high in many countries. Research on the planning status of these pregnancies and on factors that determine how teens resolve their pregnancies could further inform programs and policies.
Topics: Abortion, Induced; Adolescent; Birth Rate; Child; Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy in Adolescence; Young Adult
PubMed: 25620306
DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2014.09.007 -
Reproduction (Cambridge, England) Mar 2017Obesity has reached epidemic proportions, and pregnancies in obese mothers have increased risk for complications including gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders,... (Review)
Review
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions, and pregnancies in obese mothers have increased risk for complications including gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders, pre-term birth and caesarian section. Children born to obese mothers are at increased risk of obesity and metabolic disease and are susceptible to develop neuropsychiatric and cognitive disorders. Changes in placental function not only play a critical role in the development of pregnancy complications but may also be involved in linking maternal obesity to long-term health risks in the infant. Maternal adipokines, i.e., interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), leptin and adiponectin link maternal nutritional status and adipose tissue metabolism to placental function. Adipokines and metabolic hormones have direct impact on placental function by modulating placental nutrient transport. Nutrient delivery to the fetus is regulated by a complex interaction including insulin signaling, cytokine profile and insulin responsiveness, which is modulated by adiponectin and IL-1β. In addition, obese pregnant women are at risk for hypertension and preeclampsia with reduced placental vascularity and blood flow, which would restrict placental nutrient delivery to the developing fetus. These sometimes opposing signals regulating placental function may contribute to the diversity of short and long-term outcomes observed in pregnant obese women. This review focuses on the changes in adipokines and obesity-related metabolic hormones, how these factors influence placental function and fetal development to contribute to long-term metabolic and behavioral consequences of children born to obese mothers.
Topics: Female; Fetal Development; Humans; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Obesity; Placenta; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications
PubMed: 27864335
DOI: 10.1530/REP-16-0495 -
Women's Health Issues : Official... 2020Pronounced racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes persist in the United States. Using an ecosocial and intersectionality framework and biopsychosocial...
BACKGROUND
Pronounced racial disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes persist in the United States. Using an ecosocial and intersectionality framework and biopsychosocial model of health, we aimed to understand Black pregnant women's experiences of gendered racism during pregnancy.
METHODS
We conducted semistructured interviews with 24 Black pregnant women in New Haven, Connecticut. We asked women about their experience of being pregnant, experiences of gendered racism, and concerns related to pregnancy and parenting Black children. Transcripts were coded by three trained analysts using grounded theory techniques.
RESULTS
Women experienced gendered racism during pregnancy-racialized pregnancy stigma-in the form of stereotypes stigmatizing Black motherhood that devalued Black pregnancies. Women reported encountering assumptions that they had low incomes, were single, and had multiple children, regardless of socioeconomic status, marital status, or parity. Women encountered racialized pregnancy stigma in everyday, health care, social services, and housing-related contexts, making it difficult to complete tasks without scrutiny. For many, racialized pregnancy stigma was a source of stress. To counteract these stereotypes, women used a variety of coping responses, including positive self-definition.
CONCLUSIONS
Racialized pregnancy stigma may contribute to poorer maternal and infant outcomes by way of reduced access to quality health care; impediments to services, resources, and social support; and poorer psychological health. Interventions to address racialized pregnancy stigma and its adverse consequences include anti-bias training for health care and social service providers; screening for racialized pregnancy stigma and providing evidence-based coping strategies; creating pregnancy support groups; and developing a broader societal discourse that values Black women and their pregnancies.
Topics: Black or African American; Child; Connecticut; Female; Humans; Judgment; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women; Qualitative Research; United States
PubMed: 32900575
DOI: 10.1016/j.whi.2020.08.001 -
Bulletin of the World Health... 1970The extensive literature on nutrition in pregnancy is reviewed with special reference to international experience, including observations on nutritional trials in...
The extensive literature on nutrition in pregnancy is reviewed with special reference to international experience, including observations on nutritional trials in pregnancy, pregnancy during famines caused by war, and studies of birth-weight in relation to pregnancy interval, parity and multiple pregnancies. Recent research on the significance of fetal nutrition suggests that "small-for-dates" infants, i.e., those that are developmentally retarded in utero, suffer long-term developmental sequelae. A high world-wide incidence of small-for-dates births was reported by the World Health Organization in 1960.Although a definite correlation has been found between socio-economic status and birth-weight, it is not known to what extent the smaller birth-weights observed in the lower socio-economic groups can be improved by specific nutritional measures. In addition to the general advice given on maternal nutrition and family-planning, further studies are needed to determine the precise means of achieving improvement in fetal nutrition and a better outcome of pregnancy.
Topics: Anthropometry; Birth Weight; Developing Countries; Diet; Embryonic and Fetal Development; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Fetal Death; Fetal Diseases; Gestational Age; Humans; Infant Mortality; Infant, Newborn; Maternal Age; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Nutritional Requirements; Parity; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Racial Groups; Smoking; Socioeconomic Factors; Warfare; World Health Organization
PubMed: 5314013
DOI: No ID Found -
Seizure May 2015The treatment of women with epilepsy during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of teratogenic effects. Whether seizures during pregnancy have a deleterious effect... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE AND METHODS
The treatment of women with epilepsy during pregnancy is known to increase the risk of teratogenic effects. Whether seizures during pregnancy have a deleterious effect on the developing child is difficult to determine, but recent animal studies, case studies, cohort studies and population studies have provided useful insights.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION
Seizures before pregnancy are a predictor for seizures during pregnancy, and catamenial epilepsy may also predict the course of seizures during pregnancy. A first epileptic seizure may also have implications for the pregnancy, depending on the seizure aetiology. Seizures affecting maternal awareness and responsiveness may have cardiac effects on the foetus and may impact on the weight of the newborn. Status epilepticus in pregnancy is rare, but isolated cases of perinatal death and malformations after status epilepticus have been reported in women on antiepileptic drugs. Seizures during delivery occur in about 2% of pregnancies of women with epilepsy, and case studies indicate that the foetal heart may be affected. However, a diagnosis of epilepsy is not an indication per se for caesarean delivery. A well-planned pregnancy can reduce the likelihood of seizures occurring.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Seizures
PubMed: 25746572
DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2015.02.020 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022One in four women of childbearing age has some degree of mental disorders and are, therefore, prone to both pregnancy complications and adverse health outcomes in their...
BACKGROUND
One in four women of childbearing age has some degree of mental disorders and are, therefore, prone to both pregnancy complications and adverse health outcomes in their offspring. We aimed to evaluate the impact of preconception severe mental disorders on pregnancy outcomes in primiparous women.
METHODS
The study cohort was composed of 6,189 Finnish primiparous women without previously diagnosed diabetes, who delivered between 2009 and 2015, living in the city of Vantaa, Finland. Women were classified to have a preconception severe mental disorder if they had one or more outpatient visits to a psychiatrist or hospitalization with a psychiatric diagnosis 1 year before conception. Data on pregnancies, diagnoses, and pregnancy outcomes were obtained from national registers at an individual level.
RESULTS
Primiparous women with preconception severe psychiatric diagnosis were younger, more often living alone, smokers, and had lower educational attainment and lower taxable income than women without psychiatric diagnosis (for all < 0.001). Of all women, 3.4% had at least one psychiatric diagnosis. The most common psychiatric diagnoses were depression and anxiety disorders. The most common comorbidity was the combination of depression and anxiety disorders. There were no differences in the need for respiratory treatments, admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit, or antibiotic treatments between the offspring's groups.
CONCLUSION
Although primiparous women had severe mental disorders, the well-being of newborns was good. The most common severe mental health disorders were depression and anxiety disorders, and psychiatric comorbidity was common. Women with severe mental disorders more often belonged to lower socioeconomic groups.
Topics: Anxiety Disorders; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mental Health; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome; Social Class
PubMed: 35910895
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.880339 -
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive... Mar 2020Societal views about sexuality and parenting among people with disabilities may limit these individuals' access to sex education and the full range of reproductive...
CONTEXT
Societal views about sexuality and parenting among people with disabilities may limit these individuals' access to sex education and the full range of reproductive health services, and put them at increased risk for -unintended pregnancies. To date, however, no national population-based studies have examined pregnancy -intendedness among U.S. women with disabilities.
METHODS
Cross-sectional analyses of data from the 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 waves of the National Survey of Family Growth were conducted; the sample included 5,861 pregnancies reported by 3,089 women. The proportion of pregnancies described as unintended was calculated for women with any type of disability, women with each of five types of disabilities and women with no disabilities. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of disability status and type with pregnancy intendedness while adjusting for covariates.
RESULTS
A higher proportion of pregnancies were unintended among women with disabilities than among women without disabilities (53% vs. 36%). Women with independent living disability had the highest proportion of unintended pregnancies (62%). In regression analyses, the odds that a pregnancy was unintended were greater among women with any type of disability than among women without disabilities (odds ratio, 1.4), and were also elevated among women with hearing disability, cognitive disability or independent living disability (1.5-1.9).
CONCLUSIONS
Further research is needed to understand differences in unintended pregnancy by type and extent of disability. People with disabilities should be fully included in sex education, and their routine care should incorporate discussion of reproductive planning.
Topics: Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disabled Persons; Female; Health Services Accessibility; Health Services for Persons with Disabilities; Humans; Intention; Logistic Models; Odds Ratio; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Unplanned; Reproductive Behavior; Reproductive Health Services; Sex Education; United States
PubMed: 32096336
DOI: 10.1363/psrh.12130 -
Current Rheumatology Reports Aug 2020In recent years, improvements in the recognition of primary vasculitides and increased treatment options have led to greater survival rates and a better quality of life... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
In recent years, improvements in the recognition of primary vasculitides and increased treatment options have led to greater survival rates and a better quality of life for patients. Therefore, pregnancy in women with vasculitis has become a more frequent consideration or event. Literature on pregnancy outcomes in this population has grown and allowed us, in this article, to review the effects of pregnancy on disease activity, as well as maternal and fetal outcomes for each type of vasculitides.
RECENT FINDINGS
Successful pregnancies in patients with vasculitides are possible, especially when conception is planned, and the disease is in remission. The risk of vasculitis flare is highly dependent on the type of vasculitis, but overall limited. The most frequent complication associated with large-vessel vasculitis (mainly Takayasu arteritis) is hypertension and preeclampsia. Preterm deliveries and intrauterine growth restriction occur more frequently with small- and medium-vessel vasculitis. Pregnancies in patients with vasculitis should be considered high risk and followed by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in the field. Flares should be managed as in the non-pregnant population, while avoiding medications with unknown safety in pregnancy or known teratogens. Although commonly prescribed for the prevention of preeclampsia, there is limited evidence supporting the use of low-dose aspirin for pregnant women with vasculitis. Prospective registries or studies are needed, to better assess the value of aspirin, the place and long-term impact of new biologics and, to identify predictors of pregnancy outcomes other than disease status at conception.
Topics: Female; Humans; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; Pregnancy Outcome; Systemic Vasculitis; Vasculitis
PubMed: 32845412
DOI: 10.1007/s11926-020-00940-5 -
Blood Advances Feb 2024Advancements in orally bioavailable iron chelators and MRI methods have improved life expectancy and reproductive potential in thalassemia major (TM) and thalassemia... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Advancements in orally bioavailable iron chelators and MRI methods have improved life expectancy and reproductive potential in thalassemia major (TM) and thalassemia intermedia (TI). Pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, frequency of which has not been well delineated. This systematic review aims to provide risk estimates of maternal and fetal outcomes in TM and TI and explore pregnancy's impact on iron homeostasis. Fifteen studies (429 participants, 684 pregnancies) were included. Meta-analysis revealed a higher thrombosis risk in TI (3.7%) compared to TM (0.92%), unchanged from prepregnancy. Heart failure risks in the earlier years appeared similar (TM 1.6% vs TI 1.1%), and maternal mortality in TM was 3.7%, but with current management, these risks are rare. Gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia occurred in 3.9% and 11.3% of TM pregnancies, respectively. Caesarean section rates were 83.9% in TM and 67% in TI. No significant difference in stillbirth, small for gestational age neonates, or preterm birth incidence between TM and TI was observed. In TM pregnancies, red cell requirements significantly increased (from 102 to 139 ml/kg/year, P = 0.001), and 70% of TI pregnancies required blood transfusions. As expected, increased transfusion alongside chelation cessation led to a significant increase in serum ferritin during pregnancy (TM by 1005 ng/mL; TI by 332 ng/mL, P < 0.0001). Deterioration in iron status was further reflected by an increase in liver iron concentration (from 4.6 to 11.9 mg/g dry weight, P < 0.0001), and myocardial T2-star (T2∗) magnetic resonance imaging decreased (from 36.2 ± 2.5 ms to 31.1 ms) during pregnancy. These findings emphasize the elevated maternal risk of iron-related cardiomyopathy during pregnancy and labor, stressing the importance of cardiac monitoring and postpartum chelation therapy resumption.
Topics: Humans; Infant, Newborn; Pregnancy; Female; beta-Thalassemia; Iron; Pregnancy Outcome; Cesarean Section; Premature Birth
PubMed: 38181780
DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011636