| 1. |
- Alehagen, Siw, 1953-, et al.
(author)
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Fear of childbirth before, during, and after childbirth
- 2006
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In: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412. ; 85:1, s. 56-62
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. Only scanty research exists about the relationship between women's expectations during pregnancy and their experiences as reported during the actual process of labor and afterwards. The aims of the present study were: 1. to investigate the associations between fear of childbirth during pregnancy and postpartum and fear and pain during early active labor (phase 1: cervix dilatation 3–5 cm), and 2. to explore possible differences regarding fear of childbirth during pregnancy and postpartum between women who did or did not receive epidural analgesia during labor.Methods. Fear of childbirth was measured in 47 nulliparous women during gestation weeks 37–39 by means of the Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire (W-DEQ version A). During early active labor we measured women's fear (Delivery Fear Scale) and their experiences of pain (a pain intensity scale). Finally, fear after childbirth (W-DEQ version B) was measured two hours, two days, and five weeks after delivery.Results. A positive correlation appeared between fear of childbirth during pregnancy, postpartum, and early active labor. There were no differences in fear of childbirth during late pregnancy between women who received epidural analgesia and those who did not. Postpartum fear was higher in the women who had received epidural analgesia.Conclusions. Pregnant women who fear childbirth are prone to report fear during the actual labor and postpartum. The administration of epidural analgesia is not a sufficient response to women's fear during the process of labor.
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| 2. |
- Alehagen, Siw, 1953-, et al.
(author)
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Fear, pain and stress hormones during childbirth
- 2005
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In: Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0167-482X .- 1743-8942. ; 26:3, s. 153-165
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims. To investigate the course of fear, pain and stress hormones during labor, and the associations between fear, pain, stress hormones and duration of labor in nulliparous women with and without epidural analgesia (EDA).Method. One day during gestation weeks 37–39, urinary and salivary samples were collected to measure catecholamines and cortisol. Hourly during labor, the participants answered the Delivery Fear Scale and a pain intensity scale, and urinary and salivary samples were collected to measure stress hormones.Results. The course of fear, pain and stress hormones differed throughout labor in women with and without EDA. Pain and cortisol increased throughout labor in women without EDA. Women who received EDA had more fear, but not more pain, before the administration of the EDA than women who did not receive EDA. Pain, fear and catecholamines decreased when women received EDA, but fear and pain increased again later in labor. Fear and pain correlated, as well as levels of fear in the different phases of labor. During phase one of labor epinephrine and duration of the phase were negatively correlated.Conclusion. The course of fear, pain and concentrations of stress hormones differed, highly influenced by the administration of EDA. Fear and pain correlated more pronounced than stress hormones and fear, pain and duration of labor.
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| 3. |
- Alehagen, Siw, et al.
(author)
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Fear, pain and stress hormones during labor and delivery
- 2005
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In: Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0167-482X .- 1743-8942. ; 26:3, s. 153-165
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: To investigate the course of fear, pain and stress hormones during labor, and the associations between fear, pain, stress hormones and duration of labor in nulliparous women with and without epidural analgesia (EDA).Method: One day during gestation weeks 37-39, urinary and salivary samples were collected to measure catecholamines and cortisol. Hourly during labor, the participants answered the Delivery Fear Scale and a pain intensity scale, and urinary and salivary samples were collected to measure stress hormones.Results: The course of fear, pain and stress hormones differed throughout labor in women with and without EDA. Pain and cortisol increased throughout labor in women without EDA. Women who received EDA had more fear, but not more pain, before the administration of the EDA than women who did not receive EDA. Pain, fear and catecholamines decreased when women received EDA, but fear and pain increased again later in labor. Fear and pain correlated, as well as levels of fear in the different phases of labor. During phase one of labor epinephrine and duration of the phase were negatively correlated.Conclusion: The course of fear, pain and concentrations of stress hormones differed, highly influenced by the administration of EDA. Fear and pain correlated more pronounced than stress hormones and fear, pain and duration of labor.
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| 4. |
- Engman, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Itch and burning pain in women with partial vaginismus with or without vulvar vestibulitis
- 2007
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In: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0092-623X .- 1521-0715. ; 33:2, s. 171-186
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fifty-three women with partial vaginismus with or without vulvar vestibulitis and 27 asymptomatic women estimated sensations of burning pain and itch at 20 standardized moments during a standardized penetration situation, including vaginal muscle contractions. Forty-three women with partial vaginismus (81.1%) reported burning pain, 23 (43.4%) itch, and 22 (41.5%) both complaints, compared to 0% of the asymptomatic women. In 17 of 22 cases, burning pain preceded the appearance of itch and in four cases the two complaints coincided. The median time from the moment when burning pain started until itch appeared was 150 seconds.
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| 5. |
- Engman, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Postcoital burning pain and pain at micturition : early symptoms in women with partial vaginismus with or without vulvar vestibulitis?
- 2008
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In: Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0092-623X .- 1521-0715. ; 34:5, s. 413-428
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Twenty-four women with partial vaginismus with or without vulvar vestibulitis participated in a semi-structured telephone interview concerning early signs and development of their pain symptoms during/after intercourse. At the onset of the problem, pain after intercourse was more common than pain during penetration. Pain intensity during penetration increased from the onset of the problem to when the women ceased having intercourse. Pain during penetration lasted for 1 minute, and was most often described as sharp/incisive/bursting, while pain after intercourse had a duration of 2 hours and was described as burning and/or smarting. Post-coital pain during micturition was described by 70% of the women.
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| 6. |
- Samelius, Charlotta, 1964-
(author)
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Abused Women : Health, Somatization, and Posttraumatic Stress
- 2007
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The aims of this thesis were to estimate the lifetime prevalence of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse in a random population-based sample of women aged 18-60 years; to estimate current suffering thereof; and to investigate associations between abuse and health problems, more specifically to study abuse related variables associated with somatization and PTSD, respectively.The studies had a cross-sectional design. Studies I and II comprised 4150 women 18-60 years. Study III included 547 women, and study IV consisted of 213 women, randomly selected from the population-based sample of the first two studies.The first study found lifetime prevalence rates of 19.4% for physical abuse, 9.2% for sexual abuse, and 18.2% for psychological abuse. Abused women reported more ill-health and a less advantageous social situation than non-abused women. There was an association between magnitude of abuse and health problems. Even a low magnitude of abuse was substantially associated with ill-health. In the second study we found that of the 27.5% of women who had reported any kind of abuse in the first study, 69.5 % reported current suffering thereof. Abused suffering women reported more health problems than abused non-suffering women and non-abused women, and abused non-suffering women reported more health problems than non-abused women. In study three, psychological abuse and sexual abuse without penetration were found to be associated with somatization. Physical abuse and sexual abuse with penetration were not associated with somatization, when adjustments for other kinds of abuse were made. In study four, PTSD and somatization were found to be separately reported phenomena in abused women, although PTSD was positively associated with having somatic symptoms. Women with PTSD reported higher total magnitude of abuse and a higher number of perpetrators than women with somatization. Sexually abused women with PTSD more often described their experience as an act of abuse compared with sexually abused women with somatization.The present thesis demonstrates that even a low magnitude of abuse is associated with health problems. It also shows that a majority of the abused women, when investigating lifetime history of abuse, reported current suffering thereof, which warrants considering abuse an important societal problem. The relationship between somatization and posttraumatic stress in abused women is discussed in relation to abuse variables. Other factors than severity of abuse, such as whether the abused woman herself perceives her experience as abuse, seem to be more decisive for development of somatization in abused women. The findings suggest that PTSD is not a necessary mediator between abuse and somatization.
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| 7. |
- Samelius, Charlotta, et al.
(author)
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Post-traumatic stress and somatization in abused women
- 2009
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In: Traumatology. - : Sage Publications. - 1534-7656 .- 1085-9373. ; 15:1, s. 103-112
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study examines the relationship between posttraumatic stressdisorder (PTSD) and somatization in abused women; 213 abusedwomen were assessed for PTSD, somatization, health care contacts,and abuse-related variables. The main analyses in this exploratorystudy are based on the 91 respondents reporting either PTSDor somatization. We found no association between the occurrenceof PTSD and somatization in abused women. Women with PTSD reportedhigher total magnitude of abuse and a larger number of perpetratorsthan women with somatization. Sexually abused women with PTSDmore often described their experience as an act of abuse comparedwith sexually abused women with somatization. Results suggestthat PTSD might not be a necessary mediator between abuse andsomatization and that variables other than abuse magnitude aredecisive for the development of somatization in abused women.
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| 8. |
- Siwe, Karin, et al.
(author)
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Medical students learning the pelvic examination : Comparison of outcome in terms of skills between a professional patient and a clinical patient model
- 2007
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In: Patient Education and Counseling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0738-3991 .- 1873-5134. ; 68:3, s. 211-217
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To compare two models of learning the pelvic examination (PE) for medical students, with professional patients (PP) or with clinical patients (CP), by measuring perceived distress and learning outcome in terms of skills. Methods: Prospective longitudinal study. Assessments of self-perceived distress on four occasions at the prospect of performing a PE. Evaluation of the learning session (LS) and clinical clerkship concerning outcome of palpation skills. Results: During the LS, students in the PP model (PP students) received enough guidance from their coaches, were certain they had palpated the uterus and at least one ovary, and were less distressed afterwards compared with students who were instructed using the CP model (CP students). During the clinical clerkship, the PP students performed twice as many PEs as CP students did and had more often confirmed palpating the uterus and an ovary. Conclusion: PP students were more skilful in palpating the uterus and ovaries and performed more PEs during the clinical clerkship than did CP students. Practice implications: Engaging healthy and voluntary women as PPs takes time and effort. It is, however, worthwhile as it increases the confidence of students who perform PEs, makes them more competent, and ultimately improves their skills in performing the examination during their clinical clerkship.
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| 9. |
- Söderquist, Johan, et al.
(author)
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Risk factors in pregnancy for post-traumatic stress and depression after childbirth
- 2009
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In: BJOG - An international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology. - : Wiley. - 1470-0328. ; 116:5, s. 672-680
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective The objective of this study was to find risk factors in pregnancy for post-traumatic stress and depression 1 month after childbirth. Furthermore, the relation between post-traumatic stress and depression was explored.Design A prospective longitudinal study.Setting Pregnant women in Linköping and Kalmar, Sweden.Population A total of 1224 women were assessed in pregnancy, week 12–20 and 32, as well as 1 month postpartum.Methods Post-traumatic stress and depression after delivery were assessed 1 month postpartum. Potential risk factors were assessed in early and late pregnancy. Variables measured during pregnancy were trait anxiety, depression, fear of childbirth, childbirth-related traumatic stress, stress coping capacity, social support, parity, educational level, age, gestation week, parity, educational level, civil status, previous psychological/psychiatric counselling, and previous experience of any traumatic events. Delivery mode was assessed from the medical records.Main outcome measures Prevalence of post-traumatic stress (criteria A, B, C, D, E, and F according to DSM-IV) and depression (Beck’s depression inventory).Results One month postpartum, 12 (1.3%) women had post-traumatic stress (met symptom criteria B, C, and D for post-traumatic stress disorder according to Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition [DSM-IV]). The most important risk factors in pregnancy were depression in early pregnancy (OR = 16.3), severe fear of childbirth (OR = 6.2), and ‘pre’-traumatic stress (in view of the forthcoming delivery) in late pregnancy (OR = 12.5). The prevalence of depression was 5.6%. Post-traumatic stress and depression were positively related 1 month postpartum and were predicted by mainly the same factors.Conclusions Risk factors for post-traumatic stress and depression after childbirth can be assessed in early pregnancy. Post-traumatic stress and depression also seem to share the same underlying vulnerability factors.
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| 10. |
- Söderquist, Johan, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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The longitudinal course of post-traumatic stress after childbirth
- 2006
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In: Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0167-482X .- 1743-8942. ; 27:2, s. 113-119
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Post-traumatic stress was assessed in early and late pregnancy, and 1, 4, 7, and 11 months postpartum by means of questionnaires among 1224 women. Thirty-seven women (3%) had post-traumatic stress (meeting criteria B, C, and D for PTSD) at least once within 1–11 months postpartum. In pregnancy, depression, severe fear of childbirth, ‘pre’-traumatic stress, previous counseling related to pregnancy/childbirth, and self-reported previous psychological problems were associated with an increased risk of having post-traumatic stress within 1–11 months postpartum. Sum-scores of post-traumatic stress did not decrease over time among women who at least once had post-traumatic stress (criteria B, C, and D) within 1–11 months postpartum. Women with post-traumatic stress also showed a decrease in perceived social support over time postpartum.
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