Influence of hormonal contraceptives and the occurrence of stroke: integrative review

The economic impact of Long-Acting Contraceptives (LARCs) on public health

The incorporation of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) into reproductive health strategies is crucial for enhancing access to effective contraception and reducing unplanned pregnancies (UPs). Evidence shows that even a modest shift from short-acting methods to LARCs can yield significant cost savings and improve health outcomes, both for individuals and public health systems. By facilitating single-visit placements and expanding the training of multidisciplinary teams, including nurses, healthcare providers can increase access to these effective contraceptive options.

Preventive Approaches in Women's Neurology: Prepartum, Pregnancy, and Postpartum

Women's neurology is the subspecialty within neurology concerned with the distinct healthcare needs of women. In this article, we review current literature and expert management strategies regarding disease-specific neurologic concerns of women, with an emphasis on issues related to contraception, pregnancy, and lactation. Health conditions that we discuss in this article include epilepsy, headache, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and Chiari I malformation. Current findings on neurologic disease in women suggest that many women with neurologic disease can safely manage their disease during pregnancy and have healthy children, though pregnancy planning is important in many conditions to mitigate risks and effective contraceptive management is important when pregnancy prevention is desired.

Sex Differences in Adiposity and Cardiovascular Diseases

Body fat distribution is a well-established predictor of adverse medical outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. Studying body fat distribution sheds insights into the causes of obesity and provides valuable information about the development of various comorbidities. Compared to total adiposity, body fat distribution is more closely associated with risks of cardiovascular diseases. The present review specifically focuses on the sexual dimorphism in body fat distribution, the biological clues, as well as the genetic traits that are distinct from overall obesity. Understanding the sex determinations on body fat distribution and adiposity will aid in the improvement of the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Combined hormonal contraceptives are associated with minor changes in composition and diversity in gut microbiota of healthy women

Recent human and animal studies have found associations between gut microbiota composition and serum levels of sex hormones, indicating that they could be an important factor in shaping the microbiota. However, little is known about the effect of regular hormonal fluctuations over the menstrual cycle or CHC-related changes of hormone levels on gut microbiota structure, diversity and dynamics. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of CHCs on human gut microbiota composition. The effect of CHC pill intake on gut microbiota composition was studied in a group of seven healthy pre-menopausal women using the CHC pill, compared to the control group of nine age-matched healthy women that have not used hormonal contraceptives in the 6 months prior to the start of the study. By analysing the gut microbiota composition in both groups during one menstrual cycle, we found that CHC usage is associated with a minor decrease in gut microbiota diversity and differences in the abundance of several bacterial taxa. These results call for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying hormonal and hormonal contraceptive-related changes of the gut microbiota and the potential implications of these changes for women's health.

Factors associated with performing activities of daily living in women after suffering a stroke

OBJECTIVE

To associate sociodemographic variables and risk factors for stroke to the degree of dependence for performing the activities of daily living of women of childbearing age after suffering a stroke.

METHOD

A prospective and analytical longitudinal study conducted in three public hospitals in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. The Modified Barthel Index was used at the time of attending the unit and 3 months after the stroke to assess the degree of disability in the performance of activities of daily living. The chi-squared and likelihood ratio tests were chosen to analyze the association between variables.

RESULTS

There were 109 women of childbearing age who participated in the study. There was an association between higher degrees of dependence in women from the interior/rural areas, with lower income and black people (p = 0.032, p = 0.043, p = 0.03, respectively). Regarding personal risk factors, there was a greater dependency in women with heart disease (p = 0.040), sedentary (p = 0.030) and alcoholics (p = 0.017).

CONCLUSION

The results show the factors associated with higher degrees of dependence for performing activities of daily living by women of childbearing age after the occurrence of stroke.

Social Determinants of Health and their influence on the choice of birth control methods

OBJECTIVE

To verify the association between Social Determinants of Health and birth control methods used by women of childbearing age.

METHODS

Documentary and retrospective study, performed at a Brazilian Natural Birth Center with evaluation of the medical records of patients seen between 2003 and 2011 (n=2410). Data were collected on identification and general history, gynecological, sexual and obstetric.

RESULTS

Hormone birth control methods were the most used among participants (25.0%); followed by barrier methods (21.5%) and surgical methods (19.3%). Statistical associations were observed regarding age, menarche, onset of sexual activity, pregnancy, miscarriage, smoking, hypertension, marital status, gynecological care and schooling with the choice of methods.

CONCLUSION

The results confirm the importance of studies involving Social Determinants of Health, since they interfere in the way women choose birth control methods and the risks that this choice may pose to their health.

Development of a clinical protocol for detection of cervical cancer precursor lesions

Objective:

to develop and validate the content of a clinical protocol aimed at prevention of cervical cancer in primary care.

Method:

technological research according to the steps: (1) submission of the project to the research ethics committee; (2) bibliographic survey; (3) elaboration of the clinical protocol; and (4) content validation. In the third step, the information was collected through bibliographic research and gynecology specialists were consulted. For the final step, four judges were selected to evaluate the clinical protocol according to AGREE 2. Domains that reached the minimum level of agreement of 75% in the scores were considered validated.

Results:

the scores obtained in each domain of the instrument were as follows: domain 1 (scope and purpose) = 87.5%; domain 2 (stakeholder involvement) = 83.3%; domain 3 (development rigor) = 79.7%; domain 4 (clarity of presentation) = 76.3%; domain 5 (applicability) = 78.1%; and domain 6 (editorial independence) = 85.4.

Conclusion:

the clinical protocol proved to be a validated material with scores above the minimum required. The protocol obtained positive recommendations with modifications and went through adjustments in order to make it more effective.