Influence of menstrual pain and symptoms on activities of daily living and work absenteeism: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of menstrual pain among women of reproductive age and its impact on their daily lives and professional responsibilities. METHODS: A cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in July and August 2022. Phone interviews were carried out using a random system to select women aged between 15 and 49 years old. The questionnaire included sociodemographic variables, contraception method used, characteristics of the menstrual pattern (pain and bleeding amount), its influence on their working life, and if they would need to resort to sick leaves due to the impairments arising from the menstrual symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 1800 women representative of the Spanish population took part in this study. 72.6% of them report menstrual pain, with 45.9% requiring medication. 35.9% identify their menstrual bleeding as intense or very intense. 38.8% assert that menstrual discomforts affect their everyday life. 34.3% would have required not attending their work activities or having requested sick leave due to the discomforts, although only 17.3% of the women finally requested so, mainly because 58.4% considered that it might imply consequences in their professional environment, especially those with Higher Education. The women who report more discomfort are the youngest ones and those who resort to condoms as a contraceptive method (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Menstrual pain is a prevalent problem among women of reproductive age and can affect their everyday life and professional environment, requiring work leaves on some occasions.

This study is a starting point to know the prevalence of menstrual discomforts among Spanish women of reproductive age and their effect on the professional environment, to enable an assessment of the possible impact of the menstrual leave legislation recently implemented in Spain.

Women's Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services during Confinement Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenge for women's sexual and reproductive health care. The objective of this research was to analyse access to sexual and reproductive health services during confinement in Spain. (2) Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with a random sample that was stratified by age in July and August 2020. (3) Results: A total of 1800 women were invited to participate, obtaining a response rate of 98.72%. The frequency of sexual relationships reduced during confinement. Counselling was offered both in person (30.7%) and telematically (39%), although there were also women who experienced access problems (30%). Of those women who required some LARC, only half had access to it, mainly due to the contact difficulties as a result of the limited number of consultations with their prescribing physicians. The use of emergency oral contraception and the use of services for the voluntary interruption of pregnancy were considerably reduced. The women who stated having been victims of gender-based violence were those that lived with their aggressors during confinement and had children. (4) Conclusions: It is necessary to ensure sexual and reproductive rights in confinement times and, for such a purpose, telemedicine can be a good tool that helps to avoid unmet contraceptive needs and unplanned pregnancies.

Results of the National Contraception Survey Conducted by Sociedad Española de Contracepción (2020).

Background: The National Contraception Survey conducted by Sociedad Española de Contracepción intends to know the sexual and contraceptive habits of Spanish women of reproductive age. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study with random sample selection was conducted with women aged from 14 to 49 years old in July and August 2020. Results: A total of 1801 women participated in the study, of which 78.7% used some contraception method during their sexual relationships. The most frequently used methods were condoms (31.3%) and combined oral contraceptives (18.5%) at their last sexual encounter. A total of 25.7% used both condoms and pills, especially younger women and those who had no steady partners (p < 0.001). Use of Long-acting Reversible Contraceptives continues to be low, although a slight increase in their use is observed, and they are recommended for 50% of the users who need contraception. Counselling on contraception was provided to 64.3% of the women, mainly by their gynaecologists. Regarding the decision to use a contraceptive method, the one suggested by health professionals was more influential, although this was not the case for women aged less than 20 years old (p < 0.001). A total of 38.4% of the women have used emergency oral contraception at least once and 66.8% of those who do not make continuous use of contraception methods do so out of personal choice. Conclusions: It is necessary to deepen work on counselling and awareness among the population towards the use of efficient contraceptive methods that prevent unplanned pregnancies.

Shock séptico: complicación inusual secundaria al drenaje de un absceso de la glándula de Bartholino / Septic shock: unusual complication secondary to the drainage of a bartholin gland abscess

Introducción: El drenaje quirúrgico de un absceso de Bartholino se trata de una técnica con una baja tasa de complicaciones, siendo la sepsis extremadamente infrecuente. Caso: mujer de 26 años que acude a urgencias con mal estado general asociado a fiebre de hasta 38ºC, con punción de un absceso de Bartholino en horas previas. Presenta signos clínicos y analíticos compatibles con cuadro de shock séptico y a la exploración ginecológica se objetiva un hematoma sobreinfectado secundario a la punción del absceso de Bartholino. Se procede al drenaje del hematoma y marsupialización, con cobertura antibiótica durante 14 días consiguiéndose la resolución del cuadro. Conclusiones: la punción ciega de un absceso de Bartholino puede vehiculizar gérmenes al espacio vascular y provocar una septicemia, por lo que un adecuado control tras el procedimiento resulta fundamental, no siendo necesaria la cobertura antibiótica de rutina (AU)

Introduction: The surgical drainage of a Bartholin abscess is a technique with a low rate of complications, being the sepsis extremely unusual. Case: A 26 year old woman presents to the emergency room with chills and temperature of 38ºC, after punction of a Bartholin abscess a few hours before. She presents clinical and analytical signs compatible with septic shock. During the gynecological examination a infected haematoma is seen, secondary to the previous punction. The drainage of the haematoma and ulterior marsupialization are made, under antibiotic treatment during 14 days, getting to the resolution of the case. Conclusion: The punction of a Bartholin abscess may be a portal of entry for bacteremia causing a sepsis, so a tight control after procedure is essential, while the concomitant antibiotic treatment may be unnecessary (AU)

Úlcera genital aguda en adolescentes. Úlcera de Lipschütz / Acute genital ulcer in adolescents. Lipschütz ulcer

La aparición de úlceras genitales en niñas y mujeres jóvenes, de aparente origen no venéreo, es una entidad infrecuente, descrita ya a principios del siglo pasado, conocida como úlcera vulvar aguda o de Lipschütz. Es una entidad de incidencia baja, por lo que es poco conocida y genera confusión cuando se presenta. La falta de una etiología clara y su presentación en una población a caballo entre la población pediátrica y mujeres jóvenes aumentan esta confusión. Detallamos un caso a continuación (AU)

The development of genital ulcers, of apparently non-venereal origin, in adolescents and young girls is a rare entity known as acute genital ulcer or Lipschütz ulcer. Because of their low incidence, these ulcers are little known and can cause confusion when they occur. This confusion is increased by the lack of a clear cause and the occurrence of these ulcers in an age group that falls between the pediatric and young adult populations. We describe a case of Lipschütz ulcer treated in our hospital (AU)

Feto acardio en gestación gemelar monocorial biamniótica. Síndrome de perfusión arterial inversa gemelar / Acardiac fetus in monochorial-diamniotic twin pregnancy. Twin reversed arterial perfusion syndrome

Las gestaciones múltiples comportan una exacerbación de los signos y síntomas propios del embarazo y suponen una situación de riesgo tanto para la madre como para los fetos. Una de dichas complicaciones es el síndrome de perfusión arterial inversa gemelar (PAIG, también llamado secuencia TRAP). Es un proceso muy raro (1% de los embarazos gemelares) o 0,3/10,000 recién nacidos vivos que consiste en la coexistencia de un feto normal (llamado «bomba») y un feto acardio. El feto anormal, presenta, en la mayoría de los casos, desarrollo incompleto del polo cefálico, del corazón, de los miembros superiores y de numerosas vísceras. Los miembros inferiores están relativamente bien conservados aunque son frecuentes el pie zambo así como las anomalías en los dedos del pie. Es frecuente el edema en la mitad superior del feto acardio que sugiere higroma quístico. Presentamos un caso acorde con lo referido con anterioridad (AU)

Multiple gestations involve an exacerbation of the signs and own symptoms of the pregnancy, and suppose a situation of risk for the mother as for the fetuses. One of these complications is the twin reverse arterial perfusion (TRAP), a very rare process (1% of the multiple gestations) or 0,3/10000 borned alive, that consists of the coexistence of a normal fetus (called “pump”) and an acardiac fetus. The abnormal fetus, displays, in most of the cases, incomplete development of the cephalic pole, heart, superior members and numerous organs. The lower members are relatively well conserved although the foot is usually bad conformed as well as the anomalies in the toes are frequent. Is frequent the edema in superior half of the fetus. We displayed an agreed case about this matter occurred in our hospital (AU)