Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Contraception Awareness and Mental Well-Being in Teenagers and Young Adult Women: A Three-Year Cross-Sectional Analysis.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, significant shifts occurred in reproductive health, especially among teenagers and young adult women in Romania. This study, conducted from 2020 to 2022, aimed to longitudinally assess contraceptive awareness and its correlation with mental well-being in this demographic. A cohort of 210 participants aged 15-25, with a history of wanted or unwanted pregnancy, was studied. The research involved collaborations with Romanian educational institutions and strict adherence to ethical standards. Participants' data on contraceptive knowledge and practices were analyzed, considering factors like substance use and prior sexual education. Mental well-being was evaluated using the SF-36, WHOQOL-BREF, GAD-7, and PHQ-9 scales. The study revealed a positive correlation between increased contraceptive knowledge and improved mental health scores. In 2022, 68% of participants displayed proficient contraceptive awareness, up from 52% in 2020. Those with good contraceptive knowledge had an average SF-36 score of 72, indicating a better quality of life, compared to a score of 58 among those with limited knowledge. Furthermore, there was a notable decrease in GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores among individuals with better contraceptive awareness, suggesting reduced anxiety and depression levels. The SF-36 survey results showed significant improvements across the years: the physical score increased from 52.1 (±6.3) in 2020 to 56.5 (±6.8) in 2022, the mental score from 51.4 (±7.2) to 55.0 (±6.9), and the total score from 53.6 (±7.9) to 57.5 (±8.0). WHOQOL-BREF results showed a substantial increase in the social domain score from 53.6 (±18.2) in 2020 to 63.0 (±20.5) in 2022. GAD-7 scores declined from 7.9 (±2.6) in 2020 to 6.5 (±3.3) in 2022, indicating a decrease in anxiety symptoms. PHQ-9 scores, measuring depression, also showed a downward trend, from 4.8 (±2.2) in 2020 to 3.9 (±2.8) in 2022. These findings highlight the intertwined nature of contraceptive awareness and mental well-being. The improvements in contraceptive awareness positively impacted mental health outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions in this demographic, particularly during global crises like the pandemic.

Mental Health and Contraceptive Knowledge in High Schoolers: Comparing Remote and In-Person Learning during COVID-19.

Background and Objectives: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on education, this study delves into the behavioral, mental health, and sexual education characteristics of high school students during 2020-2021 and 2022-2023. Materials and Methods: We evaluated a variety of factors, including substance use, academic performance, sexual activities, mental health support, pandemic-related anxiety levels, and quality of life indicators using standardized instruments such as the SF-36, GAD-7, and WHOQOL-BREF. Furthermore, we addressed specific questions concerning contraception and sexual education during this period. Results: The questionnaires were filled in by 44 students in 2020-2021 and 41 students in 2022-2023. Significant findings included a noteworthy increase in COVID-19 vaccination rates, from 18.2% in 2020-2021 to 39.0% in 2022-2023 (p = 0.033), enhanced perceptions of mental health support during remote learning, from 7.1% to 20.0% (p = 0.044), and a rise in students partaking in reproductive health discussions from 10.7% to 25.0% (p = 0.046). Additionally, there was a marked decline in anxiety regarding the transition back to in-person learning (p = 0.048). Health surveys, such as the SF-36, signaled improvements in both physical and mental health over the years (p = 0.046 and p = 0.019, respectively), while the GAD-7 scores depicted a considerable reduction in anxiety symptoms (p = 0.038). The WHOQOL-BREF results also highlighted a significant uptick in students' mental well-being in 2022-2023 (p = 0.039). Conclusions: As the COVID-19 pandemic ended, high school students exhibited shifts in behavior, health, and education over four academic years, particularly in areas of contraceptive knowledge and mental health outcomes. The pronounced enhancements in vaccination rates, perceptions of mental health support, participation in health conversations, and overall mental wellness emphasize the adaptability and resilience of students in these tumultuous periods, and a general increase in contraceptive knowledge and quality of life during the end of the pandemic.

Influence of Antiphospholipid Antibody-Associated Thrombophilia on the Risk of Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review.

Antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-associated thrombophilia has been implicated in various adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth and impaired fetal development. This systematic review aimed to elucidate the relationship between aPL-associated thrombophilia and these outcomes, as well as to identify potential modifiers of this relationship such as maternal age, coexisting maternal medical conditions, type of aPL antibodies involved, and the timing of thrombophilia diagnosis during gestation. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus in May 2023, covering literature published within the last 10 years. Eight articles, involving 2935 patients, were eligible for inclusion in the review. Single aCL was the most common type of aPL found in patients, with rates up to 61.0% in some studies, followed by single LA and single ab2GPI. Multiple aPL antibody positivity was found to be associated with a higher risk of preterm birth, with odds ratios ranging from 1.29 to 9.61. Patient characteristics and previous pregnancy history varied significantly across the studies. Risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, thrombosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus were also variable across the studies, but presence of these risk factors did not consistently affect the risk of preterm birth. Furthermore, although a triple positive aPL test was the most important risk factor for preterm birth, it was observed that thrombophilia treatment during pregnancy significantly reduced the risk by 2.44 times (95% CI = 1.18-6.20). This review supports the evidence for aPL-associated thrombophilia being a significant contributor to preterm birth and fetal developmental abnormalities. Further research is required to investigate the exact mechanisms and to determine the best clinical management for patients with aPL-associated thrombophilia during pregnancy.

A Retrospective Assessment of Thrombophilia in Pregnant Women with First and Second Trimester Pregnancy Loss.

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL) affects between 1% to 5% of women of reproductive age. It is widely believed that RPL is a complex disorder that is influenced by chromosomal abnormalities, genetic mutations, uterine anatomic deformity, endocrine dysfunction, immunologic factors, infections, and the environment. Thrombotic disorders are a frequent cause of RPL, accounting for almost half of all cases; however, in the rest of the cases, the cause of RPL remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, it was planned to determine the genetic mutations involved in RPL during the first and second trimester of pregnancy. An observational retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2021, collecting data from 157 first trimester miscarriages and 54 s trimester pregnancies. All patients with a panel of laboratory and genetic analysis for thrombophilia were included for data analysis. It was observed that four factors were significantly more prevalent in one of the groups. Factor V Leiden (FVL) homozygosity and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) antibodies were statistically significantly more common in pregnant women who suffered first trimester pregnancy losses. On the other hand, Protein C deficiency and Glycoprotein Ia polymorphism were statistically significantly more frequent in the second trimester group. The strongest independent risk factors for first trimester pregnancy loss were FVL and prothrombin (PT) compound mutations (OR = 3.11), followed by FVL homozygous mutation (OR = 3.66), and APS antibodies (OR = 4.47). Regarding second trimester pregnancy loss risk factors, the strongest were FVL and PT compound (OR = 3.24), followed by Glycoprotein Ia polymorphism (OR = 3.61), and respectively, APS antibodies (OR = 3.85). Numerous thrombophilic risk factors for early and late pregnancy loss have been found, including several mutations that seem to occur more often either during the first or the second trimester. Even though we are aware of risk-free and efficient diagnostics for thrombophilia abnormalities, no intervention has been proved to be clearly successful after the detection of these variables.

Hormone treatment and UVB exposure influences on female mice regarding skin physiological parameters, biochemical parameters and organ histology.

Females require at a certain period of life the administration or supplementation of specific hormones (estrogen, progesterone), for various needs, such as: prevention of unwanted pregnancies, decreased menstrual bleeding, dysmenorrhea and pelvic pain in endometriosis, alleviation of symptoms associated with menopause, regulation of certain skin processes related to acne or aging and others. Also, hormones could act as oncogenes being known eloquent examples of estrogens labeled both as promoters of cell specific alteration or as mutagenic agents. The use of hormones and exposure to solar radiation is expected to cause a number of adverse changes to the body, especially due to their association with malignant processes. The current study was purported as a basis for understanding certain processes that occur with the administration of hormones and exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. The animal model was made on healthy adult female BALB∕c mice, which were separated into groups and treated with Ethinylestradiol (EES), Levonorgestrel (LNG) and their combination in the presence of UVB radiation. Changes in skin physiological parameters were analyzed by non-invasive methods, biochemical parameters related to changes in blood circulating system were evaluated by standard methods and histopathological analysis was conducted to point out the changes at the level of the internal body. Measurement of skin parameters such as erythema, melanin, skin hydration, has highlighted some changes in hormone-treated and exposed to UVB radiation groups which were significant only in the case of erythema. Biochemical parameters showed variations in terms of liver enzymes in groups treated with active substances. Histologically, aspects of internal organs revealed significant changes in the group treated with EES and LNG and exposed to UVB radiation.