| 1. |
- Odland, Maria Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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"Confidence comes with frequent practice" : health professionals' perceptions of using manual vacuum aspiration after a training program
- 2019
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Ingår i: Reproductive Health. - : BMC. - 1742-4755. ; 16
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Malawi has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with unsafe abortion as a major contributor. Curettage is most frequently used as the surgical method for treating incomplete abortions, even though it is costly for an impoverished health system and the less expensive and safe manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) method is recommended.Methods: The aim of this 2016-17 study is to explore health worker's perception of doing MVA 1 year after an educational intervention. Focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis for interpreting the findings. A knowledge, attitude and practice survey was administered to health professionals to obtain background information before the MVA training program was introduced.Results: Prior to the training sessions, the participants demonstrated knowledge on abortion practices and had positive attitudes about participating in the service, but preferred curettage over MVA. The training was well received, and participants felt more confident in doing MVA after the intervention. However, focus group discussions revealed obstacles to perform MVA such as broken equipment and lack of support. Additionally, the training could have been more comprehensive. Still, the participants appreciated task-sharing and team work.Conclusion: Training sessions are considered useful in increasing the use of MVA. This study provides important insight on how to proceed in improving post-abortion care in a country where complications of unsafe abortion are common and the health system is low on resources.
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| 2. |
- Odland, Maria Lisa, et al.
(författare)
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Effects of refresher training on the use of manual vacuum aspiration in the treatment of incomplete abortions : a quasi-experimental study in Malawi.
- 2018
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Ingår i: BMJ Global Health. - : BMJ. - 2059-7908. ; 3:5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: The maternal mortality ratio is decreasing globally, although it remains high in Malawi. Unsafe abortion is a major cause and treatment of complications after abortion is a big burden on the health system. Even though manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) is the recommended surgical treatment of incomplete abortions in the first trimester, many hospitals in Malawi continue to use sharp curettage. It is known to have more complications and is more expensive in the long run. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a structured MVA training programme in the treatment of incomplete abortions in Malawi.Methods: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study design was employed in an MVA training programme for health personnel at three hospitals in Southern Malawi. A total of 53 health personnel at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and the district hospitals of Chikwawa and Chiradzulu (intervention hospitals) were trained in the use of MVA. Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe and the Thyolo District Hospital served as control institutions. Medical files for all women treated for an incomplete abortion at the study hospitals were reviewed before and after the intervention. Information on demographic and obstetric data and the type of treatment was collected.Results: There was a significant increase in the use of MVA from 7.8% (95% CI 5.8 to 10.3) to 29.1% (95% CI 25.9 to 32.5) 1 year after the intervention. In comparison, we found a mere 3% increase in the control hospitals.Conclusions: By providing a refresher training programme to health personnel who treat women with incomplete abortions, it was possible to increase the use of MVA as recommended in the Malawi national guidelines.
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| 3. |
- Callan, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Maternal exposure to perfluoroalkyl acids measured in whole blood and birth outcomes in offspring
- 2016
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - Amsterdam, Netherlands : Elsevier. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 569-570, s. 1107-1113
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Perfluoralkyl and polyfluoralkyl substances have been measured in plasma and serum of pregnant women as a measure of prenatal exposure. Increased concentrations of individual perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), (typically perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluoroctane sulfonate (PFOS) have been reported to be associated with reductions in birth weight and other birth outcomes. We undertook a study of 14 PFAAs in whole blood (including PFOS, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA and PFUnDA) from 98 pregnant women in Western Australia from 2008 to 2011. Median concentrations (in μg/L) were: PFOS 1.99; PFHxS 0.33; PFOA 0.86; PFNA 0.30; PFDA 0.12 and PFUnDA 0.08. Infants born to women with the highest tertile of PFHxS exposure had an increased odds of being < 95% of their optimal birth weight (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.1–11.5). Conversely, maternal blood concentrations of PFUnDA were associated with non-significant increases in average birth weight (+ 102 g, 95% CI − 41, 245) and significant increases in proportion of optimal birth weight (+ 4.7%, 95% CI 0.7, 8.8) per ln-unit change. This study has reported a range of PFAAs in the whole blood of pregnant women and suggests that PFHxS and PFUnDA may influence foetal growth and warrant further attention. Additional studies are required to identify the sources of PFAA exposure with a view to prevention, in addition to further studies investigating the long term health effects of these ubiquitous chemicals.
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| 4. |
- Carlsson, Pernilla, et al.
(författare)
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Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as sentinels for the elucidation of Arctic environmental change processes : a comprehensive review combined with ArcRisk project results
- 2018
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Ingår i: Environmental Science and Pollution Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0944-1344 .- 1614-7499. ; 25:23, s. 22499-22528
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can be used as chemical sentinels for the assessment of anthropogenic influences on Arctic environmental change. We present an overview of studies on PCBs in the Arctic and combine these with the findings from ArcRisk-a major European Union-funded project aimed at examining the effects of climate change on the transport of contaminants to and their behaviour of in the Arctic-to provide a case study on the behaviour and impact of PCBs over time in the Arctic. PCBs in the Arctic have shown declining trends in the environment over the last few decades. Atmospheric long-range transport from secondary and primary sources is the major input of PCBs to the Arctic region. Modelling of the atmospheric PCB composition and behaviour showed some increases in environmental concentrations in a warmer Arctic, but the general decline in PCB levels is still the most prominent feature. 'Within-Arctic' processing of PCBs will be affected by climate change-related processes such as changing wet deposition. These in turn will influence biological exposure and uptake of PCBs. The pan-Arctic rivers draining large Arctic/sub-Arctic catchments provide a significant source of PCBs to the Arctic Ocean, although changes in hydrology/sediment transport combined with a changing marine environment remain areas of uncertainty with regard to PCB fate. Indirect effects of climate change on human exposure, such as a changing diet will influence and possibly reduce PCB exposure for indigenous peoples. Body burdens of PCBs have declined since the 1980s and are predicted to decline further.
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| 5. |
- Haugdahl Nost, Therese, et al.
(författare)
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Repeated measurements of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) from 1979 to 2007 in males from Northern Norway : Assessing time trends, compound correlations and relations to age/birth cohort
- 2014
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Ingår i: Environment International. - : Elsevier BV. - 0160-4120 .- 1873-6750. ; 67, s. 43-53
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Longitudinal biomonitoring studies can provide unique information on how human concentrations change over time, but have so far not been conducted for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in a background exposed population. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine: i) serum PFAS time trends on an individual level; ii) relative compositions and correlations between different PFASs; and iii) assess selected PFAS concentrations with respect to periodic (calendar year), age and birth cohort (APC) effects. Methods: Serum was sampled from the same 53 men in 1979, 1986, 1994, 2001 and 2007 in Northern Norway and analysed for 10 PFASs. APC effects were assessed by graphical and mixed effect analyses. Results: The median concentrations of perfluorooctane sulphonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) increased five-fold from 1979 to 2001 and decreased by 26% and 23%, respectively, from 2001 to 2007. The concentrations of PFOS and PFOA peaked during 1994-2001 and 2001, respectively, whereas perfluorohexane sulphonic acid (PFHxS) increased to 2001, but did not demonstrate a decrease between 2001 and 2007. Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) displayed increasing trends throughout the entire study period (1979-2007). Although PFOS comprised dominating and stable proportions of PFAS burdens during these years, the contributions from PFOA and PFHxS were considerable. The evaluation of APC effects demonstrated that calendar year was the dominating influence on concentrations of PFOA, PFUnDA, and PFOS, although time-variant and weaker associations with age/birth cohort were indicated. Conclusions: The concentration changes of 10 PFASs in the repeated measurements from 1979 to 2007 demonstrated divergent time trends between the different PFASs. The temporal trends of PFASs in human serum during these 30 years reflect the overall trends in historic production and use, although global transport mechanisms and bioaccumulation potential of the different PFASs together with a varying extent of consumer exposure influenced the observed trends. Sampling year was the strongest descriptor of PFOA, PFUnDA and PFOS concentrations, and the calendar-year trends were apparent for all birth year quartiles. Discrepancies between the trends in this current longitudinal study and previous cross-sectional studies were observed and presumably reflect the different study designs and population characteristics.
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| 6. |
- Nechaeva, Elena, et al.
(författare)
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Awareness of postpartum depression among midwives and pregnant women in Arkhangelsk, Arctic Russia
- 2024
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 17:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundPostpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately 17% of the women worldwide with nearly half of all cases going undetected. More research on maternal mental health, particularly among healthcare professionals and pregnant mothers, could help identify PPD risks and reduce its prevalence.ObjectiveGiven that awareness of PPD is a crucial preventive factor, we studied PPD awareness among midwives and pregnant women in Arkhangelsk, Arctic Russia.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Midwives and pregnant women were recruited from the women’s clinic of the Arkhangelsk municipal polyclinic. Seven midwives and 12 pregnant mothers were interviewed.ResultsMidwives described limited time for psychological counselling of pregnant women; they reported that their primary focus was on the physiological well-being of women. Pregnant women have expressed a desire for their families to share responsibilities. The participants considered PPD as a mix of psychological and physiological symptoms, and they also highlighted a discrepancy between the expectations of pregnant women and the reality of motherhood. The present study underscored the limited understanding of PPD identification.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that there is a need for increased awareness among midwives and pregnant women regarding PPD. Prevention programs targeting PPD with a specific emphasis on enhancing maternal mental health knowledge are warranted.
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| 7. |
- Nilsson, Lena Maria, et al.
(författare)
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A Call for Urgent Monitoring of Food and Water Security Based on Relevant Indicators for the Arctic
- 2013
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Ingår i: Ambio. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0044-7447 .- 1654-7209. ; 42:7, s. 816-822
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This perspective paper argues for an urgent need to monitor a set of 12 concrete, measurable indicators of food and water security in the Arctic over time. Such a quantitative indicator approach may be viewed as representing a reductionist rather than a holistic perspective, but is nevertheless necessary for actually knowing what reality aspects to monitor in order to accurately understand, quantify, and be able to project critical changes to food and water security of both indigenous and non-indigenous people in the Arctic. More relevant indicators may be developed in the future, taking us further toward reconciliation between reductionist and holistic approaches to change assessment and understanding. However, the potential of such further development to improved holistic change assessment is not an argument not to urgently start to monitor and quantify the changes in food and water security indicators that are immediately available and adequate for the Arctic context.
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| 8. |
- Semasaka Sengoma, Jean Paul, 1976-
(författare)
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Pregnancy and delivery-related complications in Rwanda : prevalence, associated risk factors, health economic impact, and maternal experiences
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Every year more than 1.5 million women suffer from pregnancy and delivery-related complications (PDCs) during pregnancy and childbirth worldwide, and these women are a vulnerable population for lifelong consequences, somatically, psychologically and financially. Following the establishment of Millennium Development Goal no 5, which targeted a reduction of 75% of the maternal mortality ratio from 1990 to 2015, many efforts were made to reduce maternal mortality worldwide. In low-income countries saving a pregnant woman’s life requires a focused medical intervention so that near-miss cases of death are considered as obstetric success and thus postpartum follow-up may be neglected. In Rwanda, maternal mortality is estimated to 210 per 100,000 live births and main obstetric complications are hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, obstructive/prolonged labour, post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) and sepsis/infections. However, the specific prevalence of PDCs as well as their consequences to the woman and her family is currently relatively unknown.Aims: The overall aim of this thesis was to determine the prevalence of PDCs and their associated risk factors and to investigate delivered women’s experiences of PDCs, the consequences of these complications on postpartum health and family situation, and to estimate the societal economic costs of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum-related problems.Subjects and methods: A population-based cross-sectional study including 921 women who gave birth within the past 13 months prior to time of data collection (Paper I) and a health facility-based study including 817 women that were at discharge time (Paper II) were conducted in the Northern Province of Rwanda and Kigali City. Fifteen women who experienced PDCs were interviewed through individual in-depth qualitative interviews (Paper III). A micro costing approach to collect health facility data and household costs including opportunity cost, transport and food cost was conducted to estimate the societal economic cost of PDCs (Paper I-V). Descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, bi- and multivariable logistic regression, Cox regression, and health economic analysis were applied for quantitative data analyses (Papers I, II and IV). Qualitative manifest and latent content analysis was used for qualitative data analyses (Paper III).Results: Prevalence of anaemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus during pregnancy, and severe bleeding during pregnancy and labour were estimated to 15.0%, 4.9%, 2.4%, and 3.7%, respectively (Paper I). In total, 56.4% of the participants were transferred and the majority were transferred from health centres to district hospitals, with caesarean section (CS) as the main reason for transfer. Almost three-quarters of the women started labour spontaneously; 5% had induced labour and 28.4% of all pregnant women were delivered by CS (Paper II). Pre-eclampsia/eclampsia, PPH, and caesarean section (CS) due to prolonged labour/dystocia represented 1%, 2.7% and 5.4% of all participants, respectively (Paper II). Risk factors for CS due to prolonged labour or dystocia were poverty, nulliparity, and residence far from health facility (Paper II). The prevalence of poor-self rated health (poor-SRH) for participants who gave birth within the past 14 months prior to time of data collection was 32.2% at one day postpartum, 7.8% at one month, and 11.7% at time of the interview (Paper I). Most participants who had experienced PDCs reported that they were previously unaware of the complications they had developed, and they claimed that at discharge they should have been better informed about the potential consequences of these complications (Paper III). Most participants blamed the health care system as the cause of their problems due to the provision of inadequate care. Participants elaborated different strategies for coping with persistent health problems (Paper III). PDCs negatively affected participants’ economic situation due to increased health care expenses and lowered income because of impaired working capacity (Paper III). The estimated total societal cost of a normal uncomplicated vaginal delivery was 107 United States dollars (USD). The incremental cost of a vaginal delivery followed by PPH was 55 USD. The incremental cost of prolonged, dystocic or obstructed labour resulting in a CS was 146 USD. The incremental cost of pre-eclampsia with vaginal delivery and pre-eclampsia with CS were 289 and 339 USD, respectively. The major cost categories of the estimated costs for each mode of delivery were staff, the hospitalisation rooms, and household expenditures (Paper IV).Conclusions: A high prevalence of poor self-rated health status was reported in the early postpartum period. Identified factors associated with poor-SRH were severe bleeding, hypertension, infection, and anaemia during pregnancy and postpartum haemorrhage. The estimated prevalences of specific pregnancy and delivery-related complications were relatively low, probably in part due to underestimation. Rwandan women experiencing PDCs are facing many challenges and problems during pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period. The costs of PDCs were calculated to be very high in comparison to the net median monthly wage in Rwanda. In addition, the Rwandan health system presents weaknesses in relation to the prevention of PDCs. Above all, there is an insufficient postpartum health care provision and community support to women experiencing PDCs. The results from this thesis call for interventions, to improve the postpartum health care services and call for the community sensitisation for the increased support to women who face difficult living circumstances because they have experienced severe pregnancy and delivery-related complications.
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| 9. |
- Sripada, Kam, et al.
(författare)
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A Children's Health Perspective on Nano- and Microplastics
- 2022
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Ingår i: Environmental Health Perspectives. - 1552-9924. ; 130:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Pregnancy, infancy, and childhood are sensitive windows for environmental exposures. Yet the health effects of exposure to nano- and microplastics (NMPs) remain largely uninvestigated or unknown. Although plastic chemicals are a well-established research topic, the impacts of plastic particles are unexplored, especially with regard to early life exposures.OBJECTIVES: This commentary aims to summarize the knowns and unknowns around child- and pregnancy-relevant exposures to NMPs via inhalation, placental transfer, ingestion and breastmilk, and dermal absorption.METHODS: A comprehensive literature search to map the state of the science on NMPs found 37 primary research articles on the health relevance of NMPs during early life and revealed major knowledge gaps in the field. We discuss opportunities and challenges for quantifying child-specific exposures (e.g., NMPs in breastmilk or infant formula) and health effects, in light of global inequalities in baby bottle use, consumption of packaged foods, air pollution, hazardous plastic disposal, and regulatory safeguards. We also summarize research needs for linking child health and NMP exposures and address the unknowns in the context of public health action.DISCUSSION: Few studies have addressed child-specific sources of exposure, and exposure estimates currently rely on generic assumptions rather than empirical measurements. Furthermore, toxicological research on NMPs has not specifically focused on child health, yet children's immature defense mechanisms make them particularly vulnerable. Apart from few studies investigating the placental transfer of NMPs, the physicochemical properties (e.g., polymer, size, shape, charge) driving the absorption, biodistribution, and elimination in early life have yet to be benchmarked. Accordingly, the evidence base regarding the potential health impacts of NMPs in early life remains sparse. Based on the evidence to date, we provide recommendations to fill research gaps, stimulate policymakers and industry to address the safety of NMPs, and point to opportunities for families to reduce early life exposures to plastic. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9086.
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| 10. |
- Usynina, Anna A., et al.
(författare)
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Social correlates of term small for gestational age babies in a Russian Arctic setting
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Circumpolar Health. - : CoAction Publishing. - 1239-9736 .- 2242-3982. ; 75
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Small for gestational age (SGA) births have been associated with both short- and long-term adverse health outcomes. Although social risk factors for SGA births have been studied earlier, such data are limited from Northern Russia.OBJECTIVE: We assessed maternal social risk factors for term SGA births based on data from the population-based Murmansk County Birth Registry (MCBR).DESIGN: Data on term live-born singleton infants born between 2006 and 2011 in Murmansk County were obtained from the MCBR. We applied the 10th percentile for only birth weight (SGAW) or for both birth weight and birth length (SGAWL). Binary logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of independent variables on SGA males and females with adjustment for known risk factors and potential confounders. Both crude and adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the studied risk factors were calculated.RESULTS: The proportions of term SGAW and SGAWL births were 9.7 and 4.1%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, the risk of term SGA births among less educated, unemployed, unmarried, smoking and underweight women was higher compared with women from the reference groups. Evidence of alcohol abuse was also associated with birth of SGAWL and SGAW boys. Maternal overweight and obesity decreased the risk of SGA.CONCLUSIONS: Maternal low education, unemployment, unmarried status, smoking, evidence of alcohol abuse and underweight increased the risk of term SGA births in a Russian Arctic setting. This emphasizes the importance of both social and lifestyle factors for pregnancy outcomes. Public health efforts to reduce smoking, alcohol consumption and underweight of pregnant women may therefore promote a decrease in the prevalence of SGA births.
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