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Sample records for perinatal grief scale

  1. Autonomy and social norms in a three factor grief model predicting perinatal grief in India.

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    Roberts, Lisa R; Lee, Jerry W

    2014-01-01

    Perinatal grief following stillbirth is a significant social and mental health burden. We examined associations among the following latent variables: autonomy, social norms, self-despair, strained coping, and acute grief-among poor, rural women in India who experienced stillbirth. A structural equation model was built and tested using quantitative data from 347 women of reproductive age in Chhattisgarh. Maternal acceptance of traditional social norms worsens self-despair and strained coping, and increases the autonomy granted to women. Greater autonomy increases acute grief. Greater despair and acute grief increase strained coping. Social and cultural factors were found to predict perinatal grief in India.

  2. ADAPTAÇÃO TRANSCULTURAL E EVIDÊNCIAS DE VALIDAÇÃO DA PERINATAL GRIEF SCALE

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    Gisele Ferreira Paris

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo : realizar la adaptación transcultural y validación de pruebas de la Perinatal Grief Scale para el portugués Brasil y Canadá francés. Metodo : estudio metodológico, con aplicación de Escala de Duelo Perinatal desde el conjunto de procedimientos de adaptación transcultural. La populación fue compuesta por todas las mujeres que tuvieron óbito fetal en el año de 2013 vecinas en el municipio de Maringá-Brasil y participantes del Centre d’Études et de Recherche en Intervention Familiale en la Université du Québec en Outaouais - Canadá. Resultados : la escala en las versiones en portugués y francés demostró para ser confiable en las dos poblaciones. Coeficiente alfa de Cronbach de la escala aplicada en Brasil fue de 0,93 y aplicada en Canadá fue 0.94. Versión portuguesa, cuatro elementos no correlacionan con la escala total. Conclusión : la Perinatal Grief Scale puede utilizarse para identificar el estado de duelo en mujeres que tenían la muerte fetal, en su versión de cada país.

  3. Perinatal grief following a termination of pregnancy for foetal abnormality: the impact of coping strategies.

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    Lafarge, Caroline; Mitchell, Kathryn; Fox, Pauline

    2013-12-01

    Pregnancy termination for foetal abnormality (TFA) can have significant psychological repercussions, but little is known about the coping strategies involved in dealing with TFA. This study examined the relationships between women's coping strategies and perinatal grief. A total of 166 women completed a survey online. Coping and perinatal grief were measured using the Brief COPE and Short Perinatal Grief Scales. Data were analysed through multiple regression analyses. Despite using mostly adaptive coping strategies, women's levels of grief were high and varied according to obstetric and termination variables. Grief was predicted by behavioural disengagement, venting, planning, religion, self-blame, being recently bereaved, being childless at the time of TFA, not having had children/being pregnant since TFA and uncertainty about the decision to terminate the pregnancy. Acceptance and positive reframing negatively predicted grief. Identifying women vulnerable to poor psychological adjustment and promoting coping strategies associated with lower levels of grief may be beneficial. This could be addressed through information provision and interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Cultural processes in psychotherapy for perinatal loss: Breaking the cultural taboo against perinatal grief.

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    Markin, Rayna D; Zilcha-Mano, Sigal

    2018-03-01

    This paper argues that there is a cultural taboo against the public recognition and expression of perinatal grief that hinders parents' ability to mourn and their psychological adjustment following a loss. It is proposed that this cultural taboo is recreated within the therapy relationship, as feelings of grief over a perinatal loss are minimized or avoided by the therapist and parent or patient. Importantly, it is suggested that if these cultural dynamics are recognized within the therapy relationship, then psychotherapy has the immense opportunity to break the taboo by validating the parent's loss as real and helping the parent to mourn within an empathic and affect-regulating relationship. Specifically, it is suggested that therapists break the cultural taboo against perinatal grief and help parents to mourn through: acknowledging and not pathologizing perinatal grief reactions, considering intrapsychic and cultural factors that impact a parent's response to loss, exploring cultural reenactments within the therapy relationship, empathizing with the parent's experience of loss and of having to grieve within a society that does not recognize perinatal loss, coregulating the parent's feelings of grief and loss, and helping patients to create personally meaningful mourning rituals. Lastly, the impact of within and between cultural differences and therapist attitudes on the therapy process is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  5. Social and cultural factors associated with perinatal grief in Chhattisgarh, India.

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    Roberts, Lisa R; Montgomery, Susanne; Lee, Jerry W; Anderson, Barbara A

    2012-06-01

    Stillbirth is a globally significant public health problem with many medical causes. There are also indirect causal pathways including social and cultural factors which are particularly salient in India's traditional society. The purpose of this study was to explore women's perceptions of stillbirth and to determine how issues of gender and power, social support, coping efforts, and religious beliefs influence perinatal grief outcomes among poor women in rural Chhattisgarh, India. Structured interviews were done face-to-face in 21 randomly selected villages among women of reproductive age (N=355) who had experienced stillbirth (n=178) and compared to those who had not (n=177), in the Christian Hospital, Mungeli catchment area. Perinatal grief was significantly higher among women with a history of stillbirth. Greater perinatal grief was associated with lack of support, maternal agreement with social norms, and younger maternal age. These predictors must be understood in light of an additional finding-distorted sex ratios, which reflect gender discrimination in the context of Indian society. The findings of this study will allow the development of a culturally appropriate health education program which should be designed to increase social support and address social norms, thereby reducing psychological distress to prevent complicated perinatal grief. Perinatal grief is a significant social burden which impacts the health women.

  6. Perinatal grief in Latino parents.

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    Whitaker, Claudia; Kavanaugh, Karen; Klima, Carrie

    2010-01-01

    Extensive research exists that describes the meaning of perinatal loss to some parents, but the experience of loss from the perspective of Latino parents is not clearly understood. Additionally, current perinatal bereavement practices used often to facilitate memory making for parents (such as viewing or holding the baby, taking photographs, or collecting mementos) are based on research done primarily with non-Latino families. Are these common practices appropriate for this population? Because there is a paucity of research on this topic, this article describes what has been written over the past 30 years on the topic of grief and perinatal loss in Latino culture.

  7. Meta-analysis to obtain a scale of psychological reaction after perinatal loss: focus on miscarriage

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    Annsofie Adolfsson

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Annsofie Adolfsson1,21School of Life Sciences, University of Skövde, 2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde, SwedenAbstract: Pregnancy has different meanings to different women depending upon their circumstances. A number of qualitative studies have described the experience of miscarriage by women who had desired to carry their pregnancy to full term. The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify a scale of psychological reaction to miscarriage. Meta-analysis is a quantitative approach for reviewing articles from scientific journals through statistical analysis of findings from individual studies. In this review, a meta-analytic method was used to identify and analyze psychological reactions in women who have suffered a miscarriage. Different reactions to stress associated with the period following miscarriage were identified. The depression reaction had the highest average, weighted, unbiased estimate of effect (d+ = 0.99 and was frequently associated with the experience of perinatal loss. Psychiatric morbidity was found after miscarriage in 27% of cases by a diagnostic interview ten days after miscarriage. The grief reaction had a medium d+ of 0.56 in the studies included. However, grief after miscarriage differed from other types of grief after perinatal loss because the parents had no focus for their grief. The guilt is greater after miscarriage than after other types of perinatal loss. Measurement of the stress reaction and anxiety reaction seems to be difficult in the included studies, as evidenced by a low d+ (0.17 and 0.16, respectively. It has been recommended that grief after perinatal loss be measured by an adapted instrument called the Perinatal Grief Scale Short Version.Keywords: psychological, perinatal loss, pregnancy, depression 

  8. Posttraumatic growth following pregnancy termination for fetal abnormality: the predictive role of coping strategies and perinatal grief.

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    Lafarge, Caroline; Mitchell, Kathryn; Fox, Pauline

    2017-09-01

    Research about termination for fetal abnormality (TFA) suggests that it is a traumatic event with potential negative psychological consequences. However, evidence also indicates that following traumatic events individuals may experience growth. Although TFA's negative psychological outcomes are well documented, little is known of the potential for growth following this event. Therefore, the study's objectives were to measure posttraumatic growth (PTG) post-TFA, examine the relationship between PTG, perinatal grief and coping, and determine the predictors of PTG. An online, retrospective survey was conducted with 161 women. Eligible participants were women over 18 who had undergone TFA. Participants were recruited from a support organisation. They completed the Brief COPE, Short Perinatal Grief Scale and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. Data were analysed using regression analyses. Moderate levels of PTG were observed for "relating to others," "personal strengths" and "appreciation of life." "Positive reframing" was a significant predictor of PTG. Despite using mainly "adaptive" coping strategies, women's grief levels were high. "Adaptive" coping strategies such as, "positive reframing" are relevant to TFA. They may act as protective factors against distress and as foundations for growth, implicating that interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which aim to reframe women's experience, may be beneficial.

  9. Factors associated with the grief after stillbirth: a comparative study between Brazilian and Canadian women

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    Gisele Ferreira Paris

    Full Text Available Abstract OBJECTIVE To verify the association between complicated grief and sociodemographic, reproductive, mental, marital satisfaction, and professional support characteristics in women after stillbirth. METHOD Cross-sectional study with 26 women who had stillbirth in 2013, living in the city of Maringá, Brazil, and eight women who attended the Centre d'Études et de Rechercheen Intervention Familiale at the University of Quebec en Outaouais, in Canada. The instrument was administered as an interview to a small number of mothers of infants up to three months (n=50, who did not participate in the validation study. RESULTS By applying the short version of the Perinatal Grief Scale, the prevalence of complicated grief in Brazilian women was found to be higher (35% in relation to Canadian women (12%.Characteristics of the Brazilian women associated with the grief period included the presence of previous pregnancy with live birth, absence of previous perinatal loss, postpartum depression, and lack of marital satisfaction. For the Canadians it was observed that 80% of the women presenting no grief made use of the professional support group. In both populations the occurrence of complicated grief presented a higher prevalence in women with duration of pregnancy higher than 28 weeks. CONCLUSION The women that must be further investigated during the grief period are those living in Brazil, making no use of a professional support group, presenting little to no marital satisfaction, having no religion, and of a low educational level.

  10. Potential Use of Ayahuasca in Grief Therapy.

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    González, Débora; Carvalho, María; Cantillo, Jordi; Aixalá, Marc; Farré, Magí

    2017-01-01

    The death of a loved one is ultimately a universal experience. However, conventional interventions employed for people suffering with uncomplicated grief have gathered little empirical support. The present study aimed to explore the potential effects of ayahuasca on grief. We compared 30 people who had taken ayahuasca with 30 people who had attended peer-support groups, measuring level of grief and experiential avoidance. We also examined themes in participant responses to an open-ended question regarding their experiences with ayahuasca. The ayahuasca group presented a lower level of grief in the Present Feelings Scale of Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, showing benefits in some psychological and interpersonal dimensions. Qualitative responses described experiences of emotional release, biographical memories, and experiences of contact with the deceased. Additionally, some benefits were identified regarding the ayahuasca experiences. These results provide preliminary data about the potential of ayahuasca as a therapeutic tool in treatments for grief.

  11. Detecting the severity of perinatal anxiety with the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS).

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    Somerville, Susanne; Byrne, Shannon L; Dedman, Kellie; Hagan, Rosemary; Coo, Soledad; Oxnam, Elizabeth; Doherty, Dorota; Cunningham, Nadia; Page, Andrew C

    2015-11-01

    The Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS; Somerville et al., 2014) reliably identifies perinatal women at risk of problematic anxiety when a clinical cut-off score of 26 is used. This study aimed to identify a severity continuum of anxiety symptoms with the PASS to enhance screening, treatment and research for perinatal anxiety. Antenatal and postnatal women (n=410) recruited from the antenatal clinics and mental health services at an obstetric hospital completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI), and the PASS. The women referred to mental health services were assessed to determine anxiety diagnoses via a diagnostic interview conducted by an experienced mental health professional from the Department of Psychological Medicine - King Edward Memorial Hospital. Three normative groups for the PASS, namely minimal anxiety, mild-moderate anxiety, and severe anxiety, were identified based on the severity of anxiety indicated on the standardised scales and anxiety diagnoses. Two cut-off points for the normative groups were calculated using the Jacobson-Truax method (Jacobson and Truax, 1991) resulting in three severity ranges: 'minimal anxiety'; 'mild-moderate anxiety'; and 'severe anxiety'. The most frequent diagnoses in the study sample were adjustment disorder, mixed anxiety and depression, generalised anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This may limit the generalisability of the severity range results to other anxiety diagnoses including obsessive compulsive disorder and specific phobia. Severity ranges for the PASS add value to having a clinically validated cut-off score in the detection and monitoring of problematic perinatal anxiety. The PASS can now be used to identify risk of an anxiety disorder and the severity ranges can indicate developing risk for early referrals for further assessments

  12. The City MISS: development of a scale to measure stigma of perinatal mental illness.

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    Moore, Donna; Ayers, Susan; Drey, Nicholas

    2017-07-01

    This study aimed to develop and validate a scale to measure perceived stigma for perinatal mental illness in women. Stigma is one of the most frequently cited barriers to seeking treatment and many women with perinatal mental illness fail to get the treatment they need. However, there is no psychometric scale that measures how women may experience the unique aspects of perinatal mental illness stigma. A draft scale of 30 items was developed from a literature review. Women with perinatal mental illness (n = 279) were recruited to complete the City Mental Illness Stigma Scale. Concurrent validity was measured using the Internalised Stigma of Mental Illness Scale. Factor analysis was used to create the final scale. The final 15-item City Mental Illness Stigma Scale has a three-factor structure: perceived external stigma, internal stigma and disclosure stigma. The scale accounted for 54% of the variance and had good internal reliability and concurrent validity. The City Mental Illness Stigma Scale appears to be a valid measure which provides a potentially useful tool for clinical practice and research in stigma and perinatal mental illness, including assessing the prevalence and characteristics of stigma. This research can be used to inform interventions to reduce or address the stigma experienced by some women with perinatal mental illness.

  13. The City MISS: development of a scale to measure stigma of perinatal mental illness

    OpenAIRE

    Moore, D.; Ayers, S.; Drey, N.

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a scale to measure perceived stigma for perinatal mental illness in women. \\ud \\ud Background: Stigma is one of the most frequently cited barriers to seeking treatment and many women with perinatal mental illness fail to get the treatment they need. However, there is no psychometric scale that measures how women may experience the unique aspects of perinatal mental illness stigma.\\ud \\ud Method: A draft scale of 30 items was developed from a...

  14. Alexithymia and Grief Reactions in Bereaved Japanese Women

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    Nakao, Mutsuhiro; Kashiwagi, Masayo; Yano, Eiji

    2005-01-01

    To examine the relationship between grief reactions and alexithymia, 54 Japanese women (33 outpatients attending a psychosomatic clinic and 21 normal healthy participants) completed the Texas Inventory of Grief (TIG), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Each woman had experienced the death of a…

  15. Death and Grief

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    ... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Death and Grief KidsHealth / For Teens / Death and Grief What's in this article? What Is ... the reaction we have in response to a death or loss. Grief can affect our body, mind, ...

  16. Experiences with perinatal loss from the health professionals’ perspective La vivencia de la pérdida perinatal desde la perspectiva de los profesionales de la salud A experiência da perda perinatal a partir da perspectiva dos profissionais de saúde

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    Sonia María Pastor Montero

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to know the experience of health professionals in situations of perinatal death and grief and to describe their action strategies in the management of perinatal loss. A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was carried out through interviews conducted with 19 professionals. Three thematic categories were identified: Healthcare practice, feelings aroused by perinatal loss and meaning and beliefs about perinatal loss and grief. The results revealed that the lack of knowledge and skills to deal with perinatal loss are identified as the main reason behind unsuitable attitudes that are usually adopted in these situations. This generates anxiety, helplessness and frustration that compromise professional competency. The conclusion reached is that the promotion of training programs to acquire knowledge, skills and abilities in management of perinatal bereavement and the development of a clinical practice guideline for perinatal loss are necessary.El objetivo de este artículo es conocer la experiencia vivida por los profesionales de la salud en situaciones de muerte y duelo perinatal y describir las estrategias de actuación ante la pérdida perinatal. Se trata de un estudio cualitativo con un enfoque fenomenológico realizado a 19 profesionales a través de entrevistas. Se identificaron 3 categorías temáticas: la práctica asistencial, los sentimientos que despierta la pérdida perinatal y significado y creencias sobre la pérdida y el duelo perinatal. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que la falta de conocimientos y de recursos para enfrentar la pérdida perinatal hace que se adopten actitudes poco adecuadas en estas situaciones, generando una sensación de ansiedad, impotencia y frustración que compromete la competencia profesional. Se concluye que es fundamental promover programas de formación para adquirir conocimientos y destrezas sobre el duelo perinatal y elaborar una guía de práctica cl

  17. Korean Version of Inventory of Complicated Grief Scale: Psychometric Properties in Korean Adolescents.

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    Han, Doug Hyun; Lee, Jung Jae; Moon, Duk-Soo; Cha, Myoung-Jin; Kim, Min A; Min, Seonyeong; Yang, Ji Hoon; Lee, Eun Jeong; Yoo, Seo Koo; Chung, Un-Sun

    2016-01-01

    We aimed to validate the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG)-Korean version among 1,138 Korean adolescents, representing a response rate of 57% of 1,997 students. Participants completed a set of questionnaires including demographic variables (age, sex, years of education, experience of grief), the ICG, the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and the Lifetime Incidence of Traumatic Events-Child (LITE-C). Exploratory factor analysis was performed to determine whether the ICG items indicated complicated grief in Korean adolescents. The internal consistency of the ICG-Korean version was Cronbach's α=0.87. The test-retest reliability for a randomly selected sample of 314 participants in 2 weeks was r=0.75 (PKaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy=0.911; Bartlett's Test of Sphericity, χ(2)=13,144.7, P<0.001). After omission of 3 items, the value of Cronbach's α increased from 0.87 for the 19-item ICG-Korean version to 0.93 for the 16-item ICG-Korean version. These results suggest that the ICG is a useful tool in assessing for complicated grief in Korean adolescents. However, the 16-item version of the ICG appeared to be more valid compared to the 19-item version of the ICG. We suggest that the 16-item version of the ICG be used to screen for complicated grief in Korean adolescents.

  18. Infertility and Perinatal Loss: When the Bough Breaks

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    Byatt, Nancy

    2016-01-01

    Infertility and perinatal loss are common, and associated with lower quality of life, marital discord, complicated grief, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Young women, who lack social supports, have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss or a history of trauma and / or preexisting psychiatric illness are at a higher risk of experiencing psychiatric illnesses or symptoms after a perinatal loss or during infertility. It is especially important to detect, assess, and treat depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric symptoms because infertility or perinatal loss may be caused or perpetuated by such symptoms. Screening, psychoeducation, provision of resources and referrals, and an opportunity to discuss their loss and plan for future pregnancies can facilitate addressing mental health concerns that arise. Women at risk of or who are currently experiencing psychiatric symptoms should receive a comprehensive treatment plan that includes the following: (1) proactive clinical monitoring, (2) evidence-based approaches to psychotherapy, and (3) discussion of risks, benefits, and alternatives of medication treatment during preconception and pregnancy. PMID:26847216

  19. Treatment of complicated grief

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    Rita Rosner

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Following the death of a loved one, a small group of grievers develop an abnormal grieving style, termed complicated or prolonged grief. In the effort to establish complicated grief as a disorder in DSM and ICD, several attempts have been made over the past two decades to establish symptom criteria for this form of grieving. Complicated grief is different from depression and PTSD yet often comorbid with other psychological disorders. Meta-analyses of grief interventions show small to medium effect sizes, with only few studies yielding large effect sizes. In this article, an integrative cognitive behavioral treatment manual for complicated grief disorder (CG-CBT of 25 individual sessions is described. Three treatment phases, each entailing several treatment strategies, allow patients to stabilize, explore, and confront the most painful aspects of the loss, and finally to integrate and transform their grief. Core aspects are cognitive restructuring and confrontation. Special attention is given to practical exercises. This article includes the case report of a woman whose daughter committed suicide.

  20. The presence of grief: Research-based art and arts-based research on grief

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther-Lindqvist, Ditte Alexandra; Køster, Allan; Brinkmann, Svend

    2018-01-01

    The authors involved in the creation of this text are collaborators on a research project called The Culture of Grief that explores the current conditions and implications of grief. The present text represents an attempt to reach a level of understanding of grief that is not easily obtained through...... conventional methods. The group of authors participated as members of the audience in an avant-garde theatrical performance about grief, created by a group called CoreAct, and we as researchers decided to study the development of the play and its performance, and to report our impressions in fragments...

  1. Building metaphors and extending models of grief.

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    VandeCreek, L

    1985-01-01

    Persons in grief turn to metaphors as they seek to understand and express their experience. Metaphors illustrated in this article include "grief is a whirlwind," "grief is the Great Depression all over again" and "grief is gray, cloudy and rainy weather." Hospice personnel can enhance their bereavement efforts by identifying and cultivating the expression of personal metaphors from patients and families. Two metaphors have gained wide cultural acceptance and lie behind contemporary scientific explorations of grief. These are "grief is recovery from illness" (Bowlby and Parkes) and "death is the last stage of growth and grief is the adjustment reaction to this growth" (Kubler-Ross). These models have developed linear perspectives of grief but have neglected to study the fluctuating intensity of symptoms. Adopting Worden's four-part typology of grief, the author illustrates how the pie graph can be used to display this important aspect of the grief experience, thus enhancing these models.

  2. Grief and mourning gone awry: pathway and course of complicated grief.

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    Shear, M Katherine

    2012-06-01

    Complicated grief is a recently recognized condition that occurs in about 7% of bereaved people. People with this condition are caught up in rumination about the circumstances of the death, worry about its consequences, or excessive avoidance of reminders of the loss. Unable to comprehend the finality and consequences of the loss, they resort to excessive avoidance of reminders of the loss as they are tossed helplessly on waves of intense emotion. People with complicated grief need help, and clinicians need to know how to recognize the symptoms and how to provide help. This paper provides a framework to help clinicans understand bereavement, grief, and mourning. Evidence-based diagnostic criteria are provided to help clinicians recognize complicated grief, and differentiate it from depression as well as anxiety disorder. We provide an overview of risk factors and basic assumptions and principles that can guide treatment.

  3. Bereaved parents’ online grief communities: de-tabooing practices or relationbuilding grief-ghettos?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sandvik, Kjetil; Christensen, Dorthe Refslund; Hård af Segerstad, Ylva

    their loss as well as their ability to establish and continue their role as parents. However, with new practices on children’s graves, the growing use of memory tattoos and especially the use of online media as platform for various communities for bereaved parents, this seem to be changing and strengthen...... both the interpersonal communication and social interactions about and with the deceased child. This study presents results from case studies of both open and closed online grief communities for bereaved parents in Denmark and Sweden (Refslund Christensen & Sandvik 2013, Hård af Segerstad & Kasperowski...... media, casting online communities for bereaved parents as grief-ghettos? Studying bereaved parents’ grief work in dynamic communities online enhances our understanding of contemporary and contributes to a nuancing of theoretical understanding of parental grief. References Christensen, D. R., & Sandvik...

  4. Dyadic coping mediates the relationship between parents' grief and dyadic adjustment following the loss of a child.

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    Albuquerque, Sara; Narciso, Isabel; Pereira, Marco

    2018-01-01

    This study aimed to examine forms of dyadic coping (DC) as mediators of the association between parents' grief response and dyadic adjustment and to determine whether these indirect effects were moderated by the child's type of death, timing of death, and age. The study design was cross-sectional. The sample consisted of 197 bereaved parents. Participants completed the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale, Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Dyadic Coping Inventory. Significant indirect effects of parents' grief response on dyadic adjustment were found through stress communication by oneself and by the partner, positive and negative DC by the partner, and joint DC. The timing of death moderated the association between grief response and dyadic adjustment and between joint DC and dyadic adjustment. Grief response was negatively associated with dyadic adjustment only when the death occurred after birth. Grief response was negatively associated with joint DC, which, in turn, was positively associated with dyadic adjustment, when the death occurred both before and after birth. However, the association was stronger in the latter. Specific forms of DC might be mechanisms through which grief response is associated with dyadic adjustment and should be promoted in clinical practice.

  5. Grief Symptoms in Relatives who Experienced Organ Donation Request in the ICU.

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    Kentish-Barnes, Nancy; Chevret, Sylvie; Cheisson, Gaëlle; Joseph, Liliane; Martin-Lefèvre, Laurent; Si Larbi, Anne Gaelle; Viquesnel, Gérald; Marqué, Sophie; Donati, Stéphane; Charpentier, Julien; Pichon, Nicolas; Zuber, Benjamin; Lesieur, Olivier; Ouendo, Martial; Renault, Anne; Le Maguet, Pascale; Kandelman, Stanislas; Thuong, Marie; Floccard, Bernard; Mezher, Chaouki; Galon, Marion; Duranteau, Jacques; Azoulay, Elie

    2018-03-19

    In the case of organ donation, the family is highly involved in the decision process. To assess experience of organ donation process and grief symptoms in relatives of brain dead patients who discussed organ donation in the ICU. Multicentre cross-sectional study in 28 ICUs in France. Participating subjects were relatives of brain dead patients who were approached to discuss organ donation. Relatives were followed-up by phone at 3 time points: at 1 month to complete a questionnaire describing their experience of organ donation process; At 3 months to complete the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised; At 9 months, to complete the IES-R and the Inventory of Complicated Grief. 202 relatives of 202 patients were included, of whom 158 consented and 44 refused organ donation. Interviews were conducted at 1, 3 and 9 months for 157, 137 and 117 relatives respectively. Experience was significantly more burdensome for relatives of non-donors. However there were no significant differences in grief symptoms measured at 3 and 9 months between the 2 groups. Understanding of brain death was associated with grief symptoms with higher prevalence of complicated grief symptoms in relatives who did not understand (75% vs 46.1%, p=0.026). Experience of the organ donation process varies between relatives of donor vs non-donor patients with relatives of non-donors experiencing lower quality communication, but the decision was not associated with subsequent grief symptoms. Importantly, understanding of brain death is a key element for relatives.

  6. Attachment style dimensions can affect prolonged grief risk in caregivers of terminally ill patients with cancer.

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    Lai, Carlo; Luciani, Massimiliano; Galli, Federico; Morelli, Emanuela; Cappelluti, Roberta; Penco, Italo; Aceto, Paola; Lombardo, Luigi

    2015-12-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the predictive role of attachment dimensions on the risk of prolonged grief. Sixty caregivers of 51 terminally ill patients with cancer who had been admitted in a hospice were selected. Caregivers were interviewed using Attachment Scale Questionnaire, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and Prolonged Grief Disorder 12 (PG-12). The consort caregivers showed higher PG-12 level compared to the sibling caregivers. Anxiety, depression, need for approval, and preoccupation with relationships levels were significantly correlated with PG-12 scores. Female gender, high levels of depression, and preoccupation with relationships significantly predicted higher levels of prolonged grief risk. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. Graduate students' self assessment of competency in grief education and training in core accredited rehabilitation counseling programs

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    Cicchetti, Richard Jude

    The study examined whether 93 master's level rehabilitation counselor trainees from select Midwestern CORE-accredited schools report having been adequately trained to identify and work with clients who are having grief-related issues from a loss or disability. Using the Grief Counseling Competency Scale (GCCS), participants showed a wide range of scores regarding personal competency related to grief; however, scores tended to be low when examining skills and knowledge relating to grief, with most respondents scoring between "this barely describes me" and "this somewhat describes me." Although presence or history of a disability was found to be related to personal competency, a number of variables were not related, including: gender, age, race/ethnicity, course work in grief theories and grief interventions, practica/internship setting, and attitudes toward people with disabilities. Implications for further research are discussed.

  8. Bereaved parents’ online grief communities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Dorthe Refslund; Hård af Segerstad, Ylva; Kasperowski, Dick

    2017-01-01

    This article presents results from case studies of online grief communities for bereaved parents in Denmark and Sweden (Christensen & Sandvik 2013, 2015a; Hård af Segerstad & Kasperowski, 2015), analyzing how development of practices and norms for grieving and mourning online are related...... to the conditions for participation in the online forums, and to dominant ideas of grief in society as such. Rooted in contemporary research on grief and mourning, we discuss practices of tabooization, de-tabooization or even re-tabooization in the different online forums and how norms and traditions are performed...

  9. Financial Perils in Higher Education--Good Grief!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaw, Kenneth A.; Britton, Thomas C.

    The premise that institutions pass through a grief process in adjusting to declining resources and radical changes, is proposed. In addition, strategies that administrators can use to respond to institutional grief are suggested. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's paradigm of five grief stages/reactions to serious loss are described: denial, anger,…

  10. Psychosocial impact of perinatal loss among Muslim women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sutan Rosnah

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Women of reproductive age are vulnerable to psychosocial problems, but these have remained largely unexplored in Muslim women in developing countries. The aim of this study was to explore and describe psychosocial impact and social support following perinatal loss among Muslim women. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in a specialist centre among Muslim mothers who had experienced perinatal loss. Purposive sampling to achieve maximum variation among Muslims in relation to age, parity and previous perinatal death was used. Data was collected by focus group discussion and in-depth unstructured interview until the saturation point met. Sixteen mothers who had recent perinatal loss of wanted pregnancy, had received antenatal follow up from public or private health clinics, and had delivery in our centre participated for the study. All of them had experienced psychological difficulties including feelings of confusion, emptiness and anxiety over facing another pregnancy. Results Two out of sixteen showed anger and one felt guilt. They reported experiencing a lack of communication and privacy in the hospital during the period of grief. Family members and friends play an important role in providing support. The majority agreed that the decision makers were husbands and families instead of themselves. The respondents felt that repetitive reminder of whatever happened was a test from God improved their sense of self-worth. They appreciated this reminder especially when it came from husband, family or friends closed to them. Conclusion Muslim mothers who had experienced perinatal loss showed some level of adverse psychosocial impact which affected their feelings. Husbands and family members were the main decision makers for Muslim women. Health care providers should provide psychosocial support during antenatal, delivery and postnatal care. On-going support involving husband should be available where needed.

  11. Grief: Helping Young Children Cope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Frances B.

    2008-01-01

    In their role as caregivers supporting the children they teach, it is important for teachers to understand the grieving process and recognize symptoms of grief. The author explains Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's five stages of grief and offers 10 classroom strategies to help young children cope with their feelings.

  12. Neuropsychological correlates of complicated grief in older spousally bereaved adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Mary-Frances; Arizmendi, Brian J

    2014-01-01

    Across many research domains, evidence for complicated grief as a distinct psychopathology continues to grow. Previous research from neuropsychology has shown an increased attentional bias to emotionally relevant stimuli in those suffering from complicated grief. This study furthers our understanding of the characteristics that distinguish complicated grief. We expand on previous research by (a) testing older adults, (b) excluding those with comorbid major depressive disorder, (c) using participant-chosen grief-related stimuli, and (d) using a married, nonbereaved control group. We recruited 76 older adults in 3 groups: spousally bereaved with complicated grief, spousally bereaved with noncomplicated grief, and nonbereaved controls. Performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, Digit Span Backwards, and the emotional counting Stroop was examined. Results indicate longer reaction time across 3 blocks of grief-related words in the complicated grief group but no difference across 3 blocks of the neutral words. The 3 groups performed comparably on the other neurocognitive tasks, indicating no cognitive differences in working memory or set shifting between groups. Furthermore, these effects of complicated grief generalize to older adults and appear independent of major depression. Complicated grief has cognitive interference as a neuropsychological component highlighting it as distinct from noncomplicated grief.

  13. Mortalidad perinatal y duelo materno

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Laverde Rubio

    1998-04-01

    Full Text Available Two groups of women whose children died during the perinatal period (28 weeks of gestation to 28 days after birth were studied from the medical-psychological point of view. The first group was formed by 20 patients who reacted to the loss of the child with a prolonged process of grief. The second group was formed by 20 patients (comparison group who elaborated the loss by means of an uncomplicated grief process. The general hypothesis that guided this investigation is the following: the link established between the mother and her real Child, in case the latter should die, makes elaboration of grief easier: on the other hand the insufficient link or lack of it with the real child increases the relation of the mother and her imaginary child, increases the relation with her imaginary child so that if that child dies the narcissistic-type internal, mother-baby relationship tends to complicate the mourning by distorting it and making it last longer. "Real child" refers to the child as an external object and "imaginary child" is the experienced representation of the child or internal object. This general hypothesis was sub-divided into five simple hypothesis, for operative aims. These variables are: visual contact, tactile contact between mother and child. Information about the baby's condition, mother's active participation in searching for a name for the child and her attendance to funerary rites. Results confirmed the basic hypothesis, on establishing that the indicating or facilitating variables of the link showed a significant difference from the statistical point of view between the two groups. Some practical suggestions are made for the personnel of maternity and perinatology services so as to propitiate and facilitate contact between the mother and her child, which at its turn activates the establishment of an emotional link and the elaboration of mourning of the loss of the baby in case he/she should perish.

  14. The Grief Account: Dimensions of a Contemporary Bereavement Genre

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennis, Michael Robert

    2008-01-01

    The genre of the grief account is identified to include published narratives of surviving grief. Thematic analysis of Andrew Holleran's (2006) "Grief: A Novel," Lolly Winston's (2004) "Good Grief: A Novel," Joan Didion's (2005) "The Year of Magical Thinking," and J. Canfield and M. V. Hansen's (2003) "Chicken Soup for the Grieving Soul: Stories…

  15. Concept clarification of grief in mothers of children with an addiction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zucker, Donna M; Dion, Kimberly; McKeever, Roxanna P

    2015-04-01

    To report an analysis of the concept of grief in mothers of children with an addiction. The concept of grief in this context is poorly understood and often synonymously used with concepts depression, loss and chronic sorrow. In the US, the core concept grief has been recently revised by both NANDA and the DSM-V in efforts to better understand and characterize the concept. The plethora of literature on grief worldwide often characterizes grief as a response to a death. Concept analysis. Search terms 'parental grief' and 'substance abuse' yielded 30 articles. A second review using terms 'grief' and 'substance abuse' yielded 323 articles, in PsychInfo, CINAHL, PubMed databases from 1980-2013. Limits for articles in English and for the terms 'death' and 'child' yielded 13 usable articles. The hybrid model of concept analysis, using a theoretical phase, an empirical phase and a final phase when a clarified definition of grief emerged. Definitions in the literature and defining characteristics of grief outline bio-psycho-social aspects of the concept. For one mother grief was accompanied by recurring feelings of sadness across time, while for the other mother grief was seen as coping, after having passed through a variety of stages of grief. For both, grief was seen to fall on a continuum. Grief is a universal concept and has a trajectory. Case study data have been essential in clarifying understandings of grief as experienced by mothers of addicted children and will provide direction for meaningful and tailored interventions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Planting hope in loss and grief: self-care applications of horticultural therapy for grief caregivers in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yeh-Jen; Lin, Chi Yun; Li, Yu-Chan

    2014-01-01

    In 2008, the Taiwan Association for Care and Counseling for Loss organized a workshop about Horticultural Therapy, conducted as a participatory action research (PAR). Nineteen grief caregivers participated. Specific goals were designed according to a survey of participant expectations and focus-group discussions. The workshop content included lectures and interactive activities. Results demonstrated that most participants displayed an increased awareness of personal loss and meaning in grief, indicating that horticulture and nature appreciation might relieve individual grief and stress. The report introduces the rationale, evolution, execution, and results of the program development.

  17. Pregnancy continuation and organizational religious activity following prenatal diagnosis of a lethal fetal defect are associated with improved psychological outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cope, Heidi; Garrett, Melanie E; Gregory, Simon; Ashley-Koch, Allison

    2015-08-01

    The aim of the article is to examine the psychological impact, specifically symptoms of grief, post-traumatic stress and depression, in women and men who either terminated or continued a pregnancy following prenatal diagnosis of a lethal fetal defect. This project investigated a diagnostically homogeneous group composed of 158 women and 109 men who lost a pregnancy to anencephaly, a lethal neural tube defect. Participants completed the Perinatal Grief Scale, Impact of Event Scale - Revised and Beck Depression Inventory-II, which measure symptoms of grief, post-traumatic stress and depression, respectively. Demographics, religiosity and pregnancy choices were also collected. Gender-specific analysis of variance was performed for instrument total scores and subscales. Women who terminated reported significantly more despair (p = 0.02), avoidance (p = 0.008) and depression (p = 0.04) than women who continued the pregnancy. Organizational religious activity was associated with a reduction in grief (Perinatal Grief Scale subscales) in both women (p = 0.02, p = 0.04 and p = 0.03) and men (p = 0.047). There appears to be a psychological benefit to women to continue the pregnancy following a lethal fetal diagnosis. Following a lethal fetal diagnosis, the risks and benefits, including psychological effects, of termination and continuation of pregnancy should be discussed in detail with an effort to be as nondirective as possible. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Abnormal Grief: Should We Consider a More Patient-Centered Approach?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moayedoddin, Babak; Markowitz, John C

    2015-01-01

    Grief, the psychological reaction to the loss of a significant other, varies complexly in its cause, experience, evolution, and prognosis. Although most bereaved individuals experience a normal grieving process, some develop complicated grief (CG) or major depressive disorder (MDD). The DSM-5, which controversially altered the nosology, recognizes grief-related major depression (GRMD) as a diagnostic subtype if a patient meets MDD criteria two weeks post bereavement. The (DSM-5) tries to distinguish between grief and MDD, but remains a symptom-based, centered approach to grief that is not patient centered. This article reviews grief in its normal and abnormal dimensions. Using an illustrative clinical case in which interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) was employed, we discuss the need for a more patient-centered approach to treating abnormal grief, considering the patient's personal history, perceptions, experiences of bereavement, and interpersonal environment. Clinical studies need to better identify subgroups of individuals susceptible to abnormal grief and to evaluate their response to early interventions.

  19. Grief after patient death: direct care staff in nursing homes and homecare.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boerner, Kathrin; Burack, Orah R; Jopp, Daniela S; Mock, Steven E

    2015-02-01

    Patient death is common in long-term care (LTC). Yet, little attention has been paid to how direct care staff members, who provide the bulk of daily LTC, experience patient death and to what extent they are prepared for this experience. To 1) determine how grief symptoms typically reported by bereaved family caregivers are experienced among direct care staff, 2) explore how prepared the staff members were for the death of their patients, and 3) identify characteristics associated with their grief. This was a cross-sectional study of direct care staff experiencing recent patient death. Participants were 140 certified nursing assistants and 80 homecare workers. Standardized assessments and structured questions addressed staff (e.g., preparedness for death), institutional (e.g., support availability), and patient/relational factors (e.g., relationship quality). Data analyses included bivariate group comparisons and hierarchical regression. Grief reactions of staff reflected many of the core grief symptoms reported by bereaved family caregivers in a large-scale caregiving study. Feelings of being "not at all prepared" for the death and struggling with "acceptance of death" were prevalent among the staff. Grief was more intense when staff-patient relationships were closer, care was provided for longer, and staff felt emotionally unprepared for the death. Grief symptoms like those experienced by family caregivers are common among direct care workers after patient death. Increasing preparedness for this experience via better training and support is likely to improve the occupational experience of direct care workers and ultimately allow them to provide better palliative care in nursing homes and homecare. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. The Grief Resolution Process in Divorce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crosby, John F.; And Others

    1983-01-01

    Compares grief in divorce to the Kubler-Ross model of grief resolution in bereavement in 17 persons who wrote essays about their divorce. The results suggested a conceptual model based on three chronological stages with linear progression through the stages, characterized by circularity within each stage. (JAC)

  1. Attitudes of palliative care clinical staff toward prolonged grief disorder diagnosis and grief interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Esther L; Deane, Frank P; Barclay, Gregory D; Bourne, Joan; Connolly, Vivienne

    2017-07-03

    The provision of psychological support to caregivers is an important part of the role of the clinical staff working in palliative care. Staff knowledge and attitudes may determine their openness to referring caregivers to a psychological intervention. We recently developed a self-help intervention for grief and psychological distress among caregivers and were interested in exploring the extent to which staff knowledge and attitudes might affect future implementation. The aims of our study were to: (1) examine the acceptability of self-help psychological intervention for caregivers among palliative care clinical staff; (2) examine potential attitudinal barriers toward prolonged grief disorder (PGD) as a diagnosis and interventions for grief; and (3) bolster staff confidence in skills and knowledge in identifying and managing caregiver psychological distress. An anonymous survey was distributed among clinical staff at two inpatient units and two community health services that assessed the acceptability of self-help interventions for caregivers, attitudes about PGD diagnosis and grief intervention, and staff confidence in skills and knowledge in assessing caregiver psychological distress. Overall, clinical staff were positively oriented toward self-help for caregivers and intervention for grief. They were also basically confident in their skills and knowledge. While it was positive PGD attitudes that were associated with acceptability of self-help for caregivers, it was both positive and negative PGD attitudes that were associated more specifically with a willingness to refer caregivers to such an intervention. Our findings are useful in highlighting the issues to be considered in the implementation of a self-help intervention within the healthcare service. Clinical staff seemed positively oriented toward engaging with a psychological intervention for caregivers and likely to act as key allies in implementation.

  2. A confirmatory factor analysis of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised: Are we measuring complicated grief or posttraumatic stress?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    O'Connor, Maja; Lasgaard, Mathias Kamp; Shevlin, Mark

    2010-01-01

      The Inventory of Complicated Grief Revised (ICG-R) assesses symptoms of complicated grief in bereaved individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the factorial structure of Complicated Grief (CG) and investigate the relationship between CG and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder through the asse......  The Inventory of Complicated Grief Revised (ICG-R) assesses symptoms of complicated grief in bereaved individuals. The aim of this study was to assess the factorial structure of Complicated Grief (CG) and investigate the relationship between CG and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder through...... and the three factors of PTSD, as defined by the DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), were allowed to correlate provided the best fit. The results therefore indicate high levels of conceptual overlap among the dimensions of CG and PTSD....

  3. Culinary Grief Therapy: Cooking for One Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickrand, Heather L; Brock, Cara M

    2017-02-01

    Although loss of loved ones is a universal experience, individuals who experience this loss grieve in different ways. Complicated grief involves the development of trauma symptoms, such as flashbacks, anxiety, and fear associated with daily activities after a death that disrupts the healthy grieving process. Daily activities such as eating, meal planning, grocery shopping, managing finances, and household maintenance can become painful and isolating for those experiencing complicated grief. Cognitive behavioral therapy is used to address irrational beliefs, feelings of depression or anger, and avoidance or numbing behaviors with a goal of leading the individual to adapting to a life, which no longer includes the lost loved one. As part of the bereavement counseling program in a hospice, a need was identified in individuals who had lost loved ones and were having difficulty with adjusting to meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking for one. To address this need for grief counseling centered on meal planning, grocery shopping, meal preparations, and eating meals alone, "Culinary Grief Therapy: Cooking for One Series" was developed with a local Culinary Arts Program. Partnering with a local community college culinary arts program, the Cooking for One Series provides an interactive venue for cognitive behavioral therapy centered on meal planning and meal times. Along with demonstrations and hands-on experiences, participants are engaged in bereavement counseling with hospice staff. Initial reactions to Culinary Grief Therapy have been positive. Many attendees have participated in multiple workshops, and the number of participants grows for each offering. Culinary Grief Therapy is a novel approach to the needs of those experiencing the loss of a loved one and may reduce or prevent complicated grief associated with meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking for one.

  4. Integrating Buddhist Psychology into Grief Counseling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wada, Kaori; Park, Jeeseon

    2009-01-01

    The field of grief counseling has yet to see an integration of Buddhist psychology. Drawing on Buddhist psychology literature and Western models of grief, this article explores possible integrations of two approaches. To lay the foundation for this discussion, the authors introduced a brief overview of the history of Buddhism as well as a Buddhist…

  5. Tweeting Prayers and Communicating Grief over Michael Jackson Online

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanderson, Jimmy; Cheong, Pauline Hope

    2010-01-01

    Death and bereavement are human experiences that new media helps facilitate alongside creating new social grief practices that occur online. This study investigated how people's postings and tweets facilitated the communication of grief after pop music icon Michael Jackson died. Drawing on past grief research, religion, and new media studies, a…

  6. The impact of bereaved parents' perceived grief similarity on relationship satisfaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buyukcan-Tetik, Asuman; Finkenauer, Catrin; Schut, Henk; Stroebe, Margaret; Stroebe, Wolfgang

    2017-06-01

    The present research focused on bereaved parents' perceived grief similarity, and aimed to investigate the concurrent and longitudinal effects of the perceptions that the partner has less, equal, or more grief intensity than oneself on relationship satisfaction. Participants of our longitudinal study were 229 heterosexual bereaved Dutch couples who completed questionnaires 6, 13, and 20 months after the loss of their child. Average age of participants was 40.7 (SD = 9.5). Across 3 study waves, participants' perceived grief similarity and relationship satisfaction were assessed. To control for their effects, own grief level, child's gender, expectedness of loss, parent's age, parent's gender, and time were also included in the analyses. Consistent with the hypotheses, cross-sectional results revealed that bereaved parents who perceived dissimilar levels of grief (less or more grief) had lower relationship satisfaction than bereaved parents who perceived similar levels of grief. This effect remained significant controlling for the effects of possible confounding variables and actual similarity in grief between partners. We also found that perceived grief similarity at the first study wave was related to the highest level of relationship satisfaction at the second study wave. Moreover, results showed that perceived grief similarity was associated with a higher level in partner's relationship satisfaction. Results are discussed considering the comparison and similarity in grief across bereaved partners after child loss. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  7. The use of pathological grief outcomes in bereavement studies on African Americans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granek, Leeat; Peleg-Sagy, Tal

    2017-06-01

    Pathological bereavement outcomes (i.e., complicated grief, traumatic grief, prolonged grief disorder) are a robust and growing research area in the psychological and medical sciences. Although grief is considered to be a universal phenomenon, it is well documented that grieving processes and outcomes are culturally and contextually bound. The objectives of this study were: (a) to examine representations of African Americans in the grief and mourning literature and to assess the extent to which this research utilizes pathological grief outcomes; and (b) to examine the characteristics of pathological grief constructs in the literature to assess their relevance for African American populations. We conducted comprehensive searches of three scientific databases including PsycNET, Medline, and CINAHL, which contain the majority of grief and mourning literature published between January 1998 and February 2014. We found 59 studies addressing grief and mourning in African Americans. Thirteen of these studies used pathological grief outcomes. Pathological grief outcomes that were constructed and validated on White populations were frequently used as outcome variables with African American participants. We discuss the implications for the grief and mourning field and argue that the failure to use culturally sensitive outcome measures in research studies is a form of epistemological violence that may have negative research and clinical implications for African Americans and other ethnic minorities.

  8. Dyadic coping mediates the relationship between parents’ grief and dyadic adjustment following the loss of a child

    OpenAIRE

    Albuquerque, Sara; Narciso, Isabel; Pereira, Marco

    2018-01-01

    Background and Objectives: This study aimed to examine forms of dyadic coping (DC) as mediators of the association between parents’ grief response and dyadic adjustment and to determine whether these indirect effects were moderated by the child’s type of death, timing of death, and age. Design: The study design was cross-sectional. Method: The sample consisted of 197 bereaved parents. Participants completed the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale, Revised Dyadic Adjustment ...

  9. Supporting in grief and burnout of the nursing team from pediatric units in Chilean hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vega, Paula Vega; Rodriguez, Rina González; Galdamez, Natalie Santibáñez; Molina, Camila Ferrada; Orellana, Javiera Spicto; Villanueva, Antonia Sateler; Melo, Jose Bustos

    2017-01-01

    Objective To know the levels of Burnout Syndrome and perception of grief support in nursing teams of oncology and pediatric intensive care in public hospitals in Chile. Method A study of descriptive cross-sectional design. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Grief Support Health Care Scale were applied to university-level and technical nursing professionals between March and November 2015. An analysis to compare the means was performed with use of the Student's t-test, and the level of significance was set at 5%. Results The study included 153 professionals. Results show 4% of professionals have Burnout Syndrome (BS) and 89% are at risk of having it. Oncology professionals are at higher risk as they present higher levels of emotional exhaustion and lower levels of personal fulfillment. Half of professionals have a high level of perception of grief support, which is greater in the oncology team. Conclusion Professionals working in pediatric oncology units are at increased risk of Burnout Syndrome and grief support may be a mediating factor in this process.

  10. Medical comorbidity in complicated grief: Results from the HEAL collaborative trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robbins-Welty, Gregg; Stahl, Sarah; Zhang, Jun; Anderson, Stewart; Schenker, Yael; Shear, M Katherine; Simon, Naomi M; Zisook, Sidney; Skritskaya, Natalia; Mauro, Christina; Lebowitz, Barry D; Reynolds, Charles F

    2018-01-01

    To describe medical comorbidity in persons with Complicated Grief (CG) and to test whether medical comorbidity in individuals with CG is associated with the severity and duration of CG, after adjusting for age, sex, race, and current depressive symptoms. In exploratory analyses, we compared data from participants in an NIMH-sponsored multisite clinical trial of CG ("HEAL": "Healing Emotions After Loss") to archival data from participants matched on age, gender, and race/ethnicity, stratified by the presence or absence of current major depression. We used the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G) as a measure of medical polymorbidity. We investigated the association between CG and medical comorbidity via multiple linear regression, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables, including severity of depressive symptoms. Chronological age and severity of co-occurring symptoms of major depression correlated with cumulative medical polymorbidity in persons with Complicated Grief. The severity of CG and the time since loss did not correlate with global medical polymorbidity (CIRS-G score). Nor was there an interaction between severity of depressive symptoms and severity of CG symptoms in predicting global CIRS-G score. Cumulative medical comorbidity, as measured by CIRS-G scores, was greater in subjects with current major depression ("DEPRESSED") than in CG subjects, and both DEPRESSED and CG subjects had greater medical morbidity than CONTROLS. Medical comorbidity is prevalent in Complicated Grief, associated with increasing age and co-occurring depressive symptoms but apparently not with chronicity and severity of Complicated Grief per se. This observation suggests that treating depression in the context of CG may be important to managing medical conditions in individuals with Complicated Grief to attenuate or prevent the long-term medical sequelae of CG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Effectiveness of Psychotherapy-Based Interventions for Complicated Grief: A Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ozge Enez

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Grief is a normal, dynamic and multidimensional process, which relates to the individuality and uniqueness of reactions to loss. However, complicated grief is a syndrome where normal grief is unusually prolonged because of complications in the natural healing process. Approximately one third of grieving individuals develop complicated grief symptoms. The individuals suffering from complicated grief tend to report clinical complaints that refer to anxiety, depression, psychical symptoms and life-threatening behaviours. The aims of this study were: to identify which psychother-apy-based interventions were designed for the treatment of complicated grief; and to make an infer-ence about the effect of these interventions. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2017; 9(4.000: 441-463

  12. Grief Processing and Deliberate Grief Avoidance: A Prospective Comparison of Bereaved Spouses and Parents in the United States and the People's Republic of China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonanno, George A.; Papa, Anthony; Lalande, Kathleen; Zhang, Nanping; Noll, Jennie G.

    2005-01-01

    In this study, the authors measured grief processing and deliberate grief avoidance and examined their relationship to adjustment at 4 and 18 months of bereavement for 2 types of losses (spouse, child) in 2 cultures (People's Republic of China, United States). Three hypotheses were compared: the traditional grief work assumption, a conditional…

  13. Death by request in Switzerland: posttraumatic stress disorder and complicated grief after witnessing assisted suicide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, B; Müller, J; Maercker, A

    2012-10-01

    Despite continuing political, legal and moral debate on the subject, assisted suicide is permitted in only a few countries worldwide. However, few studies have examined the impact that witnessing assisted suicide has on the mental health of family members or close friends. A cross-sectional survey of 85 family members or close friends who were present at an assisted suicide was conducted in December 2007. Full or partial Post-Traumatic Distress Disorder (PTSD; Impact of Event Scale-Revised), depression and anxiety symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory) and complicated grief (Inventory of Complicated Grief) were assessed at 14 to 24 months post-loss. Of the 85 participants, 13% met the criteria for full PTSD (cut-off≥35), 6.5% met the criteria for subthreshold PTSD (cut-off≥25), and 4.9% met the criteria for complicated grief. The prevalence of depression was 16%; the prevalence of anxiety was 6%. A higher prevalence of PTSD and depression was found in the present sample than has been reported for the Swiss population in general. However, the prevalence of complicated grief in the sample was comparable to that reported for the general Swiss population. Therefore, although there seemed to be no complications in the grief process, about 20% of respondents experienced full or subthreshold PTSD related to the loss of a close person through assisted suicide. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  14. The Child in Grief: Implications for Teaching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hare, Jan; And Others

    The purpose of this paper is to increase teachers' understanding of children's conceptualizations of death to enable them to respond to the symptoms of grief in both early and middle childhood. John Bowlby's theoretical framework of childhood mourning is elaborated, and research on teachers' facilitation of children's grief is briefly noted. The…

  15. Designing personal grief rituals: An analysis of symbolic objects and actions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sas, Corina; Coman, Alina

    2016-10-01

    Personal grief rituals are beneficial in dealing with complicated grief, but challenging to design, as they require symbolic objects and actions meeting clients' emotional needs. The authors reported interviews with 10 therapists with expertise in both grief therapy and grief rituals. Findings indicate three types of rituals supporting honoring, letting go, and self transformation, with the latter being particularly complex. Outcomes also point to a taxonomy of ritual objects for framing and remembering ritual experience, and for capturing and processing grief. Besides symbolic possessions, the authors identified other types of ritual objects including transformational and future-oriented ones. Symbolic actions include creative craft of ritual objects, respectful handling, disposal, and symbolic play. They conclude with theoretical implications of these findings, and a reflection on their value for tailored, creative co-design of grief rituals. In particular, several implications for designing grief rituals were identified that include accounting for the client's need, selecting (or creating) the most appropriate objects and actions from the identified types, integrating principles of both grief and art/drama therapy, exploring clients' affinity for the ancient elements as medium of disposal in letting go rituals, and the value of technology for recording and reflecting on ritual experience.

  16. Parents' experiences of pediatric palliative care and the impact on long-term parental grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Geest, Ivana M M; Darlington, Anne-Sophie E; Streng, Isabelle C; Michiels, Erna M C; Pieters, Rob; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M

    2014-06-01

    Approximately 25% of children diagnosed with cancer eventually die. Losing a child puts parents at increased risk for developing psychological problems. To explore parents' perceptions of the interaction with health care professionals (communication, continuity of care, and parental involvement) and symptom management during the pediatric palliative phase, and to investigate the influence on long-term grief in parents who lost a child to cancer. A total of 89 parents of 57 children who died of cancer between 2000 and 2004 participated in this retrospective cross-sectional study by completing a set of questionnaires measuring grief (Inventory of Traumatic Grief), parents' perceptions of the interaction with health care professionals (communication, continuity of care, and parental involvement), and symptom management during the palliative phase. Care was assessed on a five point Likert scale (1=disagree and 5=agree). Parents highly rated communication (4.6±0.6), continuity of care (4.3±0.6), and parental involvement (4.6±0.7) during the palliative phase. Parents' most often reported physical and psychological symptoms of their child during the palliative phase were fatigue (75%), pain (74%), anxiety to be alone (52%), and anger (48%). Higher ratings of parents on communication (β=-9.08, P=0.03) and continuity of care (β=-11.74, P=0.01) were associated with lower levels of long-term parental grief. The severity of the child's dyspnea (β=2.96, P=0.05), anxiety to be alone (β=4.52, Pparental grief. Multivariate models combining the interaction with health care professionals and symptom management showed a significant influence of both aspects on long-term parental grief. Both interaction with health care professionals, especially communication and continuity of care, and symptom management in children dying of cancer are associated with long-term parental grief levels. Copyright © 2014 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

  17. Do Grief Self-Help Books Convey Contemporary Perspectives on Grieving?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennis, Michael Robert

    2012-01-01

    Grief therapy and psychology literatures of the modern Western world conceptualized bereavement and grief as processes to be "worked through" so that other relationships could be pursued. In the last decade or so, however, grief theorists have endorsed the value of attaining new meaning(s) and continuing bonds with our lost loved ones instead of…

  18. Effectiveness of a grief intervention for caregivers of people with dementia

    OpenAIRE

    MacCourt, Penny; McLennan, Marianne; Somers, Sandie; Krawczyk, Marian

    2017-01-01

    In this article, we report on the structure and effectiveness of a grief management coaching intervention with caregivers of individuals with dementia. The intervention was informed by Marwit and Meuser’s Caregiver Grief Model and considered levels of grief, sense of empowerment, coping, and resilience using five methods of delivery. Results indicate that the intervention had significant positive effects on caregivers’ levels of grief and increased their levels of empowerment, coping, and res...

  19. Do grief self-help books convey contemporary perspectives on grieving?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennis, Michael Robert

    2012-01-01

    Grief therapy and psychology literatures of the modern Western world conceptualized bereavement and grief as processes to be "worked through" so that other relationships could be pursued. In the last decade or so, however, grief theorists have endorsed the value of attaining new meaning(s) and continuing bonds with our lost loved ones instead of "moving on from," "letting go of" or "achieving closure from" them. This article tracks the evolution of thought pertaining to this shift and examines its relevance to grief self-help books that may offer Americans guidance in the ways of grieving.

  20. Memorial video tribute and the enfranchised grief of a gay widower

    OpenAIRE

    Pentaris, Panagiotis

    2014-01-01

    Doka (2008) introduced the term ‘disenfranchised grief ’ to refer to the form of grief that lacks social recognition. This paper argues that disenfranchised grief can find recognition and support via online communities, and it introduces this as enfranchised grief. Media and communication technologies have been widely used to communicate death and dying, while a vast number of the population, globally, has access to the information. Numerous deaths of celebrities have been covered by the news...

  1. Effectiveness of a Grief Intervention for Caregivers of People With Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacCourt, Penny; McLennan, Marianne; Somers, Sandie; Krawczyk, Marian

    2017-08-01

    In this article, we report on the structure and effectiveness of a grief management coaching intervention with caregivers of individuals with dementia. The intervention was informed by Marwit and Meuser's Caregiver Grief Model and considered levels of grief, sense of empowerment, coping, and resilience using five methods of delivery. Results indicate that the intervention had significant positive effects on caregivers' levels of grief and increased their levels of empowerment, coping, and resilience. The intervention was found to be effective across caregivers' characteristics as well as across five delivery modalities. Through description of this intervention, as well as outcome, this research contributes to the body of knowledge about caregivers' disenfranchised grief and ways to effectively address it.

  2. Psychometric Properties of the Grief Cognitions Questionnaire for Children (GCQ-C)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    M. Spuij (Mariken); P.J. Prinzie (Peter); P.A. Boelen (Paul A.)

    2017-01-01

    textabstractNegative thinking is seen as an important mediating factor in the development of prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a syndrome encompassing debilitating symptoms of grief. No measure of specific grief related cognitions is available yet. Based on an adult measure of negative thinking in

  3. Psychometric Properties of the Grief Cognitions Questionnaire for Children (GCQ-C)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spuij, Mariken; Prinzie, Peter; Boelen, Paul A.

    2017-01-01

    Negative thinking is seen as an important mediating factor in the development of prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a syndrome encompassing debilitating symptoms of grief. No measure of specific grief related cognitions is available yet. Based on an adult measure of negative thinking in adults we

  4. The grief process for patient, family, and physician.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, Christine A

    2002-09-01

    In the grieving process, patient, family, and health professionals have the same needs-rest, relaxation, nourishment, a sense of security, trust, hope in the future, and humor among them. Grief, defined as a shared, universal, and natural neuropsychobiologic expression in response to loss, is distinct from mourning, a practice that varies in expression across diverse cultures. To aid in an understanding of grief and its effects, the author looks at the models for grief proposed by Kubler-Ross, Bowlby, Parkes, Worden, and Wolfelt. Addressing patients' concerns requires physicians be empathic, attentive, and respective and have willingness to take time, be present, and listen.

  5. Craving love? Enduring grief activates brain's reward center.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Mary-Frances; Wellisch, David K; Stanton, Annette L; Eisenberger, Naomi I; Irwin, Michael R; Lieberman, Matthew D

    2008-08-15

    Complicated Grief (CG) occurs when an individual experiences prolonged, unabated grief. The neural mechanisms distinguishing CG from Noncomplicated Grief (NCG) are unclear, but hypothesized mechanisms include both pain-related activity (related to the social pain of loss) and reward-related activity (related to attachment behavior). Bereaved women (11 CG, 12 NCG) participated in an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging scan, during grief elicitation with idiographic stimuli. Analyses revealed that whereas both CG and NCG participants showed pain-related neural activity in response to reminders of the deceased, only those with CG showed reward-related activity in the nucleus accumbens (NA). This NA cluster was positively correlated with self-reported yearning, but not with time since death, participant age, or positive/negative affect. This study supports the hypothesis that attachment activates reward pathways. For those with CG, reminders of the deceased still activate neural reward activity, which may interfere with adapting to the loss in the present.

  6. Ecological grief as a mental health response to climate change-related loss

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunsolo, Ashlee; Ellis, Neville R.

    2018-04-01

    Climate change is increasingly understood to impact mental health through multiple pathways of risk, including intense feelings of grief as people suffer climate-related losses to valued species, ecosystems and landscapes. Despite growing research interest, ecologically driven grief, or `ecological grief', remains an underdeveloped area of inquiry. We argue that grief is a natural and legitimate response to ecological loss, and one that may become more common as climate impacts worsen. Drawing upon our own research in Northern Canada and the Australian Wheatbelt, combined with a synthesis of the literature, we offer future research directions for the study of ecological grief.

  7. "Every time that month comes, I remember": using cognitive interviews to adapt grief measures for use with bereaved adolescents in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Tory M; Thurman, Tonya R; Nogela, Lineo

    2016-07-01

    To assess standard grief measures through cognitive interviews with bereaved adolescents in Free State, South Africa, and make recommendations designed to improve the measurement of grief in this and similar populations. Twenty-one parentally bereaved adolescents participated in semi-structured cognitive interviews about the Core Bereavement Items (CBI) questionnaire, Grief Cognitions Questionnaire for Children (GCQ-C), or Intrusive Griefs Thoughts Scale (IGTS). Interviewees offered valuable insights for improving grief measurement with this population (e.g., consensus that not thinking frequently about a deceased loved one was shameful, aversion to terms including "died"). Participants were better able to apply response options denoting specific frequencies (e.g., "once or twice a week") versus general ones (e.g., "a little bit of the time"). Questions intended to gauge grief commonly elicited responses reflecting the impact of loss on adolescents' basic survival instead of psychological wellbeing. The need for psychological support is high among orphans and vulnerable children. Tools for measuring psychological outcomes can provide evidence of programme effects and guide decision making about investment. Grief measures used with adolescents in South Africa should account for the issues raised by cognitive interviewees in the study, including question and response option complexity, linguistic preferences, and cultural norms.

  8. Public stigma of prolonged grief disorder : An experimental study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eisma, Maarten C.

    Prolonged grief disorder (PGD), characterized by severe, persistent and disabling grief, is being considered for inclusion in the International Classification of Diseases’ 11 (ICD-11) and a related disorder, Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD), is included for further investigation in the

  9. Parental Grief Following the Death of a Child from Cancer: The Ongoing Odyssey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snaman, Jennifer M; Kaye, Erica C; Torres, Carlos; Gibson, Deborah; Baker, Justin N

    2016-09-01

    The death of a child is a devastating event that results in profound grief and significant psychosocial and physical morbidities in parents. The parental grief journey is a complex phenomenon necessitating the utilization of newer models of bereavement with a focus on relationships and exploration of parents' perceived meanings of the experience. To further characterize the grief journey of parents whose child died from cancer in order to better identify parents who can benefit from additional bereavement support and design strategies to improve bereavement services for these parents. We conducted focus group sessions with 11 bereaved parents. The parents were given two prompts to describe their grief journey before and after their child's death, and their responses in a narrative form were audio-recorded. The responses were coded and studied independently by semantic content analysis. Collation and analysis of the coded responses to both prompts results in the emergence of four concepts from the parental narratives: (1) description of the grief trajectory and evolution of grief over time, (2) mechanisms of parental coping throughout the grief journey, (3) factors that exacerbate parental grief, and (4) sources of parental support throughout the grief journey. The narratives highlighted that parents whose child died of cancer experience a unique and evolving form of grief and they wish to continue their bond with the deceased child. We recommend that healthcare providers and institutions incorporate support systems into a comprehensive bereavement program for families of children who die from cancer. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Understanding Grief and Loss

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... the process of adapting to life after a loss. It is influenced by each person’s society, culture, and religion. Bereavement is the state of having experienced a loss. Common grief reactions Reactions to loss are called ...

  11. Factors Underlying the Relationship Between Parent and Child Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cipriano, David J; Cipriano, Madeline R

    2017-01-01

    The death of a parent in a child's life is a significant risk factor for later mental and physical health problems. While much has been written about the surviving parent's functioning and its effects on their bereaved children, little work has been done to look into factors underlying this effect such as how the parent copes. The present study recruited 38 parent-child dyads from a community-based grief support center. Parent and child, independently, completed various measures of emotional functioning, including grief symptoms and coping such as social support and locus of control. The results indicated that parental coping did have an impact on children's grief symptoms. This represents a unique view of adaptation in bereaved children: Parental coping strategies can have an impact on the child, independent of the child's coping strategies. By focusing on parent coping, we have highlighted another possible pathway through which parental functioning affects children's grief.

  12. Factors Associated with Complicated Grief in Students Who Survived the Sewol Ferry Disaster in South Korea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, So Hee; Nam, Hee Sun; Kim, Hak Beom; Kim, Eun Ji; Noh, Jin-Won; Chae, Jeong-Ho

    2018-03-01

    The Sewol ferry disaster caused shock and grief in South Korea. The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with symptoms of complicated grief (CG) among the surviving students 20 months after that disaster. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design and a sample of 57 students who survived the Sewol ferry disaster. Data were collected using the following instruments: Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Lifetime Incidence of Traumatic Events-Child, the Child Report of Post-Traumatic Symptoms (CROPS), KIDSCREEN-27, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales-III, the Peri-traumatic Dissociation-Post-traumatic Negative Beliefs-Post-traumatic Social Support scale, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A generalized linear model using a log link and Poisson distribution was performed to identify factors associated with symptoms of CG. The mean score on the ICG was 15.57 (standard deviation: 12.72). Being born in 1999, a higher score on the CROPS and a lower score in autonomy and relationship with parents on the KIDSCREEN-27 were related to higher levels of CG. Twenty months after the Sewol ferry disaster, 24.5% of surviving students were suffering from CG. This study uncovered a vulnerable population of bereaved children at high risk for CG.

  13. Cultural perspectives of death, grief, and bereavement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clements, Paul T; Vigil, Gloria J; Manno, Martin S; Henry, Gloria C; Wilks, Jonathan; Das Sarthak; Kellywood, Rosie; Foster, Wil

    2003-07-01

    The cultural makeup of the United States continues to change rapidly, and as minority groups continue to grow, these groups' beliefs and customs must be taken into account when examining death, grief, and bereavement. This article discusses the beliefs, customs, and rituals of Latino, African American, Navajo, Jewish, and Hindu groups to raise awareness of the differences health care professionals may encounter among their grieving clients. Discussion of this small sample of minority groups in the United States is not intended to cover all of the degrees of acculturation within each group. Cultural groups are not homogeneous, and individual variation must always be considered in situations of death, grief, and bereavement. However, because the customs, rituals, and beliefs of the groups to which they belong affect individuals' experiences of death, grief, and bereavement, health care professionals need to be open to learning about them to better understand and help.

  14. Complicated grief in a two-and-a-half-year-old child.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendhekar, D N; Lohia, D

    2010-02-01

    The concept of "absence of grief" in children has been embedded in psychoanalytic literature since its beginning. The clinical phenomenon of grief in a toddler is rarely described or analysed in the psychiatric literature. Early theorists felt that grieving does not occur until adolescence due to a younger child's psychological structure, including poor object-relations development. However, data on grief reaction in preschool children has mostly been under-reported or neglected, especially since most of the studies on childhood grief have been conducted on school-age children. We present a two-and-a-half-year-old girl, whose emotional and behavioural reactions to the loss of her grandfather became a focus of clinical attention. This report shows that even toddlers can mourn for their loved ones, although the expression and process of grief differ from that of older children and may occasionally draw clinical attention. Suggestions on how to investigate this phenomenon more closely and how to avoid it in socio-cultural contexts are proposed.

  15. Maintaining connections in children's grief narratives in popular film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sedney, Mary Anne

    2002-04-01

    Children's grief narratives in popular films were examined for their portrayal of connection-maintaining strategies with the deceased. Comparisons were made between strategies found in actual parentally bereaved children and in child characters in films. Implications of these filmed grief narratives for models of grieving and for practice are discussed.

  16. Rhetorical Dimensions of the Post-September Eleventh Grief Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartzman, Roy; Tibbles, David

    2005-01-01

    This essay examines Presidential rhetoric and popular culture practices in light of the stages of grief enumerated by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. The authors find a consistent retrenchment of grief into the anger phase, where the pain of losing national invulnerability is transferred to externalized aggression. Reconciliation is suggested by means of…

  17. Maternal resolution of grief after preterm birth: implications for infant attachment security.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Prachi E; Clements, Melissa; Poehlmann, Julie

    2011-02-01

    This study explored the association between mothers' unresolved grief regarding their infant's preterm birth and infant-mother attachment security. We hypothesized that mothers with unresolved grief would be more likely to have insecurely attached infants at 16 months and that this association would be partially mediated by maternal interaction quality. This longitudinal study focused on 74 preterm infants (age of infants. The present analysis included assessment of neonatal and socioeconomic risks at NICU discharge; maternal depression, Reaction to Preterm Birth Interview findings, and quality of parenting at a postterm age of 9 months; and infant-mother attachment at postterm age of 16 months. Associations among findings of grief resolution with the Reaction to Preterm Birth Interview, quality of parenting interactions, and attachment security were explored by using relative risk ratios and logistic and multivariate regression models. The relative risk of developing insecure attachment when mothers had unresolved grief was 1.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.03-2.44). Controlling for covariates (adjusted odds ratio: 2.94), maternal feelings of resolved grief regarding the preterm birth experience were associated with secure infant-mother attachment at 16 months. Maternal grief resolution and interaction quality were independent predictors of attachment security. Maternal grief resolution regarding the experience of preterm birth and the quality of maternal interactions have important implications for emerging attachment security for infants born prematurely.

  18. Coping with Death and Grief: A Strategy for Army Leadership

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Smith, Albert

    1999-01-01

    .... The military as a whole is not psychologically prepared to deal with death and grief. Military leaders and soldiers have learned from society that it is not okay to openly express their grief, which has a profound impact on morale in the Army...

  19. A COMPLICATED GRIEF INTERVENTION MODEL

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-07-29

    Jul 29, 2010 ... of complicated grief as a contributing factor to impaired social functioning. This can ... includes a diagnosis of bereavement-related major depression if symptoms ..... networking, Social Sciences Citation Index, Social Sciences.

  20. End of Life: Suicide Grief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Healthy Lifestyle End of life A loved one's suicide can be emotionally devastating. Use healthy coping strategies — ... Clinic Staff When a loved one dies by suicide, overwhelming emotions can leave you reeling. Your grief ...

  1. Grief Counselling In African Indigenous Churches: A Case Of The ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    collective participation, social isolation of the bereaved and then culminates in reincorporation of the bereaved into the community. The aim of this article is to explicate the meaning and value of grief counselling in AICs with special reference to the Zion Apostolic Church in Venda. Keywords: Grief counselling, african ...

  2. The impact of bereaved parents' perceived grief similarity on relationship satisfaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buyukcan-Tetik, Asuman; Finkenauer, Catrin; Schut, Henk; Stroebe, Margaret; Stroebe, Wolfgang

    2017-01-01

    The present research focused on bereaved parents' perceived grief similarity, and aimed to investigate the concurrent and longitudinal effects of the perceptions that the partner has less, equal, or more grief intensity than oneself on relationship satisfaction. Participants of our longitudinal

  3. The Impact of Bereaved Parents' Perceived Grief Similarity on Relationship Satisfaction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Buyukcan-Tetik, Asuman; Finkenauer, Catrin; Schut, Henk; Stroebe, Margaret; Stroebe, Wolfgang

    The present research focused on bereaved parents' perceived grief similarity, and aimed to investigate the concurrent and longitudinal effects of the perceptions that the partner has less, equal, or more grief intensity than oneself on relationship satisfaction. Participants of our longitudinal

  4. Exploring oncology nurses' grief: A self-study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa C Barbour

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Oncology nursing, like many other nursing fields, often provides nurses with the opportunity to get to know their patients and their families well. This familiarity allows oncology nurses to show a level of compassion and empathy that is often helpful to the patient and their family during their struggle with cancer. However, this familiarity can also lead to a profound sense of grief if the patient loses that struggle. This self-study provided me the opportunity to systematically explore my own experience with grief as an oncology nurse, helping me to identify specific stressors and also sources of stress release.

  5. Cognitive-Behavioral Grief Therapy: The ABC Model of Rational-Emotion Behavior Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Malkinson

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The article briefly reviews the changes that occurred in the field of grief and bereavement, viewing it as a process of searching for a "rational" meaning to life without the deceased in line with the concept of continuing bonds and thus replacing that of Fred’s concept of decathexis. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT evidenced-based studies for PTSD and complicated grief and the Cognitive-behavioral therapy − Rational-emotion behavior therapy (CBT-REBT model for grief are reviewed. The focus of intervention based on CBT-REBT is to facilitate a healthy adaptation to loss following death. A distinction is made between rational (adaptive and irrational (maladaptive grief processes. Case example illustrating the application of the model specifically a dialogue with repetitive thoughts, are presented.

  6. A COMPLICATED GRIEF INTERVENTION MODEL

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-07-29

    Jul 29, 2010 ... work approach to therapy) in an attempt to develop a model for complicated grief intervention ..... way feels right for them, thus making them equal partners with .... This question points out the benefits of success and affords the.

  7. A COMPLICATED GRIEF INTERVENTION MODEL

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2010-07-29

    Jul 29, 2010 ... 2006). Grief thus refers to the physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual and social experiences of the loss. ... (CGIM) will add to a better understanding of the client and that it will also ... MOTIVATION FOR THE STUDY. There are ...

  8. [Perinatal sources of stem cells].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piskorska-Jasiulewicz, Magdalena Maria; Witkowska-Zimny, Małgorzata

    2015-03-08

    Recently, stem cell biology has become an interesting topic. Several varieties of human stem cells have been isolated and identified in vivo and in vitro. Successful application of hematopoietic stem cells in hematology has led to the search for other sources of stem cells and expanding the scale of their application. Perinatal stem cells are a versatile cell population, and they are interesting for both scientific and practical objectives. Stem cells from perinatal tissue may be particularly useful in the clinic for autologous transplantation for fetuses and newborns, and after banking in later stages of life, as well as for in utero transplantation in the case of genetic disorders. In this review paper we focus on the extraction and therapeutic potential of stem cells derived from perinatal tissues such as the placenta, the amnion, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood and Wharton's jelly.

  9. The ties that bind: a reflection on physician grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giddings, Gordon

    2010-10-01

    Physician grief remains a prevalent yet largely unacknowledged problem in the medical profession. Several techniques can be employed to improve coping in physicians that deal frequently with patients approaching the end of life that can be integrated into medical training programs and physician practices. The author recounts his own experience of physician grief having cared for a patient on his dying journey and using it as an opportunity for personal growth.

  10. Cognitive-Behavioral Grief Therapy: The ABC Model of Rational-Emotion Behavior Therapy

    OpenAIRE

    Malkinson, Ruth

    2010-01-01

    The article briefly reviews the changes that occurred in the field of grief and bereavement, viewing it as a process of searching for a "rational" meaning to life without the deceased in line with the concept of continuing bonds and thus replacing that of Fred’s concept of decathexis. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) evidenced-based studies for PTSD and complicated grief and the Cognitive-behavioral therapy − Rational-emotion behavior therapy (CBT-REBT) model for grief are reviewed. The foc...

  11. Resolving Child and Adolescent Traumatic Grief: Creative Techniques and Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edgar-Bailey, Meredith; Kress, Victoria E.

    2010-01-01

    This article presents a review of creative interventions that can be helpful in facilitating the resolution of traumatic grief in children and adolescents. Traumatic grief is conceptualized as a condition in which a person loses a close loved one (e.g., a parent or a sibling) in a traumatic manner, and ensuing trauma-related symptoms disrupt the…

  12. Grief: Lessons from the Past, Visions for the Future

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colin Murray Parkes

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Over the last millennium patterns of mortality have changed and have determined who grieves and how. At all times grief has been recognised as a threat to physical and mental health. More recently the scientific study of bereavement has enabled us to quantify such effects and to develop theoretical explanations for them. This paper reviews our evolving understanding of grief, focusing especially on the developments in research, theory and practice that have taken place during the twentieth century. Wars and similar conflicts are associated with repression of grief but methods of helping by facilitating its expression, which were introduced during the two World Wars are less needed and effective at other times. In recent years more attention has been paid to the social context in which grief arises and, particularly, to the nature of the attachments which precede and influence the reaction to bereavement and to other traumatic life events. At the same time a range of caring resources have become available and acceptable to bereaved people and the results of scientific evaluation of these give promise that we are moving towards an era in which more sensitive and appropriate care will be provided to the bereaved by both voluntary and professional caregivers.

  13. Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families: Treatment from a Disenfranchised Grief Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zupanick, Corinne E.

    1994-01-01

    Generalizes concept of disenfranchised grief to understanding of recovery process for adult children of dysfunctional families. Describes recovery process of this population as parallel to grief process. Identifies two layers of unrecognized loss: loss of one's childhood and loss of one's fantasized and idealized parent. Suggests specific…

  14. Grief: The Unrecognized Parental Response to Mental Illness in a Child.

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacGregor, Peggy

    1994-01-01

    Notes that parents whose son or daughter develops serious mental illness experience grief that is often neither recognized by society nor addressed by mental health professionals. Describes some common elements of parental bereavement, losses experienced with mental illness, consequences of ignoring grief, and appropriate interventions for mental…

  15. Predicting Grief Reactions One Year Following a Mass University Shooting: Evaluating Dose-Response and Contextual Predictors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrew J; Layne, Christopher M; Coyle, Patrick; Kaplow, Julie B; Brymer, Melissa J; Pynoos, Robert S; Jones, Russell T

    2017-12-01

    This study identifies risk factors for grief following a mass school shooting. Participants (N = 1,013) completed online questionnaires 3-4 months (Time 1) and 1 year (Time 2) post-shootings. We tested models predicting Time 2 grief reactions, exploring direct and indirect predictive effects of exposure variables (physical and social proximity) through hypothesized peritraumatic mediators (peritraumatic perceived threat to self or others) while controlling for Time 1 grief and posttraumatic stress (PTS) reactions, pretrauma vulnerabilities. Findings demonstrate that closer social proximity predicted higher levels of Time 2 grief, directly and indirectly through increasing peritraumatic perceived threat to others' safety. Physical proximity and peritraumatic threat to self did not predict Time 2 grief reactions. Implications for grief screening instruments and theory building research through identifying risk factors and causal mechanisms are discussed.

  16. Perinatal sources of stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Maria Piskorska-Jasiulewicz

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Recently, stem cell biology has become an interesting topic. Several varieties of human stem cells have been isolated and identified in vivo and in vitro. Successful application of hematopoietic stem cells in hematology has led to the search for other sources of stem cells and expanding the scale of their application. Perinatal stem cells are a versatile cell population, and they are interesting for both scientific and practical objectives. Stem cells from perinatal tissue may be particularly useful in the clinic for autologous transplantation for fetuses and newborns, and after banking in later stages of life, as well as for in utero transplantation in the case of genetic disorders. In this review paper we focus on the extraction and therapeutic potential of stem cells derived from perinatal tissues such as the placenta, the amnion, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood and Wharton’s jelly.

  17. Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Traumatic Grief (BEP-TG): toward integrated treatment of symptoms related to traumatic loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smid, Geert E; Kleber, Rolf J; de la Rie, Simone M; Bos, Jannetta B A; Gersons, Berthold P R; Boelen, Paul A

    2015-01-01

    Traumatic events such as disasters, accidents, war, or criminal violence are often accompanied by the loss of loved ones, and may then give rise to traumatic grief. Traumatic grief refers to a clinical diagnosis of persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) with comorbid (symptoms of) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or major depressive disorder (MDD) following confrontation with a traumatic loss. Trauma survivors, who are frequently from different cultural backgrounds, have often experienced multiple losses and ambiguous loss (missing family members or friends). Current evidence-based treatments for PTSD do not focus on traumatic grief. To develop a treatment for traumatic grief combining treatment interventions for PTSD and PCBD that may accommodate cultural aspects of grief. To provide a rationale for treatment, we propose a cognitive stress model of traumatic grief. Based on this model and on existing evidence-based treatments for PTSD and complicated grief, we developed Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Traumatic Grief (BEP-TG) for the treatment of patients with traumatic grief. The treatment is presented along with a case vignette. Processes contributing to traumatic grief include inadequately integrating the memory of the traumatic loss, negative appraisal of the traumatic loss, sensitivity to matching triggers and new stressors, and attempting to avoid distress. BEP-TG targets these processes. The BEP-TG protocol consists of five parts with proven effectiveness in the treatment of PCBD, PTSD, and MDD: information and motivation, grief-focused exposure, memorabilia and writing assignments, finding meaning and activation, and a farewell ritual. Tailored to fit the needs of trauma survivors, BEP-TG can be used to address traumatic grief symptoms related to multiple losses and ambiguous loss, as well as cultural aspects of bereavement through its different components.

  18. The MM-CGI Cerebral Palsy: modification and pretesting of an instrument to measure anticipatory grief in parents whose child has cerebral palsy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Gamal, Ekhlas; Long, Tony

    2014-07-01

    To establish the potential of a modified version of the MM-CGI Childhood Cancer to assess anticipatory grief in parents of children with cerebral palsy, to amend the existing scale for use with the specific patient group, to test the psychometric properties of the modified version (MM-CGI Cerebral Palsy) and to review the clinical potential of the new scale. Parents of children with cerebral palsy may experience reactions similar to parents of children with other enduring or life-limiting conditions, and anticipatory grief may be one such psychological reaction. While the burden of caring is sometimes balanced by positive perceptions of the child, which enhance coping ability, for many parents the outcome is damage to their physical and mental health and impaired family functioning. A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational design. The MM-CGI Cerebral Palsy was administered in structured interviews with 204 parents. Standardised measures of caregivers' depression, stress and perceived social support were also administered. Mothers and fathers were recruited from healthcare centres and schools for special education. Cronbach's alpha was used to assess internal consistency, and Pearson's product-moment correlation was used to assess construct validity. The subscales were each found to measure a single dimension of anticipatory grief, and significant correlations were established with existing instruments. The instrument demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability and good construct validity. The MM-CGI Cerebral Palsy could be useful for diagnosing anticipatory grief among parents of children with cerebral palsy. This preliminary work moves the programme on to testing in intervention studies. In the absence of an existing measure for the assessment of anticipatory grief, specifically in parents of children with cerebral palsy, the MM-CGI Cerebral Palsy could prove to be an effective assessment tool for clinicians and researchers. © 2013 John Wiley

  19. Are shame and self-esteem risk factors in prolonged grief after death of a spouse?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dellmann, Thomas

    2018-07-01

    Although many single factors of prolonged grief have been identified in the literature, a comprehensive understanding of predictors is still lacking. This article argues that shame and low self-esteem, present risk factors in prolonged grief after spousal loss, based on a review of correlational studies. Using a practitioner-scientist approach, a developmental model of shame as a core factor in prolonged grief is proposed, outlining the progression from childhood relational trauma, to insecure attachment, shame, self-esteem contingent on spousal approval to eventual prolonged grief.

  20. Staff Grief Resolution and Care for the Elderly: Artificial Intelligence Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seibert, Phyllis M.; Pastorello, Thomas

    Literature on health professionals describes the problems associated with unresolved or poorly resolved grief. Previous research has indicated that the most important reason why health professionals stay in their jobs is their relationship to patients. This study examined how nursing home personnel resolve their grief following deaths of clients.…

  1. Back home: a qualitative study exploring re-entering cross-cultural missionary aid workers' loss and grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selby, Susan; Moulding, Nicole; Clark, Sheila; Jones, Alison; Braunack-Mayer, Annette; Beilby, Justin

    2009-01-01

    Over 200 Australian, American, and British Non-Government Organizations send aid workers overseas including missionaries. On re-entry, they may suffer psychological distress; however, there is little research about their psychosocial issues and management in the family practice setting. Research suggests loss and grief as a suitable paradigm for family practitioners dealing with psychosocial issues. The aim of this study was to explore loss and grief issues for adult Australian missionary cross-cultural aid workers during their re-entry adjustment. Mixed methods were used and this study reports the qualitative method: semi-structured interviews conducted with 15 participants. Results were analyzed using framework analysis. Themes of re-entry loss and grief were identified with sub-themes of multiple varied losses, mechanisms of loss, loss of control, common grief phenomena, disenfranchised grief, and reactivation of past grief. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed. Findings of this study suggest that loss and grief is an appropriate paradigm for the management of these workers in the family practice setting. Further research is needed to enable appropriate care.

  2. A Nationwide Random Sampling Survey of Potential Complicated Grief in Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuno, Yasunao; Kishimoto, Junji; Asukai, Nozomu

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the prevalence of significant loss, potential complicated grief (CG), and its contributing factors, we conducted a nationwide random sampling survey of Japanese adults aged 18 or older (N = 1,343) using a self-rating Japanese-language version of the Complicated Grief Brief Screen. Among them, 37.0% experienced their most significant…

  3. A systematic writing program as a tool in the grief process: part 1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furnes, Bodil; Dysvik, Elin

    2010-12-06

    The basic aim of this paper is to suggest a flexible and individualized writing program as a tool for use during the grief process of bereaved adults. An open, qualitative approach following distinct steps was taken to gain a broad perspective on the grief and writing processes, as a platform for the writing program. Following several systematic methodological steps, we arrived at suggestions for the initiation of a writing program and its structure and substance, with appropriate guidelines. We believe that open and expressive writing, including free writing and focused writing, may have beneficial effects on a person experiencing grief. These writing forms may be undertaken and systematized through a writing program, with participation in a grief writing group and with diary writing, to achieve optimal results. A structured writing program might be helpful in promoting thought activities and as a tool to increase the coherence and understanding of individuals in the grief process. Our suggested program may also be a valuable guide to future program development and research.

  4. General Psychological Implications of the Human Capacity for Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brinkmann, Svend

    2018-06-01

    Much theorizing in psychology and related disciplines begins with a given model of the mind that is then applied in research projects to study concrete phenomena. Sometimes psychological research can be theory-driven in quite an explicit way, approaching the logic of the hypothetico-deductive method. Others reject this and prefer to work inductively, and, in the extreme case of positivism, perhaps try to avoid theorizing altogether. In this article I shall suggest another way to think of the relationship between psychological theories and psychological phenomena. My suggestion is not simply to replace the hypothetico-deductive model with an inductive one, but to argue that the most direct route to theories of the human mind that grasp its complexity is to begin with the Kantian question of transcendental philosophy: X exists - how is X possible? In the context of this article, I apply this questioning to the phenomenon of grief: Grief exists - what general psychological theory of the mind do we need in order to account for its possibility? I attempt to extract three general psychological points from the existence of grief, viz. (1) the deep relationality of the self, (2) the limitations of evolutionary accounts, and (3) the normativity of psychological phenomena. I shall argue that these are general psychological lessons to be learned from grief, although they could also be arrived at by considering several other significant psychological phenomena.

  5. Anxiety measures validated in perinatal populations: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meades, Rose; Ayers, Susan

    2011-09-01

    Research and screening of anxiety in the perinatal period is hampered by a lack of psychometric data on self-report anxiety measures used in perinatal populations. This paper aimed to review self-report measures that have been validated with perinatal women. A systematic search was carried out of four electronic databases. Additional papers were obtained through searching identified articles. Thirty studies were identified that reported validation of an anxiety measure with perinatal women. Most commonly validated self-report measures were the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scales (HADS). Of the 30 studies included, 11 used a clinical interview to provide criterion validity. Remaining studies reported one or more other forms of validity (factorial, discriminant, concurrent and predictive) or reliability. The STAI shows criterion, discriminant and predictive validity and may be most useful for research purposes as a specific measure of anxiety. The Kessler 10 (K-10) may be the best short screening measure due to its ability to differentiate anxiety disorders. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21 (DASS-21) measures multiple types of distress, shows appropriate content, and remains to be validated against clinical interview in perinatal populations. Nineteen studies did not report sensitivity or specificity data. The early stages of research into perinatal anxiety, the multitude of measures in use, and methodological differences restrict comparison of measures across studies. There is a need for further validation of self-report measures of anxiety in the perinatal period to enable accurate screening and detection of anxiety symptoms and disorders. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Advanced Cancer Patients' Perceptions of Dignity: The Impact of Psychologically Distressing Symptoms and Preparatory Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kostopoulou, Sotiria; Parpa, Efi; Tsilika, Eleni; Katsaragakis, Stylianos; Papazoglou, Irene; Zygogianni, Anna; Galanos, Antonis; Mystakidou, Kyriaki

    2018-04-01

    The present study assesses the relationship between patient dignity in advanced cancer and the following variables: psychological distress, preparatory grief, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. The sample consisted of 120 patients with advanced cancer. The self-administered questionnaires were as follows: the Preparatory Grief in Advanced Cancer Patients (PGAC), the Patient Dignity Inventory-Greek (PDI-Gr), the Greek Schedule for Attitudes toward Hastened Death (G-SAHD), and the Greek version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (G-HADS). Moderate to strong statistically significant correlations were found between the 4 subscales of PDI-Gr (psychological distress, body image and role identity, self-esteem, and social support) with G-HADS, G-SAHD, and PGAC ( P dignity among patients with advanced cancer. Clinicians should assess and attend to dignity-distressing factors in the care of patients with advanced cancer.

  7. Coping with Grief: Life After Loss

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... are called grief. It’s a natural response to loss. Grieving doesn’t mean that you have to feel certain emotions. People can grieve in very different ways. Cultural beliefs and traditions can influence how someone expresses ...

  8. Somatic expressions of grief and psychosomatic illness in the works of William Shakespeare and his coevals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heaton, Kenneth W

    2012-10-01

    To find out if Shakespeare, famed for his insights into human nature, is exceptional in how much his characters express grief through somatic symptoms and signs, and by physical illness. The texts of all large-scale works currently attributed to Shakespeare (39 plays, 3 long narrative poems) were systematically searched for bodily changes and for evidence of grief as dominating the character's emotional state at the time. The findings were compared with those from a search of 46 works, similar in genre, by 15 prominent playwrights active at the same time as Shakespeare. In Shakespeare 31 different grief-associated symptoms or signs were found, in 140 instances. They are present in all but two of his plays and long poems and involve most systems of the body. With non-Shakespearean writers there were 26 kinds, 132 instances. Twenty-two changes are common to both groups, including fainting, death (sudden or after a decline), and wrinkled face, and symptoms such as malaise, fatigue, awareness of the heart-beat, and anorexia. Ten somatic expressions of grief were found only in Shakespeare, including hyperventilation, hair turning white and premature childbirth. Four were found only in his contemporaries but were trivial or unconvincing. Deaths and non-fatal illnesses are prevalent in Shakespeare. Grieving Shakespearean characters exhibit many somatic symptoms and signs and a wide range of psychosomatic illnesses. This panoply of psychosomatic phenomena may be an artistic artefact but it also confirms that Shakespeare's empathy with grieving humanity was unrivalled. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Complicated grief and manic comorbidity in the aftermath of the loss of a son.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carmassi, Claudia; Shear, M Katherine; Socci, Chiara; Corsi, Martina; Dell'osso, Liliana; First, Michael B

    2013-09-01

    Based on the recommendations of the sub-workgroup on trauma and dissociative disorders, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) removed the "bereavement exclusion" from the criteria for major depression in DSM-5. In addition, proposed DSM-5 research criteria for persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) were included in the new manual in a section for conditions and criteria needing further research. We describe a case that warranted such a diagnosis. The patient was a 52- year-old woman who was admitted to the inpatient unit of our clinic on the birthday of her son who had died 18 months earlier. She was diagnosed with a manic episode with psychotic symptoms according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria and was treated accordingly. Three months after discharge, she made a suicide attempt and was admitted and re-assessed. During this admission, she completed the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the Mood-Spectrum Rating Scale (MOODS-SR), and the Trauma and Loss Spectrum questionnaire (TALS-SR). She endorsed symptoms of intense yearning for her son, feelings of shock and disbelief, anger and bitterness related to his death, estrangement from others, auditory, tactile and visual hallucinations of the deceased, and intense emotional reactivity to memories of her son. These symptoms were sufficiently prolonged and severe to meet criteria for complicated grief. While complicated grief appeared to be the primary diagnosis for this patient, when she was diagnosed using only DSMIV-TR criteria, her treatment failed to address herprimary problem. This case draws attention to the occurrence of manic-like symptoms as well as depression-like manifestations following bereavement and highlights the importance of including the syndrome of complicated grief in the diagnostic nomenclature.

  10. After the death of a friend: young men's grief and masculine identities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creighton, Genevieve; Oliffe, John L; Butterwick, Shauna; Saewyc, Elizabeth

    2013-05-01

    Young men can have an uncomfortable relationship with grief. Socially constructed masculine ideals dictate that men be stoic in the aftermath of loss, most often expressing their sadness and despair as anger. Perhaps because of alignment to such masculine ideals little research has been done to explore young men's grief--and chronicle the ways they think about loss, their responses and how they go about describing their identities after a tragic event. Using qualitative individual interviews and photo elicitation methods, we investigated the ways in which 25 men aged 19-25 grieved the accidental death of a male friend. The study was conducted from April 2010-December 2011. Causes of death were diverse, and included motor vehicle accidents, adventure sports, drug overdose and fights. The findings revealed men's predominant grief responses as emptiness, anger, stoicism and sentimentality. Participants' description of their grief responses illustrated the ways in which they struggled to reconcile feelings of vulnerability and manly ideals of strength and stoicism. We gained insight into men's grief practices by looking at the ways in which they aligned themselves with a post-loss masculine identity. These identities, which included the adventurer, father-figure and the lamplighter, revealed gender-specific processes through which men understood and actively dealt with their tragic loss. The results offer novel insights to men's grief and identity work that may serve to affirm other men's experiences as well as guide counselling services targeted to young men. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Accommodating Grief on Twitter: An Analysis of Expressions of Grief Among Gang Involved Youth on Twitter Using Qualitative Analysis and Natural Language Processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patton, Desmond Upton; MacBeth, Jamie; Schoenebeck, Sarita; Shear, Katherine; McKeown, Kathleen

    2018-01-01

    There is a dearth of research investigating youths’ experience of grief and mourning after the death of close friends or family. Even less research has explored the question of how youth use social media sites to engage in the grieving process. This study employs qualitative analysis and natural language processing to examine tweets that follow 2 deaths. First, we conducted a close textual read on a sample of tweets by Gakirah Barnes, a gang-involved teenaged girl in Chicago, and members of her Twitter network, over a 19-day period in 2014 during which 2 significant deaths occurred: that of Raason “Lil B” Shaw and Gakirah’s own death. We leverage the grief literature to understand the way Gakirah and her peers express thoughts, feelings, and behaviors at the time of these deaths. We also present and explain the rich and complex style of online communication among gang-involved youth, one that has been overlooked in prior research. Next, we overview the natural language processing output for expressions of loss and grief in our data set based on qualitative findings and present an error analysis on its output for grief. We conclude with a call for interdisciplinary research that analyzes online and offline behaviors to help understand physical and emotional violence and other problematic behaviors prevalent among marginalized communities. PMID:29636619

  12. Creating philanthropic foundations to deal with grief: case studies of bereaved parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossetto, Kelly R

    2014-01-01

    The current study involves the analysis of six bereaved parents' stories and argues that the development of philanthropic foundations helped these parents make meaning of their children's deaths and find purpose in the midst of their grief. Furthermore, philanthropy, as a way of making meaning and finding purpose, is a mutually beneficial process because it helps both the bereaved founders and the communities the organizations reach. Connections between these narratives and the bereavement literature help us better understand the individual/family grief process and meaning making, as well as how internal grief states intersect with communities.

  13. Cultural manifestations of grief and bereavement: a clinical perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardy-Bougere, Marilyn

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to inform the reader that a commonality in grief and bereavement exists even though it is highly individualized. Health care providers and consumers of health care should realize and understand the potential for bias and miscommunication when there is delivery of care from non-similar cultures. Grief and bereavement are two of many issues existing in the health care delivery system which can result in substandard delivery of care as a result of cultural insensitivity and cultural incompetence.

  14. Dealing with grief related to loss by death and chronic pain: An integrated theoretical framework. Part 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bodil Furnes

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Bodil Furnes, Elin DysvikUniversity of Stavanger, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Health Studies, Stavanger, NorwayObjective: Based on the present authors’ research and several approaches to grief related to loss by death and nonmalignant chronic pain, the paper suggests a new integrated theoretical framework for intervention in clinical settings.Methods: An open qualitative review of the literature on grief theories was performed searching for a new integrated approach in the phenomenological tradition. We then investigated the relationship between grief, loss and chronic nonmalignant pain, looking for main themes and connections and how these could be best understood in a more holistic manner.Results: Two main themes were formulated, “relearning the world” and “adaptation”. Between these themes a continuous movement emerged involving experience such as: “despair and hope”, “lack of understanding and insight”, “meaning disruption and increased meaning”, and “bodily discomfort and reintegrated body”. These were identified as paired subthemes.Conclusions: Grief as a distinctive experience means that health care must be aimed at each individual experience and situation. Grief experience and working with grief are considered in terms of relearning the world while walking backwards and living forwards, as described in our integrated model. We consider that this theoretical framework regarding grief should offer an integrated foundation for health care workers who are working with people experiencing grief caused by death or chronic pain.Keywords: health care, loss, grief

  15. Dream Content in Complicated Grief: A Window into Loss-Related Cognitive Schemas Running Head: Dreams in Complicated Grief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Germain, Anne; Shear, Katherine M.; Walsh, Colleen; Buysse, Daniel J.; Monk, Timothy H.; Reynolds, Charles F.; Frank, Ellen; Silowash, Russell

    2012-01-01

    Bereavement and its accompanying psychological response (grief) constitute potent experiences that necessitate the reorganization of cognitive-affective representations of lost significant attachment figures during both wakefulness and dreaming. The goals of this preliminary study were to explore whether the dream content of 77 adults with complicated grief (CG) differed from that of a normative sample, and to explore whether CG patients who dream of the deceased differ from CG patients who do not dream of the deceased on measures of daytime emotional distress. CG dreams were characterized by more family and familiar characters including the deceased (in women), and fewer social interactions and emotions compared to norms. Increased representations of familiar characters in CG dreams may reflect attempts to reorganize relational cognitive schemas to compensate for the loss. PMID:24524436

  16. The year of magical thinking: Joan Didion and the dialectic of grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, F; Dash, M

    2008-06-01

    Joan Didion is a prominent American writer. In late 2003, while her only child lay critically ill, her husband, John, died suddenly. Theirs was a marriage of great intimacy and love. Grief enveloped her. Eventually she began to write an account of the first 12 months of her bereavement and the vigil for her child: The year of magical thinking. Raw, insightful and challenging, it is a rich, generous and graceful document. Didion draws on the literature of grief, personal and professional. Here, those readings are examined and reflections are made on the singular, unique grief of the author in the context of current theories on bereavement.

  17. Grief and Solidarity Reactions 1 Week After an On-Campus Shooting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wayment, Heidi A; Silver, Roxane Cohen

    2018-03-01

    The impact of interpersonal violence extends beyond the victims and perpetrator(s). The purpose of this research was threefold: (a) to identify whether college students' very early reactions to an on-campus shooting were associated with well-known predictors of distress, (b) to examine whether grief and distress reactions were distinguishable in the early days following a shooting, and (c) to investigate whether a compassionate self-identity was uniquely associated with grief but not distress. Beginning just 3 days after an early morning shooting that killed one student and injured three others, university students ( N = 408) completed an online questionnaire. Grief, but not distress, was associated with a sense of solidarity with other students and a compassionate self-identity. General distress was associated with prior mental health difficulties and exposure to the shooting. Acute stress was positively associated with being female, having prior mental health difficulties, media exposure, perceived similarity to victims, less victim blame, social support, and social strain. Results suggest that grief reactions that arise in the early days following a collective loss may serve as important psychosocial resources in coping with interpersonal violence.

  18. [A Clinical Case of Grief Hallucination through the Mourning Work Normal Grief and Spiritual Care].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurotori, Isaku; Kato, Satoshi

    2015-01-01

    Auditory or visual hallucinations of a deceased person are well known in the normal course of the bereavement process. According to DSM-5, this symptom is included in the associated features supporting diagnosis of persistent complex bereavement disorder. In Japan, however, little is known about these hallucinatory experiences during grieving, and few reports on their prevalence are available. Here, we have reported a clinical case of such experiences following the loss of a spouse. A 66-year-old patient presented to the outpatient department with insomnia after her husband's death. She was preoccupied with a sense of loss and absolute loneliness. One day, she confessed to regularly encountering her husband's ghost at night; the ghost was distinguishable from a dream and provided the bereaved wife with some degree of comfort. The appearances lasted for 15 months and occurred several times a week without disturbing her social functioning. She gradually became aware that her husband was returning from the spirit world to give her solace. Her treatment was focused on resolving her conflicting feelings concerning her grief at his death and her relief at his no longer suffering from disease. While accepting her experiences, she started to review the days they spent together and appreciated his attachment. Therefore she completed the work of mourning and the ghost no longer appeared. One year after the departure of the ghost, she still attends the hospital regularly and there has been no recurrence. A reconstruction of her internal world leads us to conclude that the support of normal grief with such hallucinations prevents the intense experience of loss from generating pathological grief. Furthermore, we suggest reconsidering the importance of the mourning work and the inclusion of both the bereaved and deceased person in the medical context.

  19. After the death of a friend: Young Men’s grief and masculine identities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creighton, Genevieve; Oliffe, John L.; Butterwick, Shauna; Saewyc, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    Young men can have an uncomfortable relationship with grief. Socially constructed masculine ideals dictate that men be stoic in the aftermath of loss, most often expressing their sadness and despair as anger. Perhaps because of alignment to such masculine ideals little research has been done to explore young men’s grief – and chronicle the ways they think about loss, their responses and how they go about describing their identities after a tragic event. Using qualitative individual interviews and photo elicitation methods, we investigated the ways in which 25 men aged 19–25 grieved the accidental death of a male friend. The study was conducted from April 2010–December 2011. Causes of death were diverse, and included motor vehicle accidents, adventure sports, drug overdose and fights. The findings revealed men’s predominant grief responses as emptiness, anger, stoicism and sentimentality. Participants’ description of their grief responses illustrated the ways in which they struggled to reconcile feelings of vulnerability and manly ideals of strength and stoicism. We gained insight into men’s grief practices by looking at the ways in which they aligned themselves with a post-loss masculine identity. These identities, which included the adventurer, father-figure and the lamplighter, revealed gender-specific processes through which men understood and actively dealt with their tragic loss. The results offer novel insights to men’s grief and identity work that may serve to affirm other men’s experiences as well as guide counselling services targeted to young men. PMID:23517702

  20. Normal grief and its correlates in Lubumbashi, an urban city in the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: grief is a universal experience faced at one time or another by most people during their lives. Response to grief and bereavement losses can lead to psychiatric disorders such as mood disorders, post traumatic responses, insomnia loss of appetite, anxiety, and depression. The aim of our study is to value in our ...

  1. Complicated grief and bereavement in young adults following close friend and sibling loss.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herberman Mash, Holly B; Fullerton, Carol S; Ursano, Robert J

    2013-12-01

    This study examined the association between types of loss (i.e., sibling or close friend) and relationship quality (i.e., depth and conflict) with complicated grief, depression, somatic symptoms, and world assumptions in bereaved young adults. Participants were 107 young adults aged 17-29 years who were either bereaved or had never experienced a loss. Among bereaved participants, 66 lost a close friend and seven lost a sibling within the past 3 years (M = 1.63 years). Nineteen percent of the young adults met criteria for complicated grief and 31% had mild to severe depression. Participants with a deceased sibling reported greater depth in the relationship as compared to those who lost a friend. They were also more likely to have complicated grief (57% versus 15%) and report significantly higher levels of grief, depression, and somatic symptoms. Those who lost a sibling reported a lower sense of meaningfulness and benevolence of the world and self-worth as compared with those who lost a close friend or had not experienced a loss. Complicated grief and depression are common among bereaved young adults. Sibling loss is particularly distressing to young adults, due in part to the high level of relationship depth, and is associated with increased psychological and physical symptoms postloss. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Providing grief resolution as an oncology nurse retention strategy: a literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hildebrandt, Lori

    2012-12-01

    Oncology nurses play a pivotal role in optimizing care provided to patients at the end of life (EOL). Although oncology nurses commonly provide EOL care and witness deaths of patients that they have maintained long-standing relationships with, they are frequently excluded from grief resolution endeavors. With a worldwide shortage of oncology nurses, retention is paramount to ensuring that the care patients with cancer receive is not jeopardized. Various strategies were identified to resolve grief and increase nurse retention, including creating supportive work environments, debriefing with colleagues, providing EOL and grief education, and altering patient care assignments. Future research on emerging technologies and their effects on oncology nurse coping and retention strategies also was suggested.

  3. Understanding Grief within a Cultural Context

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... the loved ones who are preparing for their loss. Culture and the meaning of death Every culture has ... and mourning practices of a person from another culture. Related Resources Coping With Grief Coping With Change After a Loss f t k e P Coping With Cancer ...

  4. Traumatic grief in young people in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taggart H

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Holly Taggart,1 Sheila Greatrex-White,2 1Mental Health Commission, CentreForum, Westminster, UK; 2School of Health Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK Aim: To identify relevant and pertinent themes and interventions within the literature relating to childhood traumatic grief, in order to provide a sound background of evidence for further research and service development. Background: Childhood traumatic grief is caused when a significant person in a child's life dies under circumstances that they perceive to be traumatic. This can leave a child unable to return to the same level of physical and emotional functioning that he or she had prior to the death occurring. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there is an increased risk for childhood traumatic grief due to a high prevalence of orphanhood, environmental stressors, stigma, and abuse. This can have detrimental effects upon mental health. Methods: The review followed the York methodology: identifying the purpose and agreeing on the strategy beforehand; identifying relevant sources/studies; selecting the studies; charting the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting results. Results and discussion: Interventions identified to prevent and/or manage traumatic grief included narrative exposure therapy, psychotherapy, mentoring, peer-group support, psychosocial support, a grief and loss therapy session, and memory boxes. Mental health remains neglected within service and policy development as well as in global health spending. The average amount expended on mental health services per person per year in low-income countries is less than $0.25. Only 36% of people in low income countries are covered by a mental health policy, compared with 92% in high income countries. Limitations: The sixth stage of the York methodology was omitted. Only papers written in English were included in the review. Conclusion: Childhood traumatic grief in young people is an important issue

  5. Does knowing that a suicide was "rational" influence grief?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brazda, Geoffrey F; Range, Lillian M; Remley, Theodore P; White, Carolyn C

    2018-03-15

    Counseling professionals and graduate students (N = 117) recruited online read a randomly assigned one-paragraph vignette about either a non-rational or rational suicide involving an imaginary loved one. Then, they completed the Grief Experiences Questionnaire (GEQ) about how they would feel. The non-rational suicide group expected significantly more search for explanation than the rational suicide group, but were not significantly different on the other six GEQ subscales. All participants expected few distressing reactions to either vignette, suggesting a one-paragraph vignette may not be sufficient to induce the kind of grief many experience when a loved one dies by suicide.

  6. A longitudinal study of the grief of mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruce, E J; Schultz, C L; Smyrnios, K X

    1996-03-01

    As a follow-up to a single-point-in-time study which suggested support for the proposition that grieving is an ongoing feature of parenting children with intellectual disability, the present investigation reports findings based on annual interviews conducted over a three-year period. Longitudinal outcomes on measures used to define grief largely confirmed the original findings. Of particular interest were (a) indications of the presence of grief over time (b) the finding that the 49 mothers and 49 fathers report similar intensity of continued wishing for what might have been, and (c) the conclusion that the responses of the mothers on the Impact of Event Scale and to current levels of distress when thinking about time of diagnoses are significantly more intense than those of the fathers. Attention is drawn to patterns emerging from gender-related differences. Resulted are discussed within the framework of four mandates for research and practice, with particular reference to psycho-educational support through groupwork.

  7. Prevalence and predictors of parental grief and depression after the death of a child from cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCarthy, Maria C; Clarke, Naomi E; Ting, Cheng Lin; Conroy, Rowena; Anderson, Vicki A; Heath, John A

    2010-11-01

    To investigate patterns of grief and depression in a sample of parents whose child had died of cancer, and to examine factors related to burden of illness and end-of-life care as potential predictors of parental grief and depression outcomes. Fifty-eight parents completed standardized self-report questionnaires measuring prolonged grief disorder (Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised [ICG-R]) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition [BDI-II]) and participated in structured interviews designed to elicit their perceptions of their child's end-of-life care and burden of illness. The majority of participants were mothers (84%) and the mean length of time since child death was 4.5 (standard deviation [SD] = 2.4) years (range, 1.0-9.8 years). Rates of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) were similar to those reported in other bereaved populations (10.3%); however, 41% of parents met diagnostic criteria for grief-related separation distress. Twenty-two percent of parents reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. Time since death and parental perception of the oncologist's care predicted parental grief symptoms but not depressive symptoms. Perceptions of the child's quality of life during the last month, preparedness for the child's death, and economic hardship also predicted grief and depression outcomes. A minority of parents met criteria for PGD and depression, however, almost half the sample was experiencing significant separation distress associated with persistent longing and yearning for their child. Time since death is a significant predictor of parental psychological distress. This study also highlights the importance of end-of-life factors in parents' long-term adjustment and the need for optimal palliative care to ensure the best possible outcomes for parents.

  8. Grief, Bereavement, and Coping with Loss (PDQ)

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... mental distress than those in the counseling group. Depression related to grief is sometimes treated with drugs. ... Institutes of Health FOLLOW US Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Google+ LinkedIn GovDelivery RSS CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Us ...

  9. Grief Experiences and Expectance of Suicide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojtkowiak, Joanna; Wild, Verena; Egger, Jos

    2012-01-01

    Suicide is generally viewed as an unexpected cause of death. However, some suicides might be expected to a certain extent, which needs to be further studied. The relationships between expecting suicide, feeling understanding for the suicide, and later grief experiences were explored. In total, 142 bereaved participants completed the Grief…

  10. Prolonged grief: where to after Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bryant, Richard A

    2014-01-01

    Although there is much evidence for the construct of prolonged grief, there was much controversy over the proposal to introduce a prolonged grief diagnosis into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), and it was finally rejected as a diagnosis in DSM-5. This review outlines the evidence for and against the diagnosis, and highlights the implications of the DSM-5 decision. Convergent evidence indicates that prolonged grief characterized by persistently severe yearning for the deceased is a distinct construct from bereavement-related depression and anxiety, is associated with marked functional impairment, is responsive to targeted treatments for prolonged grief, and has been validated across different cultures, age groups, and types of bereavement. Although DSM-5 has rejected the construct as a formal diagnosis, evidence continues to emerge on related mechanisms, including maladaptive appraisals, memory and attentional processes, immunological and arousal responses, and neural circuitry. It is most likely that the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) will introduce a diagnosis to recognize prolonged grief, even though DSM-5 has decided against this option. It is probable that the DSM-5 decision may result in more prolonged grief patients being incorrectly diagnosed with depression after bereavement and possibly incorrectly treated. The DSM-5 decision is unlikely to impact on future research agendas.

  11. Attachment styles, grief responses, and the moderating role of coping strategies in parents bereaved by the Sewol ferry accident

    OpenAIRE

    Huh, Hyu Jung; Kim, Kyung Hee; Lee, Hee-Kyung; Chae, Jeong-Ho

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies on the influence of different types of attachment on grief responses have yielded contradictory outcomes. Little research has been conducted to identify the psychological processes that moderate the relationship between attachment representations and patterns of grief in disaster-related grief. Objective: The present study examines the effects of different attachment types on the grief responses of parents bereaved by loss of a child in a ferry accident, ...

  12. Distinguishing Symptoms of Grief and Depression in a Cohort of Advanced Cancer Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobsen, Juliet C.; Zhang, Baohui; Block, Susan D.; Maciejewski, Paul K.; Prigerson, Holly G.

    2010-01-01

    Several studies have shown that the symptoms of grief are different from symptoms of depression among bereaved family members. This study is an attempt to replicate this finding among advanced cancer patients and examine clinical correlates of patient grief and depression. Analyses were conducted on data from interviews with 123 advanced cancer…

  13. Effects of Mental Health Support on the Grief of Bereaved People Caused by Sewol Ferry Accident

    OpenAIRE

    Han, Hyesung; Noh, Jin-Won; Huh, Hyu jung; Huh, Seung; Joo, Ji-Young; Hong, Jin Hyuk; Chae, Jeong-Ho

    2017-01-01

    Few studies have assessed the overall effects of multi-centered, complicated mental health support on the grief process. This study investigated the broader influence of mental health support provided practically to the bereaved family on the severity of complicated grief. Ninety-three bereaved family members of the Sewol ferry accident were recruited. Severity of complicated grief, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive disorder was assessed through self-reporting questionnaire...

  14. Understanding bereavement, grief, and mourning: implications for donation and transplant professionals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corr, Charles A; Coolican, Margaret B

    2010-06-01

    This article surveys recent literature on bereavement, grief, and mourning. It offers a review of the state of the art of current understandings of those topics to assist professionals who work in the field of organ and tissue donation and transplantation. The article's goal is to provide well-developed and up-to-date education and knowledge about bereavement, grief, and mourning to supplement the natural skills and experience of donation and transplant professionals in their work with bereaved persons.

  15. Opportunities for mourning when grief is disenfranchised: descendants of Nazi perpetrators in dialogue with Holocaust survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Livingston, Kathy

    2010-01-01

    This article explores the concepts of unmourned and disenfranchised grief as a way to understand the experiences of adult children of Nazi perpetrators, who grew up with cultural norms of grieving alone or in silence. The scholarly literature on descendants of Nazis reflects a group unlikely to warrant empathy or support from others because of the stigma surrounding their family's possible involvement in the Holocaust atrocities. This article uses, as a case study approach, the testimony given by Monika Hertwig, the adult daughter of a high ranking Nazi, who appears in the documentary film, Inheritance. From the perspective of disenfranchised grief, defined as grief that is not socially recognized or supported, the article links Monika's testimony with existing research from in-depth interviews with other descendants of Nazis to suggest that, as a group, they lacked permission to grieve their deceased parents, acknowledgment of their grief, and opportunities to mourn. Based on the theory that the effects of grief can be transgenerational, the disenfranchisement experienced by the "children of the Third Reich" does not have to pass to subsequent generations if opportunities for mourning are made possible and some resolution of grief occurs. Studies have shown that ongoing dialogue groups between Holocaust survivors and descendants of Nazis provide opportunities for mourning to both groups.

  16. Hospice Counsellor Facing the Grief of the Terminally Ill Child and Its Family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grzegorz Godawa

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The child’s illness, suffering and death provoke many emotions in the family. The ill child and its family both experience grief which is an emotional reaction to the danger of losing health or life. Support offered by home hospices for children aims at overcoming the destructive influence of illness. A hospice counsellor’s task is to improve the ill child and its family’s quality of life. He is helping the family overcome grief and prepare for the child’s death. The hospice team supports the family members who experience anticipatory and later, actual mourning. Preventing pathological effects of grief is a basic challenge for people who offer help.

  17. Grief symptoms and difficult patient loss for oncologists in response to patient death.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granek, Leeat; Ben-David, Merav; Shapira, Shahar; Bar-Sela, Gil; Ariad, Samuel

    2017-07-01

    The study aimed to explore oncologist's grief symptoms over patient death and to identify why and which losses are particularly challenging when patients die. The grounded theory method was used to collect and analyze the data. Twenty-two oncologists were interviewed between March 2013 and June 2014 from three adult oncology centers in the north, center, and south of Israel. Oncologists were at different stages of their careers and varied in their sub-specialties, gender, and personal and professional backgrounds. Grief begun when the patient died, in anticipation of the patient's death, many days after the death, or when the patient received a poor prognosis. The phenomenological experience of grief for oncologists included behavioral, cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms in response to patient death. Behavioral symptoms included crying and difficulties sleeping. Cognitive symptoms included self-doubt and rumination about the patient and the care the patient had received before death. Physical symptoms included chest pain, fatigue, and general physical discomfort. Emotional symptoms included sadness, anxiety, helplessness, guilt, relief, irritability, and loss. Difficult patient loss was caused by patient-related factors, family-related factors, and disease-related factors. Patient deaths result in behavioral, cognitive, physical, and emotional symptoms of grief in oncologists. These symptoms become particularly intense in the context of patient, family, and disease-related factors. Educational and supportive interventions for managing grief related to patient death are needed in order to support oncologists in their emotionally and mentally taxing work. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Grief and Horses: Putting the Pieces Together

    Science.gov (United States)

    Symington, Ashley

    2012-01-01

    The effectiveness of grief counseling may be enhanced through the utilization of equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP). An experiential, solution-focused, and natural approach, EAP provides clients with the opportunity to discover solutions to challenges that exist within themselves. Counselors and equine specialists team with horses to provide a…

  19. Grieving after early pregnancy loss--a common reality.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Purandare, N

    2013-05-24

    A miscarriage can be very traumatic for a couple and their immediate family. The aim of this study was to assess, using the Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS), whether the type of early pregnancy loss influences the severity of grief and whether the presence of living children influences the severity of grief. Over a period of 6 months in 2008, seventy five patients were recruited for the study, of which 7 (9.3%) had molar pregnancies, 20 (26.7%) had ectopic pregnancies, 43 (573%) had a miscarriage and 5 (6.7%) had recurrent miscarriages. In this study there was no significant difference in severity of grief, between women that had a miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy (p = 0.14) or, between women that had a miscarriage and a molar pregnancy (p = 0.85). Women who had experienced a ectopic pregnancy did not have a higher grief intensity than the women that had a molar pregnancy (p = 0.75). However, for women with a child, the grief intensity significantly increases with the number of miscarriages (p = 0.015). Women with no children with an ectopic pregnancy grieve significantly more than those with a child (p = 0.019). An appointment for the \\'Miscarriage Clinic\\' should be offered to all of these women but special attention should be paid to those in the categories most at risk

  20. Before Kubler-Ross: lessons about grief from the book of Job.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyon, D S

    2000-07-01

    Medicine is as old as the human species, and medical literature is among the earliest writing. Current research is of great help in identifying new interventions, but a great deal of the art of medicine is showcased in ancient works. The 20th century saw a plethora of books, articles, and monographs on the subjects of grief, death and dying, and suffering, but none of these has provided greater insight than the biblical book of Job. Excerpts from Job illustrate both the nature of grief and appropriate intervention when it is confronted.

  1. Grief as a Social Emotion: Theoretical Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jakoby, Nina R.

    2012-01-01

    The article explores a sociological perspective on grief as a social emotion. Focusing on the social bond with the deceased, the self-concept of the survivor or the power of feeling rules, general sociological theories of emotions (symbolic interactionism, structural theory, behavioral theory) have the potential to deepen the understanding of…

  2. Grief and culture: a checklist

    OpenAIRE

    Walter, Tony

    2010-01-01

    All groups have a culture. This article is intended to help the bereavement practitioner better understand the support needs of clients from other cultures. It sets out and explains a simple checklist of questions designed to explore cultural practices and attitudes to grief and bereavement. The questions cover the obligations mourners feel towards the dead and towards society; who should be mourned; what should be done with the dead; what should be done with emotions; the inclusion or exclus...

  3. Perinatal Health Statistics as the Basis for Perinatal Quality Assessment in Croatia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodin, Urelija; Filipović-Grčić, Boris; Đelmiš, Josip; Glivetić, Tatjana; Juras, Josip; Mustapić, Željka; Grizelj, Ruža

    2015-01-01

    Context. Perinatal mortality indicators are considered the most important measures of perinatal outcome. The indicators reliability depends on births and deaths reporting and recording. Many publications focus on perinatal deaths underreporting and misclassification, disabling proper international comparisons. Objective. Description of perinatal health care quality assessment key indicators in Croatia. Methods. Retrospective review of reports from all maternities from 2001 to 2014. Results. According to reporting criteria for birth weight ≥500 g, perinatal mortality (PNM) was reduced by 31%, fetal mortality (FM) by 32%, and early neonatal mortality (ENM) by 29%. According to reporting criteria for ≥1000 g, PNM was reduced by 43%, FM by 36%, and ENM by 54%. PNM in ≥22 weeks' (wks) gestational age (GA) was reduced by 28%, FM by 30%, and ENM by 26%. The proportion of FM at 32–36 wks GA and at term was the highest between all GA subgroups, as opposed to ENM with the highest proportion in 22–27 wks GA. Through the period, the maternal mortality ratio varied from 2.4 to 14.3/100,000 live births. The process indicators have been increased in number by more than half since 2001, the caesarean deliveries from 11.9% in 2001 to 19.6% in 2014. Conclusions. The comprehensive perinatal health monitoring represents the basis for the perinatal quality assessment. PMID:26693484

  4. Perinatal Health Statistics as the Basis for Perinatal Quality Assessment in Croatia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urelija Rodin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Context. Perinatal mortality indicators are considered the most important measures of perinatal outcome. The indicators reliability depends on births and deaths reporting and recording. Many publications focus on perinatal deaths underreporting and misclassification, disabling proper international comparisons. Objective. Description of perinatal health care quality assessment key indicators in Croatia. Methods. Retrospective review of reports from all maternities from 2001 to 2014. Results. According to reporting criteria for birth weight ≥500 g, perinatal mortality (PNM was reduced by 31%, fetal mortality (FM by 32%, and early neonatal mortality (ENM by 29%. According to reporting criteria for ≥1000 g, PNM was reduced by 43%, FM by 36%, and ENM by 54%. PNM in ≥22 weeks’ (wks gestational age (GA was reduced by 28%, FM by 30%, and ENM by 26%. The proportion of FM at 32–36 wks GA and at term was the highest between all GA subgroups, as opposed to ENM with the highest proportion in 22–27 wks GA. Through the period, the maternal mortality ratio varied from 2.4 to 14.3/100,000 live births. The process indicators have been increased in number by more than half since 2001, the caesarean deliveries from 11.9% in 2001 to 19.6% in 2014. Conclusions. The comprehensive perinatal health monitoring represents the basis for the perinatal quality assessment.

  5. Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder and Culture: Early and Prolonged Grief in Nepali Widows.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jane; Tol, Wietse A; Shrestha, Abina; Kafle, Hari Maya; Rayamajhi, Rajin; Luitel, Nagendra P; Thapa, Lily; Surkan, Pamela J

    2017-01-01

    Persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), has not been well studied in socioculturally diverse populations. Thus, this qualitative study examined (a) how widows in Nepal understand grief, (b) whether a local construct of PCBD exists, and (c) its comparability with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), terminology. Using an adapted Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC) framework, semistructured interviews with 25 widows and 12 key informants, as well as three focus-group discussions (n = 20), were conducted between October 2014 and April 2015. Through an inductive grounded theory-based approach, we used the constant comparative method, iteratively coding transcripts to identify themes and patterns in the data. Also, we created two lists of grief responses, one of early reactions and another all reactions to grief, based on the frequency of mention. No single term for grief was reported. Widows reported a local construct of PCBD, which was broadly compatible with DSM-5 terminology but with important variation reflecting societal influence. Surviving torture during conflict, economic and family stressors, and discrimination were mentioned as important determinants that prolong and complicate grief. Suicidal ideation was common, with about 31% and 62% of widows reporting past-year and lifetime suicidality, respectively. Findings may not be generalizable to all Nepali widows; participants were recruited from a non-governmental organization, from Kathmandu and its neighboring districts, and were primarily of reproductive age. While PCBD symptoms proposed in DSM-5 were mentioned as relevant by study participants, some components may need adaptation for use in non-Western settings, such as Nepal.

  6. Effects of Mental Health Support on the Grief of Bereaved People Caused by Sewol Ferry Accident

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Han, Hyesung; Noh, Jin-Won; Huh, Hyu Jung; Huh, Seung; Joo, Ji-Young; Hong, Jin Hyuk; Chae, Jeong-Ho

    Few studies have assessed the overall effects of multi-centered, complicated mental health support on the grief process. This study investigated the broader influence of mental health support provided practically to the bereaved family on the severity of complicated grief. Ninety-three bereaved

  7. Attachment styles, grief responses, and the moderating role of coping strategies in parents bereaved by the Sewol ferry accident.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huh, Hyu Jung; Kim, Kyung Hee; Lee, Hee-Kyung; Chae, Jeong-Ho

    2017-01-01

    Background : Previous studies on the influence of different types of attachment on grief responses have yielded contradictory outcomes. Little research has been conducted to identify the psychological processes that moderate the relationship between attachment representations and patterns of grief in disaster-related grief. Objective : The present study examines the effects of different attachment types on the grief responses of parents bereaved by loss of a child in a ferry accident, along with the moderating role of coping strategies. Methods : Bereaved parents ( n  = 81) completed self-report questionnaires evaluating attachment, coping strategies, complicated grief, and shame/guilt. We performed correlational analyses to examine the associations among variables. We also conducted hierarchical regression analyses and simple slope analyses to examine the moderation effects of coping strategies. Results : Anxious attachment was associated with severe shame/guilt, and avoidant attachment correlated with complicated grief. Anxious attachment was positively associated with all types of coping strategies, and avoidant attachment was negatively related to problem- and emotion-focused coping. The use of problem-focused coping strategies was a significant moderator of the relationship between the avoidant attachment dimension and shame/guilt. Avoidant attachment had a significant effect on shame/guilt in groups with a high level of problem-focused coping. In contrast, none of the coping strategies significantly moderated the relationship between anxious attachment and grief response. Conclusions : The results suggest that people with highly avoidant attachment might be overwhelmed by shame and guilt when they try to use problem-focused coping strategies. This finding suggests that grief interventions should be organized with consideration of individual differences in attachment representations.

  8. Grief Interrupted: The Experience of Loss Among Incarcerated Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harner, Holly M.; Hentz, Patricia M.; Evangelista, Maria Carmela

    2011-01-01

    Incarcerated women face a number of stressors apart from the actual incarceration. Nearly half of all women in prison experience the death of a loved one during their incarceration. Our purpose for this study was to explore the experience of grief and loss among incarcerated women using a phenomenological method. Our study approach followed van Manen's method of phenomenology and Munhall's description of existential lifeworlds. Our analysis revealed four existential lifeworlds: temporality: frozen in time; spatiality: no place, no space to grieve; corporeality: buried emotions; and relationality: never alone, yet feeling so lonely. The findings generated from this study can help mental health providers as well as correctional professionals develop policies and programs that facilitate the grief process of incarcerated women within the confines of imprisonment. PMID:20581074

  9. [Compassionate care for terminally ill term and preterm infants].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulze, A; Wermuth, I

    2007-04-01

    Involvement of the family in decisions to withhold or withdraw intensive care and parental involvement in care planning for terminally ill infants does not aggravate or prolong parents' grief responses, their feelings of guilt, or the incidence of pathological grief responses. Effective physical pain and symptom management is critically important. Compassionate care plans, however, need to implement a number of other and equally important components. Parents are not uniform in their perceived needs to make various kinds of contacts with their dying infant. They should be allowed to make their individual choices regarding contact with their baby during that time. The perinatal loss of a twin infant appears to evoke no less serious stress and risks to parents' compared to the loss of a singleton. The disruption of family life during a perinatal loss affects siblings of the baby, and their specific needs should be acknowledged. Post-death or post-autopsy meetings with the family should routinely be scheduled a few weeks after death, and bereavement support should actively be offered. Parents need to be informed about differences to be expected between maternal and paternal grief responses. The risk of pathological grief variants and chronic grief should be mentioned to parents because professional help is required in such occurrence.

  10. Rates and risks for prolonged grief disorder in a sample of orphaned and widowed genocide survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaal, Susanne; Jacob, Nadja; Dusingizemungu, Jean-Pierre; Elbert, Thomas

    2010-07-06

    The concept of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) has been defined in recent years by Prigerson and co-workers, who have developed and empirically tested consensus and diagnostic criteria for PGD. Using these most recent criteria defining PGD, the aim of this study was to determine rates of and risks for PGD in survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide who had lost a parent and/or the husband before, during or after the 1994 events. The PG-13 was administered to 206 orphans or half orphans and to 194 widows. A regression analysis was carried out to examine risk factors of PGD. 8.0% (n = 32) of the sample met criteria for PGD with an average of 12 years post-loss. All but one person had faced multiple losses and the majority indicated that their grief-related loss was due to violent death (70%). Grief was predicted mainly by time since the loss, by the violent nature of the loss, the severity of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the importance given to religious/spiritual beliefs. By contrast, gender, age at the time of bereavement, bereavement status (widow versus orphan), the number of different types of losses reported and participation in the funeral ceremony did not impact the severity of prolonged grief reactions. A significant portion of the interviewed sample continues to experience grief over interpersonal losses and unresolved grief may endure over time if not addressed by clinical intervention. Severity of grief reactions may be associated with a set of distinct risk factors. Subjects who lose someone through violent death seem to be at special risk as they have to deal with the loss experience as such and the traumatic aspects of the loss. Symptoms of PTSD may hinder the completion of the mourning process. Religious beliefs may facilitate the mourning process and help to find meaning in the loss. These aspects need to be considered in the treatment of PGD.

  11. Representations of African Americans in the Grief and Mourning Literature from 1998 to 2014: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granek, Leeat; Peleg-Sagy, Tal

    2015-01-01

    The authors examined representations of African Americans in the grief literature to assess (a) frequencies; (b) content; and (c) use of universalist or a contextualized framework. They conducted searches in 3 databases that target the grief literature published in the last 15 years. Fifty-nine articles met the criteria. There are a small number of studies published on African Americans and these tend to focus on homicide. Many studies had incomplete methods. Comparison studies were common and pathological grief outcomes that were validated on White populations were used as outcome variables with African American participants.

  12. Parental Grief Following the Brain Death of a Child: Does Consent or Refusal to Organ Donation Affect Their Grief?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellali, Thalia; Papadatou, Danai

    2006-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the grieving process of parents who were faced with the dilemma of donating organs and tissues of their underage brain dead child, and to explore the impact of their decision on their grief process. A grounded theory methodology was adopted and a semi-structured interview was conducted with 11 bereaved…

  13. Using Narrative Approach for Anticipatory Grief Among Family Caregivers at Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toyama, Hiroko; Honda, Akiko

    2016-01-01

    Family caregivers of patients with terminal-stage cancer have numerous roles as caregivers, which can influence their anticipatory grief. The purpose of this study was to clarify how talking to family caregivers of patients with terminal illness using the narrative approach can influence such caregivers’ process of anticipatory grief. We conducted the narrative approach as an intervention with two family caregivers several times and qualitatively analyzed their narratives. The results indicated that these family caregivers had two primary roles—family member and caregiver—and that family caregivers felt trapped in their caregiver role. The narrative approach helped them transition into the role needed for coping with the loss. PMID:28462354

  14. The American Indian Holocaust: Healing Historical Unresolved Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brave Heart, Maria Yellow Horse; DeBruyn, Lemyra M.

    1998-01-01

    Argues for the existence of historical unresolved grief among American Indians. Outlines the historical legacy of war, genocide, and boarding schools resulting in intergenerational trauma and a host of associated social problems. Suggests healing strategies that integrate modern and traditional approaches to healing at the individual, family, and…

  15. Using Multidimensional Grief Theory to Explore Effects of Deployment, Reintegration, and Death on Military Youth and Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaplow, Julie B.; Layne, Christopher M.; Saltzman, William R.; Cozza, Stephen J.; Pynoos, Robert S.

    2015-01-01

    To date, the U.S. military has made major strides in acknowledging and therapeutically addressing trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in service members and their families. However, given the nature of warfare and high rates of losses sustained by both military members (e.g., deaths of fellow unit members) and military families (e.g., loss of a young parent who served in the military), as well as the ongoing threat of loss that military families face during deployment, we propose that a similar focus on grief is also needed to properly understand and address many of the challenges encountered by bereaved service members, spouses, and children. In this article, we describe a newly developed theory of grief (Multidimensional Grief Theory) and apply it to the task of exploring major features of military-related experiences during the phases of deployment, reintegration, and the aftermath of combat death—especially as they impact children. We also describe implications for designing preventive interventions during each phase and conclude with recommended avenues for future research. Primary aims are to illustrate: (1) the indispensable role of theory in guiding efforts to describe, explain, predict, prevent, and treat maladaptive grief in military service members, children, and families; (2) the relevance of multidimensional grief theory for addressing both losses due to physical death as well as losses brought about by extended physical separations to which military children and families are exposed during and after deployment; and (3) a focus on military-related grief as a much-needed complement to an already-established focus on military-related PTSD. PMID:23760905

  16. Excluding parental grief: A critical discourse analysis of bereavement accommodation in Canadian labour standards.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, Mary Ellen; Kennedy, Kimberly; Moll, Sandra; Pineda, Carolina; Mitchell, Lisa M; Stephenson, Peter H; Cadell, Susan

    2015-01-01

    Grief following child loss is profoundly destabilizing with serious long-term repercussions for bereaved parents. Employed parents may need time away from work to deal with this loss. The purpose of this study was to reflect upon the ways labour policies and practices respond to parental bereavement. Critical discourse analysis was used to examine labour policies and practices related to employment leave for bereaved parents in Canada. Results were compared to international labour standards. Universally, employment policies provide only for the practical issues of bereavement. Commonly, leave is three days, unpaid, and meant to enable ceremonial obligations. Policies do not acknowledge the long-term suffering caused by grief or the variable intensity of different kinds of loss. Managerial, moral, normative and neoliberal values embedded in these policies efface the intensely personal experience of grief, thereby leaving employees at risk for serious health and workplace safety issues. Bereavement leave currently understands grief as a generic, time-limited state with instrumental tasks and ceremonial obligations. In contrast, research characterizes responses to child loss as intense, highly personal experiences for which healing and recovery can take years. This disconnect is especially problematic when viewed through the lens of employee wellbeing, reintegration and workplace productivity.

  17. Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Traumatic Grief (BEP-TG): toward integrated treatment of symptoms related to traumatic loss

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smid, Geert E.; Kleber, Rolf J.; de la Rie, Simone M.; Bos, Jannetta B. A.; Gersons, Berthold P. R.; Boelen, Paul A.

    2015-01-01

    Background: Traumatic events such as disasters, accidents, war, or criminal violence are often accompanied by the loss of loved ones, and may then give rise to traumatic grief. Traumatic grief refers to a clinical diagnosis of persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) with comorbid (symptoms

  18. Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for Traumatic Grief (BEP-TG) : toward integrated treatment of symptoms related to traumatic loss

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smid, Geert E; Kleber, Rolf J; de la Rie, Simone M; Bos, Jannetta B A; Gersons, Berthold P R; Boelen, Paul A

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Traumatic events such as disasters, accidents, war, or criminal violence are often accompanied by the loss of loved ones, and may then give rise to traumatic grief. Traumatic grief refers to a clinical diagnosis of persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) with comorbid (symptoms

  19. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO PERINATAL MORTALITY : OPTIMIZING OUTCOME

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lakshmi

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the various causes of perinatal deaths and adopt strategies to improve perinatal outcome at a referral teaching hospital in North Kerala. METHODS: A prospective observational study conducted at Institute of Maternal and Child Health, Government Medical College, Kozhikode. All perinatal deaths during the period January 2013 to December 2014 were analysed and from this factors responsible for perinatal deaths were identified. RESULTS: Out of total 30,042 deliveries , there were 966 perinatal deaths during the study period. 566 were still births and 400 early neonatal deaths. The perinatal mortality rate was 31.1 per 1000 live births. Perinatal asphyxia was the major cause of perinatal mortality. The important factors contributing to perinatal asphyxia were prematurity (39%, abruptio placenta (19% and MSAF ( 12%. Among the antenatal factors, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy leading to iatrogenic elective preterm delivery were the most important. CONCLUSION: Perinatal asphyxia due to prematurity and low birth weight emerged as the most important cause of perinatal mortality in this study and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were the most important antenatal complication leading to prematurity

  20. The Role of Defense Mechanisms, Personality and Demographical Factors on Complicated Grief following Death of a loved one by Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isaac Rahimian-Boogar

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Identification of the risk factors and psychological correlates of prolonged grief disorder is vital for health promotions in relatives of persons who died of cancer. The aim of this research was to investigate the role of defense mechanisms, character dimension of personality and demographic factors on complicated grief following a loss of a family member to cancer .Method: A number of 226 persons who had lost a family member to cancer in a cancer institute at Tehran University of Medical Science were selected through compliance sampling and completed the Inventory of complicated Grief-Revised (ICG-R, the Defense Styles Questionnaire (DSQ, the Character dimension of Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI, and the Demographical questionnaire. Data were analyzed by stepwise multiple regression analysis, using the PASW version 18 .Results: Findings revealed that neurotic defense style had a significant positive predictive role in the complicated grief; and cooperativeness, age of the deceased person, self-transcendence and mature defense style had a significant negative predictive role in complicated grief (p<0.001. R2 was 0.73 for the final model (p<.001.Conclusion: The results revealed that two character dimensions (low cooperativeness and self-transcendence, high neurotic defense style and young age of the deceased person were involved in the psychopathological course of the complicated and prolonged grief. It was concluded that personality characteristics of the grieving persons and demographics of the deceased person should be addressed in designing tailored interventions for complicated grief.

  1. Parental Reactions to the Special Education Individual Education Program Process: Looking through the Lens of Grief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haley, Melinda; Hammond, Helen; Ingalls, Lawrence; Marín, Merranda Romaro

    2013-01-01

    Parental grief reactions have typically been examined in situations where parents have a child diagnosed with a major medical or mental health condition. This study used the grief and loss model as conceptualized by Kubler-Ross (1969), Lamb (1988), and Kubler-Ross and Kessler (2005) as a foundation in examining parental reactions when a child has…

  2. End of Life: Dealing with Grief and Confronting Painful Emotions

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... who aren't prepared for the avalanche of emotions that sweep over them when the final moment ... know how challenging and devastating the raw, intense emotions of grief can be, because it's happened to ...

  3. Do anticipatory grief and preparedness affect distress in bereaved caregivers?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Mette Kjærgaard

    Objective Family caregivers of terminally ill patients are in a vulnerable position, and previous studies show that bereaved caregivers are at risk of psychological distress. Pre-loss grief symptoms seem to predict post-loss psychological distress, while preparedness for a looming loss tends...... to decrease distress. The aim of this nation-wide study was to investigate the association of both anticipatory grief symptoms and preparedness with psychological distress in bereaved family caregivers. Methods A list of all adult patients in Denmark receiving drug reimbursement for terminal illness...... was retrieved from the Danish Health and Medicines Authority on a weekly basis during 2012. All newly registered patients were requested by letter to pass on an enclosed baseline questionnaire to their closest relative. Responding caregivers bereaved within six months received a follow-up questionnaire six...

  4. How do adults with mild learning disabilities experience bereavement and grief? A qualitative exploration.

    OpenAIRE

    McRitchie, Robyn

    2012-01-01

    Background: The vast majority of research into the experiences of people with learning disabilities (LD) in regard to bereavement and grief involves the collection of data from second-hand sources, or via quantitative measures. This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of bereavement and grief in a group of adults with mild LD. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 13 adults (aged 20-72 years) with mild LD who had experienced bereaveme...

  5. Clinical correlates of complicated grief among individuals with acute coronary syndromes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pini S

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Stefano Pini,1 Camilla Gesi,1 Marianna Abelli,1 Alessandra Cardini,1 Lisa Lari,1 Francesca Felice,2 Rossella Di Stefano,2 Gianfranco Mazzotta,3 Francesco Bovenzi,4 Daniele Bertoli,5 Lucia Borelli,4 Paola Michi,1 Claudia Oligeri,3 Alberto Balbarini,2 Vijaya Manicavasagar6 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Psychiatry Sector, University of Pisa, Pisa, 2Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, 3Unit of Cardiology, Ospedale Sant’Andrea, La Spezia, 4Cardio-Respiratory Department, Ospedale Campo di Marte, Lucca, 5Unit of Cardiology, Ospedale San Bartolomeo, Sarzana (SP, Italy; 6Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia Objective: The study aimed at exploring bereavement and complicated grief (CG symptoms among subjects without a history of coronary heart disease (CHD at the time of a first acute coronary syndrome (ACS and to evaluate the relationship of CG symptoms and ACS. Method: Overall, 149 subjects with ACS (namely, acute myocardial infarct with or without ST-segment elevation or unstable angina, with no previous history of CHD, admitted to three cardiac intensive care units were included and evaluated by the Structured Clinical Interview for Complicated Grief (SCI-CG, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (MOS-SF-36. Results: Of the total sample of 149 subjects with ACS, 118 (79.2% met criteria for DSM-5 persistent complex bereavement disorder. Among these, subjects who lost a partner, child, or sibling were older (P=0.008, less likely to be working (P=0.032, and more likely to be suffering from hypertension (P=0.021, returned higher scores on the SCI-CG (P=0.001 and developed the index ACS more frequently between 12 and 48 months after the death than those who lost a parent or another relative (P≤0.0001. The occurrence of ACS 12–48 months (P=0.019 after the loss was

  6. A nationwide population analysis of antenatal and perinatal complications among nurses and nonmedical working women

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Che Huang

    2016-10-01

    Conclusion: Our nationwide population-based study revealed increased risks of antenatal and perinatal complications among nurses compared with those among nonmedical working women. The large-scale observation of the increased antenatal and perinatal complications draws attention to the health issues faced by nursing personnel who represent one of the most important workforces in the healthcare system.

  7. Using multidimensional grief theory to explore the effects of deployment, reintegration, and death on military youth and families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaplow, Julie B; Layne, Christopher M; Saltzman, William R; Cozza, Stephen J; Pynoos, Robert S

    2013-09-01

    To date, the US military has made major strides in acknowledging and therapeutically addressing trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in service members and their families. However, given the nature of warfare and high rates of losses sustained by both military members (e.g., deaths of fellow unit members) and military families (e.g., loss of a young parent who served in the military), as well as the ongoing threat of loss that military families face during deployment, we propose that a similar focus on grief is also needed to properly understand and address many of the challenges encountered by bereaved service members, spouses, and children. In this article, we describe a newly developed theory of grief (multidimensional grief theory) and apply it to the task of exploring major features of military-related experiences during the phases of deployment, reintegration, and the aftermath of combat death--especially as they impact children. We also describe implications for designing preventive interventions during each phase and conclude with recommended avenues for future research. Primary aims are to illustrate: (1) the indispensable role of theory in guiding efforts to describe, explain, predict, prevent, and treat maladaptive grief in military service members, children, and families; (2) the relevance of multidimensional grief theory for addressing both losses due to physical death as well as losses brought about by extended physical separations to which military children and families are exposed during and after deployment; and (3) a focus on military-related grief as a much-needed complement to an already-established focus on military-related PTSD.

  8. When hope and grief intersect: rates and risks of prolonged grief disorder among bereaved individuals and relatives of disappeared persons in Colombia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heeke, Carina; Stammel, Nadine; Knaevelsrud, Christine

    2015-03-01

    Forced disappearance is a frequent phenomenon in violent conflicts and regimes, yet little is known about unresolved grief processes as a possible outcome of the disappearance of a loved one. This study investigates prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and its risk factors in a sample of persons who lost a significant other to disappearance as compared with a sample of bereaved individuals, both groups having experienced displacement due to the armed conflict in Colombia. In a cross-sectional study conducted in four Colombian provinces, 73 persons who lost a significant other to disappearance and 222 bereaved individuals completed measures of PGD (PG-13), depression (HSCL-25), and PTSD (PCL-C) via face-to-face interviews. Trauma- and loss-related variables, including the extent to which significant others of disappeared persons hoped that their loved one was still alive, were assessed. Results indicated that 23% of participants who lost a significant other to disappearance met criteria for PGD as compared to 31.5% in bereaved participants. No differences were found between the two groups in terms of symptom severity of PGD, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, or traumatic exposure. Regression analysis indicated that, among relatives and friends of disappeared persons, the extent of hope predicted PGD above and beyond depression severity whereas among bereaved persons, PGD was predicted by time since the loss, the number of traumatic events and symptom severity of PTSD and depression. The instruments were not validated for use in Colombia; generalizability of findings is limited. Forced disappearance is related to prolonged grief reactions, particularly when those left behind maintain hope that the disappeared person is still alive. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. ICU versus Non-ICU Hospital Death: Family Member Complicated Grief, Posttraumatic Stress, and Depressive Symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Probst, Danielle R; Gustin, Jillian L; Goodman, Lauren F; Lorenz, Amanda; Wells-Di Gregorio, Sharla M

    2016-04-01

    Family members of patients who die in an ICU are at increased risk of psychological sequelae compared to those who experience a death in hospice. This study explored differences in rates and levels of complicated grief (CG), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression between family members of patients who died in an ICU versus a non-ICU hospital setting. Differences in family members' most distressing experiences at the patient's end of life were also explored. The study was an observational cohort. Subjects were next of kin of 121 patients who died at a large, Midwestern academic hospital; 77 died in the ICU. Family members completed measures of CG, PTSD, depression, and end-of-life experiences. Participants were primarily Caucasian (93%, N = 111), female (81%, N = 98), spouses (60%, N = 73) of the decedent, and were an average of nine months post-bereavement. Forty percent of family members met the Inventory of Complicated Grief CG cut-off, 31% met the Impact of Events Scale-Revised PTSD cut-off, and 51% met the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale depression cut-off. There were no significant differences in rates or levels of CG, PTSD, or depressive symptoms reported by family members between hospital settings. Several distressing experiences were ranked highly by both groups, but each setting presented unique distressing experiences for family members. Psychological distress of family members did not differ by hospital setting, but the most distressing experiences encountered at end of life in each setting highlight potentially unique interventions to reduce distress post-bereavement for family members.

  10. [Marital status and the severity of perinatal depression among pregnant women].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podolska, Magdalena; Sipak-Szmigiel, Olimpia

    2010-01-01

    Cohabitation existing for ages in all human cultures is becoming more common since the 1960s due to complex changes in postmodern societies. These societies have made the phenomenon of cohabitation the object of adequate theoretical reflection. The aim of this work was to determine whether the marital status of pregnant women affects the severity of perinatal depression. We enrolled 117 gravida hospitalized in 2006 and 2007 at the Department of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Pomeranian Medical University. The gestational age ranged from week 32 to 40. The clinical condition of each gravida was assessed during routine obstetric history taking. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale by Cox, Holden, and Sagovski was used as the screening test for perinatal depression. 1. The marital status of the gravida with emphasis on cohabitation is a significant correlate of perinatal depression and its risk. 2. Clinical examination should concentrate not only on the physical and medical condition but also on the psychosocial status of the patient as the predictor of perinatal depression. 3. All pregnant women living in informal partnerships should be offered psychological support.

  11. Perinatal depression and screening among Aboriginal Australians in the Kimberley.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotz, Jayne; Munns, Ailsa; Marriott, Rhonda; Marley, Julia V

    2016-02-01

    Adhoc culturally questionable perinatal mental-health screening among Aboriginal women in the Kimberley. Mental-health issues, substance abuse and suicide attempts are high among young Aboriginal women in Australia. There is no evidence that the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is effective or culturally safe. Screening practices are complicated by limited understanding of the complex cultural interface between Western and Aboriginal beliefs and notions about health and mental-health. What is the current context of perinatal mental-health screening practices among Aboriginal women in the Kimberley and what might be considered a culturally safe approach? A review of the literature and exploration of current screening practices preceded community participatory action research (CPAR) of perinatal mental-health screening. More than 100 Kimberley women and 72 health practitioners contributed to this joint strategic body of work. Recommendations for practice include one single culturally appropriate Kimberley version of the EPDS.

  12. Grief in Two Guises: "Mourning and Melancholia" Revisited

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Viviane

    2013-01-01

    This paper is a re-reading of Freud's classic paper. The themes of mourning and melancholia are viewed in relation to children and adolescents with illustrations from case histories. Mourning is interpreted in a broader sense: not only as grief (both expectable and traumatic) but as a response to the developmental process itself as phases of…

  13. Hacia una visión constructivista del Duelo Going to a constructivist model of grief

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    Martín Rodríguez Alvaro

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Recientemente NANDA ha revisado su diagnóstico 00136 Duelo (antes Duelo anticipado. La nueva definición de este diagnóstico aprobado en 1980, incluye sutiles cambios que identifican al fenómeno como un proceso normal que incluye respuestas emocionales, físicas, espirituales, intelectuales y sociales. Esto supone un paso hacia la adopción desde la disciplina enfermera de una visión constructivista del duelo, desbancando las corrientes tradicionales que impregnan nuestro trabajo diario. En este artículo, pretendemos acercar al lector a una concepción de la muerte y el duelo desde una postura constructivista, estableciendo comparaciones entre esta tendencia y teorías tradicionales.Recently NANDA has modified his diagnosis 00136 Grief (previously titled "Aticipatory Grieving". The new definition of this diagnosis - dates back of 1980 - includes aspects like emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual and social answers to the grief; that identifies the grief as a normal response to loss. This supposes that nursing is going to a constructivist model (contemporary theory, not adopting traditional perspectives. In this article, we try to bring the reader over to a conception of the death, the grief and loss from a cognitive-constructivist model, doing a comparisons with traditional theories.

  14. Identifying a combined construct of grief and explosive anger as a response to injustice amongst survivors of mass conflict: A latent class analysis of data from Timor-Leste.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susan J Rees

    Full Text Available Previous studies have identified high rates of explosive anger amongst post-conflict populations including Timor-Leste. We sought to test whether explosive anger was integrally associated with symptoms of grief amongst the Timorese, a society that has experienced extensive conflict-related losses. In 2010 and 2011 we recruited adults (n = 2964, 18-years and older, living in an urban and a rural village in Timor-Leste. We applied latent class analysis to identify subpopulations based on symptoms of explosive anger and grief. The best fitting model comprised three classes: grief (24%, grief-anger (25%, and a low symptom group (51%. There were more women and urban dwellers in the grief and grief-anger classes compared to the reference class. Persons in the grief and grief-anger classes experienced higher rates of witnessing murder and atrocities and traumatic losses, ongoing poverty, and preoccupations with injustice for the two historical periods of conflict (the Indonesian occupation and the later internal conflict. Compared to the reference class, only the grief-anger class reported greater exposure to extreme deprivations during the conflict, ongoing family conflict, and preoccupations with injustice for contemporary times; and compared to the grief class, greater exposure to traumatic losses, poverty, family conflict and preoccupations with injustice for both the internal conflict and contemporary times. A substantial number of adults in this post-conflict country experienced a combined constellation of grief and explosive anger associated with extensive traumatic losses, deprivations, and preoccupations with injustice. Importantly, grief-anger may be linked to family conflict in this post-conflict environment.

  15. The role of grief symptoms and a sense of injustice in the pathways to post-traumatic stress symptoms in post-conflict Timor-Leste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tay, A K; Rees, S; Steel, Z; Liddell, B; Nickerson, A; Tam, N; Silove, D

    2017-08-01

    Grief symptoms and a sense of injustice may be interrelated responses amongst persons exposed to mass conflict and both reactions may contribute to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. As yet, however, there is a dearth of data examining these relationships. Our study examined the contributions of grief and a sense of injustice to a model of PTSD symptoms that included the established determinants of trauma events, ongoing adversity and severe psychological distress. The study involved a large population sample (n = 2964, response rate: 82.4%) surveyed in post-conflict Timor-Leste. The survey sites included an urban administrative area (suco) in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste and a rural village located an hour's drive away. Culturally adapted measures were applied to assess conflict related traumatic events (TEs), ongoing adversity, persisting preoccupations with injustice, symptoms of grief, psychological distress (including depressive symptoms) and PTSD symptoms. We tested a series of structural equation models, the final comprehensive model, which included indices of grief symptoms and injustice, producing a good fit. Locating grief symptoms as the endpoint of the model produced a non-converging model. In the final model, strong associations were evident between grief and injustice (β = 0.34, s.e. = 0.02, p < 0.01) and grief and PTSD symptoms (β = 0.14, s.e. = 0.02, p < 0.01). The sense of injustice exerted a considerable effect on PTSD symptoms (β = 0.13, s.e. = 0.03, p < 0.01). In addition, multiple indirect paths were evident, most involving grief and a sense of injustice, attesting to the complex inter-relationship of these factors in contributing to PTSD symptoms. Our findings support an expanded model of PTSD symptoms relevant to post-conflict populations, in which grief symptoms and a sense of injustice play pivotal roles. The model supports the importance of a focus on loss, grief and a sense of injustice in conducting trauma

  16. Optimism in prolonged grief and depression following loss: A three-wave longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boelen, Paul A

    2015-06-30

    There is considerable evidence that optimism, the predisposition to have generalized favorable expectancies for the future, is associated with numerous desirable outcomes. Few studies have examined the association of optimism with emotional distress following the death of a loved one. Doing so is important, because optimism may be an important target for interventions for post-loss psychopathology. In the current study, we examined the degree to which optimism, assessed in the first year post-loss (Time 1, T1), was associated with symptom levels of prolonged grief and depression six months (Time 2, T2) and fifteen months (Time 3, T3) later, controlling for baseline symptoms and also taking into account positive automatic cognitions at T1. Findings showed that higher optimism at T1 was associated with lower concurrent prolonged grief and depression severity. Higher optimism at T1 was also inversely related with depression symptom severity at T2 and T3, but not prolonged grief severity at T2 and T3. Implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Traditional and Contemporary Lakota Death, Dying, Grief, and Bereavement Beliefs and Practices: A Qualitative Study

    OpenAIRE

    Stone, Joseph B.

    1998-01-01

    Bereavement beliefs and practices in the modern, American culture have been well documented. However, virtually no research has been conducted on traditional and contemporary death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices among native tribes, such as the Lakota. The present study was conducted with the Lakota, and fulfilled two goals. iii First, the contemporary and traditional death, dying, grief, and bereavement beliefs and practices of the Lakota were documented and summariz...

  18. The Effectiveness of Family-Based Cognitive-Behavior Grief Therapy to Prevent Complicated Grief in Relatives of Suicide Victims : The Mediating Role of Suicide Ideation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Groot, M.; Neeleman, J.; van der Meer, K.; Burger, H.

    2010-01-01

    Grief interventions are more effective for high risk individuals. The presence of suicide ideation following suicide bereavement was examined to determine whether it indicates a high risk status. Using data from a randomized controlled trial (n =122) on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior

  19. Family Anticipatory Grief: An Integrative Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coelho, Alexandra; Barbosa, António

    2017-09-01

    Despite all the investment in research, uncertainty persists in anticipatory grief (AG) literature, concerning its nuclear characteristics and definition. This review aimed to synthesize recent research in order to develop further knowledge about the family experience of AG during a patient's end of life. An integrative review was performed using standard methods of analysis and synthesis. The electronic databases Medline, Web of Knowledge, and EBSCO and relevant journals were systematically searched since 1990 to October 2015. Twenty-nine articles were selected, the majority with samples composed of caregivers of terminally ill patients with cancer. From systematic comparison of data referring to family end-of-life experience emerged 10 themes, which correspond to AG nuclear characteristics: anticipation of death, emotional distress, intrapsychic and interpersonal protection, exclusive focus on the patient care, hope, ambivalence, personal losses, relational losses, end-of-life relational tasks, and transition. For the majority of family caregivers in occidental society, AG is a highly stressful and ambivalent experience due to anticipation of death and relational losses, while the patient is physically present and needed of care, so family must be functional and inhibit grief expressions. The present study contributes to a deeper conceptualization of this term and to a more sensitive clinical practice.

  20. How adults with an intellectual disability experience bereavement and grief: a qualitative exploration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McRitchie, Robyn; McKenzie, Karen; Quayle, Ethel; Harlin, Margaret; Neumann, Katja

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of bereavement of 13 adults with an intellectual disability and found that their experiences could be situated within the concept of disenfranchised grief. The latter mediated participants' meaning making of the grieving process illustrated in the themes of intra- and interpersonal bereavement experiences, core beliefs about life and death, level of inclusion, and maintaining a continuing relationship with the deceased. The results suggest that participants experience bereavement and grief in a manner similar to that of the general population and suggest the need for open communication, facilitation of informed choice, and a culture of inclusion.

  1. [Can implementation of intensified perinatal survey be effective in improving the quality of perinatal care?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troszyński, Michał

    2010-01-01

    Intensive scientific research and rapid technical progress have influenced the rapid fall in term newborn mortality. At the same time new problems have arisen such as saving the lives of infants with low and very low birth weight. Solving these problems needs reorganization of perinatal care, better equipment, especially in reference units and in outpatient clinics, as well as more intensive staff training. to obtain information whether implementation of intensified perinatal survey of fetus and newborn mortality can improve the quality of perinatal care in Poland. Implementation of the survey based on Central Statistics Office (GUS) data, Ministry of Health MZ-29 section X Document and the author's own studies. In the year 2008 newborn with birth weight less than 2500 g, constituted 6,06% liveborn infants, newborn weighing from 1000 to 2499 g - 5%, those with weight from 500 to 999 g - 0.51% of all live born infants. These figures differ according to voivodeship. The intensive survey concerning birth weight and perinatal mortality indeces in voivodeshipPoland, as well as in individual voivodeships, showed differences between data from the Central Statistics Office and data from the Ministry of Health MZ-29 document. This may be due to different methods of registrating newborn deaths eg. newborns transfered in the first weekoflife from the maternity ward to intensive care neonatal ward or to other specialistic departaments. Another reason for the difference may be discharge of the newborn data according to the place of birth or the mother's place of permanent domicile registration. This causes disturbances in flow of infomation resulting in ineffective analysis of perinatal mortality and of perinatal care evaluation. In the ongoing analysis it was found that in Poland stillbirths occur twice as often as perinatal deaths (4.3 per thousands) stillbirths and 2.15 per thousands perinatal deaths), with significant differences between voivodeships. This makes it

  2. Factorial structure of complicated grief: associations with loss-related traumatic events and psychosocial impacts of mass conflict amongst West Papuan refugees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tay, Alvin Kuowei; Rees, Susan; Chen, Jack; Kareth, Moses; Silove, Derrick

    2016-03-01

    Definitions of complicated grief vary across diagnostic systems, being represented as persistent complex bereavement (PCB) in DSM-5 and prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in the proposed revision of the ICD system. A past study in a high-income country has identified a six-factor structure for complicated grief, but there are no data testing this or any other model across cultures. The present study reports findings from a survey amongst West Papuan refugees (n = 230, response rate = 92 %) residing in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. We applied culturally adapted measures of conflict-related traumatic event (TEs) (drawing specifically on domains of conflict and loss), symptoms of complicated grief adapted and modified to the culture, and a multidimensional psychosocial index of the broader effects of conflict and displacement. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded a single higher order construct of complicated grief comprising six factors of yearning/preoccupation; shock/disbelief; anger/negative appraisal; behavioural change; estrangement from others/impairment; and a novel dimension of confusion/diminished identity. In contrast, our analysis failed to support DSM or ICD models of PCB or PGD. A Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model revealed that traumatic loss and the sense of injustice each were associated with the unitary construct of complicated grief and its subdomains of yearning/preoccupation; shock/disbelief; anger/negative appraisal (exclusive to injustice); and estrangement from others/social impairment (exclusive to TE domain of conflict and loss). Conflict and loss associated with feelings of injustice may be especially pathogenic in generating the anger/negative appraisal component of complicated grief amongst refugees.

  3. Parental grief and relationships after the loss of a stillborn baby.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avelin, Pernilla; Rådestad, Ingela; Säflund, Karin; Wredling, Regina; Erlandsson, Kerstin

    2013-06-01

    to describe the grief of mothers and fathers and its influence on their relationships after the loss of a stillborn baby. a postal questionnaire at three months, one year and two years after stillbirth. a study of mothers and fathers of babies stillborn during a one-year period in the Stockholm region of Sweden. 55 parents, 33 mothers and 22 fathers. mothers and fathers stated that they became closer after the loss, and that the feeling deepened over the course of the following year. The parents said that they began grieving immediately as a gradual process, both as individuals, and together as a couple. During this grieving process their expectations, expressions and personal and joint needs might have threatened their relationship as a couple, in that they individually felt alone at this time of withdrawal. While some mothers and fathers had similar grieving styles, the intensity and expression of grief varied, and the effects were profound and unique for each individual. experiences following a loss are complex, with each partner attempting to come to terms with the loss and the resultant effect on the relationship with their partner. anticipating and being able to acknowledge the different aspects of grief will enable professionals to implement more effective intervention in helping couples grieve both individually and together. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Eating disorders and trauma history in women with perinatal depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meltzer-Brody, Samantha; Zerwas, Stephanie; Leserman, Jane; Holle, Ann Von; Regis, Taylor; Bulik, Cynthia

    2011-06-01

    Although the prevalence of perinatal depression (depression occurring during pregnancy and postpartum) is 10%, little is known about psychiatric comorbidity in these women. We examined the prevalence of comorbid eating disorders (ED) and trauma history in women with perinatal depression. A research questionnaire was administered to 158 consecutive patients seen in a perinatal psychiatry clinic during pregnancy (n=99) or postpartum (n=59). Measures included Structured Clinical Interview for DSM (SCID) IV-based questions for lifetime eating psychopathology and assessments of comorbid psychiatric illness including the State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and Trauma Inventory. In this cohort, 37.1% reported a putative lifetime ED history; 10.1% reported anorexia nervosa (AN), 10.1% reported bulimia nervosa (BN), 10.1% reported ED not otherwise specified-purging subtype (EDNOS-P), and 7.0% reported binge eating disorder (BED). Women with BN reported more severe depression (EPDS score, 19.1, standard deviation [SD 4.3], p=0.02; PHQ-severity 14.5, SD 7.4, p=0.02) than the referent group of women with perinatal depression and no ED history (EPDS 13.3, SD=6.1; PHQ 9.0, SD=6.2). Women with AN were more likely to report sexual trauma history than the referent group (62.5% vs. 29.3%, pdepression and histories of physical and sexual trauma. Screening for histories of eating psychopathology is important in women with perinatal depression.

  5. Psychological and social consequences among mothers suffering from perinatal loss: perspective from a low income country

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Mohammed

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In developed countries, perinatal death is known to cause major emotional and social effects on mothers. However, little is known about these effects in low income countries which bear the brunt of perinatal mortality burden. This paper reports the impact of perinatal death on psychological status and social consequences among mothers in a rural area of Bangladesh. Methods A total of 476 women including 122 women with perinatal deaths were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-B at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, and followed up for negative social consequences at 6 months postpartum. Trained female interviewers carried out structured interviews at women's home. Results Overall 43% (95% CI: 33.7-51.8% of women with a perinatal loss at 6 weeks postpartum were depressed compared to 17% (95% CI: 13.7-21.9% with healthy babies (p = Conclusions This study highlights the greatly increased vulnerability of women with perinatal death to experience negative psychological and social consequences. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate mental health care services for mothers with perinatal deaths in Bangladesh, including interventions to develop positive family support.

  6. Mental health trajectories and related factors among perinatal women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Pei-Chao; Hung, Chich-Hsiu

    2015-06-01

    To investigate Taiwanese women's mental health trajectories from the third trimester of pregnancy to four weeks postpartum and the correlations of these trajectories with perceived social support and demographic characteristics. Previous studies have reported differences between prenatal and postpartum mental health status. A repeated design study was conducted in a medical hospital in Southern Taiwan. One-hundred and ninety-four Taiwanese women completed the Chinese Health Questionnaire and Social Support Scale at the 36th prenatal week and first and fourth week postpartum. Three linear mental health trajectories for perinatal women were identified. Consistently poor perinatal mental health was reported by 16·0% of the participants. Less social support was associated with lower prenatal mental health scores. Younger age was a risk factor for consistently poor perinatal health. Vaginal delivery was associated with improved mental health after childbirth. Mental health was worse in the third trimester of pregnancy than postpartum. Less social support was associated with lower prenatal mental health scores, and this association was similarly distributed between women with consistently poor and improved mental health after birth. Health care providers should assess women's mental health status and provide timely interventions during the perinatal period. Social support should be provided for pregnant women, especially younger women or those with lower perceived social support. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Men’s Grief, Meaning and Growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spaten, Ole Michael; Byrialsen, Mia Nørremark; Langdridge, Darren

    2012-01-01

    There is a scarcity of research on men's experience of bereavement (Reiniche, 2006), particularly in relation to qualitative research that focuses on the meaning of such an experience. This paper seeks to address this scarcity by presenting the findings from a phenomenological study of the life-w...... phenomenological method of Van Manen (1990) was used to uncover three key themes, labelled grief and self-reflection, meaning of life and loss, and re-figuring the life-world. These themes are discussed in the light of broader existential concerns and the extant literature....

  8. Persistent grief in the aftermath of mass violence: the predictive roles of posttraumatic stress symptoms, self-efficacy, and disrupted worldview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrew J; Abeyta, Andrew A; Hughes, Michael; Jones, Russell T

    2015-03-01

    This study tested a conceptual model merging anxiety buffer disruption and social-cognitive theories to predict persistent grief severity among students who lost a close friend, significant other, and/or professor/teacher in tragic university campus shootings. A regression-based path model tested posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptom severity 3 to 4 months postshooting (Time 1) as a predictor of grief severity 1 year postshootings (Time 2), both directly and indirectly through cognitive processes (self-efficacy and disrupted worldview). Results revealed a model that predicted 61% of the variance in Time 2 grief severity. Hypotheses were supported, demonstrating that Time 1 PTS severity indirectly, positively predicted Time 2 grief severity through undermining self-efficacy and more severely disrupting worldview. Findings and theoretical interpretation yield important insights for future research and clinical application. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Effects of Mental Health Support on the Grief of Bereaved People Caused by Sewol Ferry Accident.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Hyesung; Noh, Jin Won; Huh, Hyu Jung; Huh, Seung; Joo, Ji Young; Hong, Jin Hyuk; Chae, Jeong Ho

    2017-07-01

    Few studies have assessed the overall effects of multi-centered, complicated mental health support on the grief process. This study investigated the broader influence of mental health support provided practically to the bereaved family on the severity of complicated grief. Ninety-three bereaved family members of the Sewol ferry accident were recruited. Severity of complicated grief, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive disorder was assessed through self-reporting questionnaire, inventory of complicated grief (ICG), PTSD Check List-5 (PCL-5) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). We also included demographic, socioeconomic, health-related variables, and Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ), which affect the ICG score. Participants were divided into 4 groups based on the experience of psychotherapy or psychiatry clinic service before the accident and mental health support after the disaster. In univariate analysis, these 4 groups showed a significant difference in the mean ICG score (P = 0.020). Participants who received mental health support only after the Sewol ferry accident (group 2) showed a lower mean ICG score than those who received neither psychotherapy or psychiatry clinic service before the disaster nor mental health support after the accident (group 4). There was no significant correlation between the ICG score and other variables except for subjective health status measured 1 month after the disaster (P = 0.005). There was no significant difference in PCL-5 (P = 0.140) and PHQ-9 scores (P = 0.603) among groups, respectively. In conclusion, mental health support significantly reduced the severity of grief only in those participants who had not received any psychotherapy or psychiatry clinic service before the accident. © 2017 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

  10. Psychological and social consequences among mothers suffering from perinatal loss: perspective from a low income country.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gausia, Kaniz; Moran, Allisyn C; Ali, Mohammed; Ryder, David; Fisher, Colleen; Koblinsky, Marge

    2011-06-09

    In developed countries, perinatal death is known to cause major emotional and social effects on mothers. However, little is known about these effects in low income countries which bear the brunt of perinatal mortality burden. This paper reports the impact of perinatal death on psychological status and social consequences among mothers in a rural area of Bangladesh. A total of 476 women including 122 women with perinatal deaths were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-B) at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum, and followed up for negative social consequences at 6 months postpartum. Trained female interviewers carried out structured interviews at women's home. Overall 43% (95% CI: 33.7-51.8%) of women with a perinatal loss at 6 weeks postpartum were depressed compared to 17% (95% CI: 13.7-21.9%) with healthy babies (p = death to experience negative psychological and social consequences. There is an urgent need to develop appropriate mental health care services for mothers with perinatal deaths in Bangladesh, including interventions to develop positive family support.

  11. Perinatal tuberculosis: a diagnostic challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edna Lúcia S. de Souza

    Full Text Available Despite the high prevalence of tuberculosis in adults and children, the congenital and perinatal forms of tuberculosis are rare. In Brazil, there has been only one published case of congenital tuberculosis and two cases of the perinatal form of this disease. We report a case of perinatal tuberculosis presenting with pneumonia. Alcohol-acid-resistant bacilli were found in the gastric lavage. Diagnosis of this disease presentation requires a high index of suspicion.

  12. Music Therapy with Bereaved Youth: Expressing Grief and Feeling Better

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFerran, Katrina

    2011-01-01

    Music therapy is a promising intervention with bereaved youth. In comparison to other programs, it appears particularly effective for promoting the resolution of grief-related feelings; providing opportunities to express and release feelings through musical participation. Descriptions from music therapy participants are supported by research…

  13. The Emotional Experience of School Change: Resistance, Loss, and Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshak, David

    1996-01-01

    Ignoring the emotional experience of school change may unintentionally sabotage rational planning. Reinventing schools means attending to educators' emotional experience, particularly their expectations, sense of loss, and resulting grief. School norms must be transformed so that teachers and administrators can have meaningful conversations about…

  14. The Effectiveness of Family-Based Cognitive-Behavior Grief Therapy to Prevent Complicated Grief in Relatives of Suicide Victims: The Mediating Role of Suicide Ideation

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Groot, Marieke; Neeleman, Jan; van der Meer, Klaas; Burger, Huibert

    2010-01-01

    Grief interventions are more effective for high risk individuals. The presence of suicide ideation following suicide bereavement was examined to determine whether it indicates a high risk status. Using data from a randomized controlled trial (n = 122) on the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy, the effect of suicide ideation on the…

  15. Perinatal risk factors and social withdrawal behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guedeney, Antoine; Marchand-Martin, Laetitia; Cote, Sylvana J; Larroque, Béatrice

    2012-04-01

    The objectives of the study were (1) to assess prevalence of social withdrawal behaviour in infants aged 12 months included in the French Perinatal Risk Factor Study Eden; (2) To study the correlation between relational withdrawal and several perinatal and parental factors assessed in the EDEN study. A longitudinal study using the ADBB scale was conducted within the Eden Cohort in the year 2008. 1,586 infants were included in the study. Fourteen percent of the children who had an ADBB assessment had a score at 5 and over on the ADBB, a scale designed to assess social withdrawal behaviour at age 0-24 months. Social withdrawal at 12 months was associated with low birth weight, low gestational age and with intra uterine growth retardation. Social withdrawal was independently associated with several maternal and paternal risk factors. The level of social withdrawal behaviour increased with a score of maternal difficulties. This study on a large longitudinally followed volunteer sample demonstrate a clear association of social withdrawal behaviour at age one with low birth weight and preterm birth, possibly mediated by parental vulnerabilities. Social withdrawal behaviour seems to be an important alarm signal to detect early on particularly in premature and small for date babies. © Springer-Verlag 2012

  16. Bereaved parents' online grief communities: de-tabooing practices or grief-ghettos?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sandvik, Kjetil; Christensen, Dorthe Refslund; Hård af Segerstad, Ylva

    , children are not supposed to die before their parents, old people are supposed to die. Losing a child cuts to the core of human existence. A 100 years ago, the most common death was a child. Today, it is an old person. So the percentage of parents who have suffered the death of a child is comparably small...... compared with people who have lost an old relative. Moreover, the traditional view for socially accepted grief and mourning (at least in protestant Nordic countries) is often that you should not to grieve for too long, not too intensely or not to publicly. A taboo can be said to be a rule against something......-tabooing practices going on. In everyday interaction in the physical world there is a taboo against performing parenthood once your child is dead. It is normal for a parent to talk about their children extensively, as long as it lives. What is to be considered normal, or accepted, is a matter of perspective...

  17. Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    In this podcast, CDC’s Dr. Steve Nesheim discusses perinatal HIV transmission, including the importance of preventing HIV among women, preconception care, and timely HIV testing of the mother. Dr. Nesheim also introduces the revised curriculum Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission intended for faculty of OB/GYN and pediatric residents and nurse midwifery students.

  18. Inviting Grief into Games

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Harrer, Sabine; Schoenau-Fog, Henrik

    2015-01-01

    facilitation process with Jocoi. It will trace key moments in moving from kick-off workshop to the final game. Finally, the ensuing discussion will highlight learnings for a broader understanding of introducing diversity into games. The question of appropriateness seems to be of particular importance for game......This paper investigates how designers might initiate a dialogue with underrepresented groups, infusing design with individuals’ personal stories and imaginations. It does so alongside the example of Jocoi, a game aiming at mediating the experience of loss and grief over a dead baby. Apart from...... being a taboo subject in general, there is no explanation for the absence of this fairly common experience in games. Drawing on the emotional worlds and tastes of individuals identifying as bereft parents, Jocoi involved a collaboration with an Austrian self-help group for affected parents. The stories...

  19. MMPI-2: Cluster Analysis of Personality Profiles in Perinatal Depression—Preliminary Evidence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Meuti

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. To assess personality characteristics of women who develop perinatal depression. Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, to which was administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2. A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 55 subjects was selected; clinical and validity scales of MMPI-2 were used as predictors in hierarchical cluster analysis carried out. Results. The analysis identified three clusters of personality profile: two “clinical” clusters (1 and 3 and an “apparently common” one (cluster 2. The first cluster (39.5% collects structures of personality with prevalent obsessive or dependent functioning tending to develop a “psychasthenic” depression; the third cluster (13.95% includes women with prevalent borderline functioning tending to develop “dysphoric” depression; the second cluster (46.5% shows a normal profile with a “defensive” attitude, probably due to the presence of defense mechanisms or to the fear of stigma. Conclusion. Characteristics of personality have a key role in clinical manifestations of perinatal depression; it is important to detect them to identify mothers at risk and to plan targeted therapeutic interventions.

  20. MMPI-2: Cluster Analysis of Personality Profiles in Perinatal Depression—Preliminary Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grillo, Alessandra; Lauriola, Marco; Giacchetti, Nicoletta

    2014-01-01

    Background. To assess personality characteristics of women who develop perinatal depression. Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, to which was administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2). A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 55 subjects) was selected; clinical and validity scales of MMPI-2 were used as predictors in hierarchical cluster analysis carried out. Results. The analysis identified three clusters of personality profile: two “clinical” clusters (1 and 3) and an “apparently common” one (cluster 2). The first cluster (39.5%) collects structures of personality with prevalent obsessive or dependent functioning tending to develop a “psychasthenic” depression; the third cluster (13.95%) includes women with prevalent borderline functioning tending to develop “dysphoric” depression; the second cluster (46.5%) shows a normal profile with a “defensive” attitude, probably due to the presence of defense mechanisms or to the fear of stigma. Conclusion. Characteristics of personality have a key role in clinical manifestations of perinatal depression; it is important to detect them to identify mothers at risk and to plan targeted therapeutic interventions. PMID:25574499

  1. Predictors of Complicated Grief after a Natural Disaster: A Population Study Two Years after the 2004 South-East Asian Tsunami

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kristensen, Pal; Weisaeth, Lars; Heir, Trond

    2010-01-01

    The authors examined predictors of complicated grief (CG) in Norwegians 2 years after bereavement in the 2004 South-East Asian tsunami. A cross-sectional postal survey retrospectively covering disaster experiences and assessing CG according to the Inventory of Complicated Grief yielded 130 respondents (35 directly disaster-exposed and 95 not…

  2. Association between hypoxia and perinatal arterial ischemic stroke: a meta-analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lili Luo

    Full Text Available Perinatal arterial ischemic stroke (AIS occurs in an estimated 17 to 93 per 100000 live births, yet the etiology is poorly understood. Although investigators have implicated hypoxia as a potential cause of AIS, the role of hypoxia in AIS remains controversial. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between perinatal hypoxia factors and perinatal arterial ischemic stroke through a meta-analysis of published observational studies.A systematic search of electronically available studies published through July 2013 was conducted. Publication bias and heterogeneity across studies were evaluated and summary odds ratios (ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs were calculated with fixed-effects or random-effects models.A total of 8 studies describing the association between perinatal hypoxia factors and neonatal arterial ischemic stroke (AIS met inclusion criteria, and 550 newborns with AIS were enrolled. The associations were found for AIS: preeclampsia (OR 2.14; 95% CI, 1.25 to 3.66, ventouse delivery (OR 2.23; 95% CI, 1.26 to 3.97, fetal heart rate abnormalities (OR 6.30; 95% CI, 3.84 to 10.34, reduced fetal movement (OR 5.35; 95% CI, 2.17 to 13.23, meconium-stained liquor (OR 3.05; 95% CI, 2.02 to 4.60, low Apgar score (OR 5.77; 95% CI, 1.66 to 20.04 and resuscitation at birth (OR 4.59; 95% CI, 3.23 to 6.52. Our data did not show any significant change of the mean risk estimate for oxytocin induction (OR 1.33; 95% CI, 0.84 to 2.11 and low arterial umbilical cord ph (OR 4.63; 95% CI 2.14 to 9.98.There is a significant association between perinatal hypoxia factors and AIS. The result indicates that perinatal hypoxia maybe one of causes of AIS. Large scale prospective clinical studies are still warranted.

  3. Strengthening Grief Support for Adolescents Coping with a Peer's Death

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balk, David E.; Zaengle, Donna; Corr, Charles A.

    2011-01-01

    This article offers suggestions for strengthening school-based grief support following an adolescent's death. Such interventions must be considered within the context of: (a) development during adolescence; (b) the role of peers in adolescent development; and (c) the fact that an adolescent peer's death is a non-normative life crisis in developed…

  4. Acknowledging sexual bereavement: a path out of disenfranchised grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radosh, Alice; Simkin, Linda

    2016-11-01

    Despite increasing awareness of the importance of sexuality for older adults, research and popular literature rarely acknowledge what we term "sexual bereavement" - mourning the loss of sexual intimacy when predeceased. The reluctance to acknowledge sexual bereavement may create "disenfranchised grief" leaving the bereaved unsupported in coping with this aspect of mourning. This preliminary study focuses on women in the United States and sought to determine whether they anticipate missing sex if predeceased, whether they would want to talk about this loss, and identified factors associated with communicating about sexual bereavement. Findings from our survey of 104 women, 55 years and older, most of whom were heterosexual, revealed that a large majority (72%) anticipates missing sex with their partner and 67% would want to initiate a discussion about this. An even higher percentage would want friends to initiate the topic. Yet, 57% of participants report it would not occur to them to initiate a discussion with a widowed friend about the friend's loss. Disenfranchised grief can have negative emotional and physical consequences. This paper suggests a role for friends and professionals in addressing this neglected issue. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Prolonged grief disorder: Psychometric validation of criteria proposed for DSM-V and ICD-11.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holly G Prigerson

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Bereavement is a universal experience, and its association with excess morbidity and mortality is well established. Nevertheless, grief becomes a serious health concern for a relative few. For such individuals, intense grief persists, is distressing and disabling, and may meet criteria as a distinct mental disorder. At present, grief is not recognized as a mental disorder in the DSM-IV or ICD-10. The goal of this study was to determine the psychometric validity of criteria for prolonged grief disorder (PGD to enhance the detection and potential treatment of bereaved individuals at heightened risk of persistent distress and dysfunction.A total of 291 bereaved respondents were interviewed three times, grouped as 0-6, 6-12, and 12-24 mo post-loss. Item response theory (IRT analyses derived the most informative, unbiased PGD symptoms. Combinatoric analyses identified the most sensitive and specific PGD algorithm that was then tested to evaluate its psychometric validity. Criteria require reactions to a significant loss that involve the experience of yearning (e.g., physical or emotional suffering as a result of the desired, but unfulfilled, reunion with the deceased and at least five of the following nine symptoms experienced at least daily or to a disabling degree: feeling emotionally numb, stunned, or that life is meaningless; experiencing mistrust; bitterness over the loss; difficulty accepting the loss; identity confusion; avoidance of the reality of the loss; or difficulty moving on with life. Symptoms must be present at sufficiently high levels at least six mo from the death and be associated with functional impairment.The criteria set for PGD appear able to identify bereaved persons at heightened risk for enduring distress and dysfunction. The results support the psychometric validity of the criteria for PGD that we propose for inclusion in DSM-V and ICD-11. Please see later in the article for Editors' Summary.

  6. The implementation of unit-based perinatal mortality audit in perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    van Diem Mariet Th

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Perinatal (mortality audit can be considered to be a way to improve the careprocess for all pregnant women and their newborns by creating an opportunity to learn from unwanted events in the care process. In unit-based perinatal audit, the caregivers involved in cases that result in mortality are usually part of the audit group. This makes such an audit a delicate matter. Methods The purpose of this study was to implement unit-based perinatal mortality audit in all 15 perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands between September 2007 and March 2010. These units consist of hospital-based and independent community-based perinatal caregivers. The implementation strategy encompassed an information plan, an organization plan, and a training plan. The main outcomes are the number of participating perinatal cooperation units at the end of the project, the identified substandard factors (SSF, the actions to improve care, and the opinions of the participants. Results The perinatal mortality audit was implemented in all 15 perinatal cooperation units. 677 different caregivers analyzed 112 cases of perinatal mortality and identified 163 substandard factors. In 31% of cases the guidelines were not followed and in 23% care was not according to normal practice. In 28% of cases, the documentation was not in order, while in 13% of cases the communication between caregivers was insufficient. 442 actions to improve care were reported for ‘external cooperation’ (15%, ‘internal cooperation’ (17%, ‘practice organization’ (26%, ‘training and education’ (10%, and ‘medical performance’ (27%. Valued aspects of the audit meetings were: the multidisciplinary character (13%, the collective and non-judgmental search for substandard factors (21%, the perception of safety (13%, the motivation to reflect on one’s own professional performance (5%, and the inherent postgraduate education (10%. Conclusion

  7. "Prolonged grief disorder" and "persistent complex bereavement disorder", but not "complicated grief", are one and the same diagnostic entity : an analysis of data from the Yale Bereavement Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Maciejewski, Paul K; Maercker, Andreas; Boelen, Paul A|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/174011954; Prigerson, Holly G

    2016-01-01

    There exists a general consensus that prolonged grief disorder (PGD), or some variant of PGD, represents a distinct mental disorder worthy of diagnosis and treatment. Nevertheless, confusion remains over whether different names and proposed symptom criteria for this disorder identify the same or

  8. Helping parents live with the hole in their heart: The role of health care providers and institutions in the bereaved parents' grief journeys.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snaman, Jennifer M; Kaye, Erica C; Torres, Carlos; Gibson, Deborah V; Baker, Justin N

    2016-09-01

    Bereaved parents experience significant psychosocial and health sequelae, suggesting that this population may benefit from the ongoing extension of support and resources throughout the grief journey. The interaction of hospital staff with patients and families at the end of a child's life and after death profoundly affects parental grief, offering a unique opportunity for the medical community to positively impact the bereavement experience. The current study was conducted to explore the role of the health care team and medical institutions in the grief journeys of parents whose child died a cancer-related death. Eleven bereaved parents participated in 2 focus groups. Responses to each of the 3 main prompts were coded and analyzed independently using semantic content analysis techniques. Four main concepts were identified within the parental narratives, including the importance of strong and ongoing relationships between providers and bereaved families, the importance of high-quality communication, the effect of negative experiences between providers and families on parental grief, and the importance of the institution's role in the grief journeys of bereaved parents. Bereaved parents consistently identified the critical role played by medical staff and medical institutions throughout the grief journey. Key components of bereavement support identified by parents should serve to guide the actions of providers as well as provide a template for the development of a comprehensive bereavement program within an institution. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society. Cancer 2016;122:2757-2765. © 2016 American Cancer Society. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

  9. Depression or Grief? The Experience of Caregivers of People with Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Rebecca J.; Pomeroy, Elizabeth C.

    1996-01-01

    Study of caregivers of people with dementia suggests that the depression so frequently described in the literature may not be as severe or clinically significant as previously thought and may be described as anticipatory grief. Results may assist practitioners in planning and evaluating the effectiveness of clinical interventions. (RJM)

  10. Perinatal safety: from concept to nursing practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyndon, Audrey; Kennedy, Holly Powell

    2010-01-01

    Communication and teamwork problems are leading causes of documented preventable adverse outcomes in perinatal care. An essential component of perinatal safety is the organizational culture in which clinicians work. Clinicians' individual and collective authority to question the plan of care and take action to change the direction of a clinical situation in the patient's best interest can be viewed as their "agency for safety." However, collective agency for safety and commitment to support nurses in their role of advocacy is missing in many perinatal care settings. This article draws from Organizational Accident Theory, High Reliability Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism to describe the nurse's role in maintaining safety during labor and birth in acute care settings and suggests actions for supporting the perinatal nurse at individual, group, and systems levels to achieve maximum safety in perinatal care.

  11. Perinatal Safety: From Concept to Nursing Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kennedy, Holly Powell

    2010-01-01

    Communication and teamwork problems are leading causes of documented preventable adverse outcomes in perinatal care. An essential component of perinatal safety is the organizational culture in which clinicians work. Clinicians’ individual and collective authority to question the plan of care and take action to change the direction of a clinical situation in the patient’s best interest can be viewed as their “agency for safety.” However, collective agency for safety and commitment to support nurses in their advocacy role is missing in many perinatal care settings. This paper draws from Organizational Accident Theory, High Reliability Theory, and Symbolic Interactionism to describe the nurse’s role in maintaining safety during labor and birth in acute care settings, and suggests actions for supporting the perinatal nurse at individual, group, and systems levels to achieve maximum safety in perinatal care. PMID:20147827

  12. Immigrants Coping with Transnational Deaths and Bereavement: The Influence of Migratory Loss and Anticipatory Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesteruk, Olena

    2017-12-14

    This study examines immigrants' experiences of bereavement and coping with the deaths of family members in a transnational context. Data were collected through in-depth personal interviews with middle-aged and older immigrants from different countries of origin, who have been living in the United States for a majority of their adult lives. Thematic analysis of participants' narratives showed that immigrants' geographic distance from family complicated caregiving circumstances and rituals surrounding burial, and impacted the grieving process. At the same time, this distance also served as an emotional barrier and provided protection from prolonged grief. Immigrants' U.S.-based family and work responsibilities served as buffers from prolonged grief. Over time, immigrants became Americanized in their attitudes toward coping with death and favored a fast return to productive activities. Finally, immigrants' experience of migratory loss and anticipatory grief early in immigration, along with their personal growth and resilience developed over time, impacted their bereavement experiences later in life. Considering the limitations and the exploratory nature of the present study, further research is needed to investigate the specifics of coping with loss and bereavement among immigrants. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

  13. Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2012-11-26

    In this podcast, CDC’s Dr. Steve Nesheim discusses perinatal HIV transmission, including the importance of preventing HIV among women, preconception care, and timely HIV testing of the mother. Dr. Nesheim also introduces the revised curriculum Eliminating Perinatal HIV Transmission intended for faculty of OB/GYN and pediatric residents and nurse midwifery students.  Created: 11/26/2012 by Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention.   Date Released: 11/26/2012.

  14. Perinatal risk factors for strabismus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Torp-Pedersen, Tobias; Boyd, Heather A; Poulsen, Gry

    2010-01-01

    Little is known about the aetiological factors underlying strabismus. We undertook a large cohort study to investigate perinatal risk factors for strabismus, overall and by subtype.......Little is known about the aetiological factors underlying strabismus. We undertook a large cohort study to investigate perinatal risk factors for strabismus, overall and by subtype....

  15. Online Structured Writing Therapy for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Complicated Grief

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruwaard, J.; Lange, A.; Lindefors, N.; Andersson, G.

    2016-01-01

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complicated grief are related disorders for which well-described and effective cognitive-behavioural therapeutic procedures exist that are firmly rooted in theoretical work. As a result, several research groups have been able to successfully translate these

  16. Perinatal death audits in a peri-urban hospital in Kampala, Uganda ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The perinatal mortality of 70 deaths per 1,000 total births in Uganda is unacceptably high. Perinatal death audits are important for improvement of perinatal care and reduction of perinatal morality. We integrated perinatal death audits in routine care, and describe its effect on perinatal mortality rate at Nsambya ...

  17. MRI of perinatal brain injury

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rutherford, Mary; Allsop, Joanna [Imperial College, Robert Steiner MR Unit, Perinatal Imaging, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Martinez Biarge, Miriam [La Paz University Hospital, Dept of Neonatology, Madrid (Spain); Counsell, Serena [Imperial College, Robert Steiner MR Unit, Neonatal Medicine, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom); Cowan, Frances [Imperial College, Dept of Paediatrics, Hammersmith Hospital, London (United Kingdom)

    2010-06-15

    MRI is invaluable in assessing the neonatal brain following suspected perinatal injury. Good quality imaging requires adaptations to both the hardware and the sequences used for adults or older children. The perinatal and postnatal details often predict the pattern of lesions sustained and should be available to aid interpretation of the imaging findings. Perinatal lesions, the pattern of which can predict neurodevelopmental outcome, are at their most obvious on conventional imaging between 1 and 2 weeks from birth. Very early imaging during the first week may be useful to make management decisions in ventilated neonates but brain abnormalities may still be subtle using conventional sequences. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is very useful for the early identification of ischaemic tissue in the neonatal brain but may underestimate the final extent of injury, particularly basal ganglia and thalamic lesions. MR imaging is an excellent predictor of outcome following perinatal brain injury and can therefore be used as a biomarker in interventional trials designed to reduce injury and improve neurodevelopmental outcome. (orig.)

  18. MRI of perinatal brain injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rutherford, Mary; Allsop, Joanna; Martinez Biarge, Miriam; Counsell, Serena; Cowan, Frances

    2010-01-01

    MRI is invaluable in assessing the neonatal brain following suspected perinatal injury. Good quality imaging requires adaptations to both the hardware and the sequences used for adults or older children. The perinatal and postnatal details often predict the pattern of lesions sustained and should be available to aid interpretation of the imaging findings. Perinatal lesions, the pattern of which can predict neurodevelopmental outcome, are at their most obvious on conventional imaging between 1 and 2 weeks from birth. Very early imaging during the first week may be useful to make management decisions in ventilated neonates but brain abnormalities may still be subtle using conventional sequences. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is very useful for the early identification of ischaemic tissue in the neonatal brain but may underestimate the final extent of injury, particularly basal ganglia and thalamic lesions. MR imaging is an excellent predictor of outcome following perinatal brain injury and can therefore be used as a biomarker in interventional trials designed to reduce injury and improve neurodevelopmental outcome. (orig.)

  19. The existential realities of grief and bereavement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Køster, Allan; Winther-Lindqvist, Ditte

    Our poster outlines the basic analytical and methodological strategy of a pending 3-year investigation into the existential dimensions of grief. The project is divided into two main foci: 1) a retrospective investigation into how bereavement of a parent in childhood/adolescence shapes the various....... Methodologically our design stands out by including a strong focus on the embodied and prereflective dimension of personal existences and connecting this with narrative accounts. The theoretical basis for this approach has been presented in recent publications by the authors (Køster & Winther-Lindqvist 2017...... and Køster 2016, 2017) and will be explicated in the poster session....

  20. Dream Content in Complicated Grief: A Window into Loss-Related Cognitive Schemas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Germain, Anne; Shear, Katherine M.; Walsh, Colleen; Buysse, Daniel J.; Monk, Timothy H.; Reynolds, Charles F., III; Frank, Ellen; Silowash, Russell

    2013-01-01

    Bereavement and its accompanying psychological response (grief) constitute potent experiences that necessitate the reorganization of cognitive-affective representations of lost significant attachment figures during both wakefulness and dreaming. The goals of this preliminary study were to explore whether the dream content of 77 adults with…

  1. Let me hear of your mercy in the mourning: forgiveness, grief, and continuing bonds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gassin, Elizabeth A; Lengel, Gregory J

    2014-01-01

    Clarity about the utility of continuing bonds (CB) continues to be evasive in the research. In 2 different correlational studies, the authors explored the relationship between CB and 2 other variables: 1 representing mental health (forgiveness of the deceased) and the other representing psychological distress (prolonged grief). Although researchers have addressed the latter relationship in the literature, assessing the relationship between CB and forgiveness has not been undertaken. Results suggest that forgiveness in general, and affective aspects of forgiveness in particular, predict psychological forms of CB. Results related to grief depended on how CB was assessed. These findings provide evidence of the relative health of certain types of relationship with deceased persons and also suggest that forgiveness interventions may be a way of promoting such healthy bonds.

  2. Grief Interrupted: The Experience of Loss Among Incarcerated Women

    OpenAIRE

    Harner, Holly M.; Hentz, Patricia M.; Evangelista, Maria Carmela

    2010-01-01

    Incarcerated women face a number of stressors apart from the actual incarceration. Nearly half of all women in prison experience the death of a loved one during their incarceration. Our purpose for this study was to explore the experience of grief and loss among incarcerated women using a phenomenological method. Our study approach followed van Manen's method of phenomenology and Munhall's description of existential lifeworlds. Our analysis revealed four existential lifeworlds: temporality: f...

  3. Improving perinatal outcome: towards individualized care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kazemier, B.M.

    2015-01-01

    Unfortunately not all pregnancies and deliveries take place without complications. Complications during pregnancy or delivery can lead to maternal morbidity and poor perinatal outcomes such as perinatal mortality or (severe) neonatal morbidity. First assessment in antenatal care is to distinguish

  4. Family focused grief therapy: The therapy of choice in palliative care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klikovac Tamara

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Palliative care refers to offering physical, psychosocial and spiritual care to patients who are suffering from life threatening diseases. It also includes providing psychological support for family members and other close relations during the period of illness (anticipatory grief and in the period of bereavement and mourning after the patient's death. The choice of therapy during the process of bereavement and mourning is Family Focused Grief Therapy (FFGT. FFGT is a brief, focused and time-limited psychotherapeutic model of intervention belonging to family psychotherapy which is specified for the families that face a life threatening disease of a family member. FFGT, with some modifications, can be applied in work with the families who are facing a terminal illness of younger family members - a child or an adolescent. FFGT typically comprises of 7 to 9 sessions lasting for 90 minutes, which are arranged flexibly across 9 to 18 months, depending on the needs of each family individually. It is important to emphasize that the frequency and number of sessions in each phase depend on the specific features and needs of each particular family. The intervention aim of FFGT is to prevent the complications of bereavement by enhancing the functioning of the family, through exploration of its cohesion, communications (of thoughts and feelings, and handling of conflict. The story of illness and the related grief is shared in the process. The creator of this model is Dr David Kissane, a psychiatrist and a family psychotherapist from Melbourne, Australia, who also worked at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. The main aims of this article are, on the one hand, to introduce this very useful model of the family therapy to the professional community in Serbia and, on the other, to introduce a conceptual and practical frame of palliative care.

  5. Collaborative survey of perinatal loss in planned and unplanned home births. Northern Region Perinatal Mortality Survey Coordinating Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1996-11-23

    To document the outcome of planned and unplanned births outside hospital. Confidential review of every pregnancy ending in stillbirth or neonatal death in which plans had been made for home delivery, irrespective of where delivery eventually occurred. The review was part of a sustained collaborative survey of all perinatal deaths. Northern Regional Health Authority area. All 558,691 registered births to women normally resident in the former Northern Regional Health Authority area during 1981-94. Perinatal death. The estimated perinatal mortality during 1981-94 among women booked for a home birth was 14 deaths in 2888 births. This was less than half that among all women in the region. Only three of the 14 women delivered outside hospital. Independent review suggested that two of the 14 deaths might have been averted by different management. Both births occurred in hospital, and in only one was management before admission of the mother judged inappropriate. Perinatal loss to the 64 women who booked for hospital delivery but delivered outside and to the 67 women who delivered outside hospital without ever making arrangements to receive professional care during labour accounted for the high perinatal mortality (134 deaths in 3466 deliveries) among all births outside hospital. The perinatal hazard associated with planned home birth in the few women who exercised this option (unplanned delivery outside hospital.

  6. Old Pain or New Pain: A Social Psychological Approach to Recurrent Grief.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brabant, Sarah

    1990-01-01

    Draws on work of George Herbert Mead to question premise that acute grief that continues or reoccurs two or more years following loss of loved one is pathological. Suggests that onset of intense pain years after loss may be response to "new" death or loss. (Author/NB)

  7. Size acceptance as a grief process: observations from psychotherapy with lesbian feminists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtney, Jeanne

    2008-01-01

    Based on observations from my psychotherapy practice, I apply Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) to the process a woman goes through when she learns about size acceptance and lets go of the unrealistic wish to make her body size conform to fat-phobic societal ideals of female beauty. Clients' presentations, therapeutic interventions, and countertransference are discussed for each stage. Lesbian feminists are likely to embrace size acceptance politics but may retain negative feelings about their own body size. In the bargaining stage, they may confound health concerns with body image issues, and it is important in their therapy to provide a holding environment that can tolerate ambivalence. My own depression stage was marked by countertransference that caused me to avoid the topic of body image with my clients. Therapists can help women in the size acceptance grief process by exploring their own evolving feelings about body image, bringing up the topic, and providing a non-judgmental holding environment.

  8. College Students' Grief and Coping Strategies in Bereavement and Separation

    OpenAIRE

    Nakajima, Naomi; Kodama, Kenichi

    2013-01-01

    The purposes of this study are to clarify the characteristics of college students' bereavement and separation and the relationship between coping strategies and grief reactions in bereavement and separation. 212 college students completed questionnaires. The results indicated that the majority of the respondents have experienced some bereavement or separation, in particular, separation from the lover. Multiple regression analyses showed that coping strategies such as "avoidance", "abandonment...

  9. Perinatal mortality and socio-spatial inequalities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunice Francisca Martins

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to analyze the social inequalities in the distribution of perinatal mortality in Belo Horizonte. MATERIAL AND METHODS: the perinatal deaths of residents in Belo Horizonte in the period 2003 to 2007 were studied on the basis of the Information Systems on Mortality and Newborns. The space analysis and the Health Vulnerability Index were used to identify existing inequalities in the sanitary districts regarding coverage and risk, determined by the Odds Ratio and a value p<0.05. The multivariate analysis was used to describe a model for perinatal mortality. RESULTS: there was a proved variation in the numbers of perinatal mortality per one thousand total births in the sanitary districts (12.5 to 19.4, coverage areas (5.3 to 49.4 and areas of risk (13.2 to 20.7. The mortality rate diminished as the maternal schooling increased. The death rates deriving from asphyxia/hypoxia and non-specified fetal death grew with the increase of risk in the area. CONCLUSION: it was verified that the perinatal deaths are distributed in a differentiated form in relation to the space and the social vulnerabilities. The confrontation of this complex problem requires the establishment of intersecting partnerships.

  10. Prolonged grief and depression after unnatural loss : Latent class analyses and cognitive correlates

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boelen, Paul A; Reijntjes, Albert; J Djelantik, A A A Manik; Smid, Geert E

    2016-01-01

    This study sought to identify (a) subgroups among people confronted with unnatural/violent loss characterized by different symptoms profiles of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and depression, and (b) socio-demographic, loss-related, and cognitive variables associated with subgroup membership. We used

  11. Perinatal Mortality Among Twins In Lagos University Teaching ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Perinatal mortality rate is reported to be higher in twins than in singletons. More than two decades ago, Abudu and Agarin reported a twinning rate of 21.1/1000 maternities and perinatal mortality rate of 142.6/1000 among twins in Lagos. Objective: To determine the current perinatal mortality rate and risk factors ...

  12. Value of the perinatal autopsy : Critique

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gordijn, SJ; Erwich, JJHM; Khong, TY

    2002-01-01

    In consenting to a perinatal autopsy, the primary motive of parents may be to find the exact cause of death. A critical review on the value of perinatal autopsies was performed to see whether parents could be counseled regarding their main motive. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE,

  13. Tradução portuguesa, adaptação e validação da Perinatal Bereavement Grief Scale (PBGS em mulheres com perda de gravidez Traducción portuguesa, adaptación y validación de la Perinatal Bereavement Grief Scale (PBGS en mujeres con pérdida gestacional Portuguese translation, adaptation and validation of the Perinatal Bereavement Grief Scale (PBGS in women with pregnancy loss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cândida Koch

    2012-03-01

    stressor. To mourn a loss of this type can be complex and early evaluation can allow more effective interventions. Few instruments exist for this assessment. Therefore in this study we sought to translate, adapt, and evaluate the applicability of the PBGS to women in situations of involuntary pregnancy loss, examining its measurement capabilities. The sample consisted of 100 women between four and six weeks after their respective losses. The analysis of the scale’s primary components confirmed its unique dimensional structure as proposed by the author. Although slightly lower than originally presented, the scale’s level of reliability, as evidenced in our study (Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient 0.81, is also satisfactory. The scale shows good temporal stability (r = 0.98, p <0.01. The scale, applied in this study, was found to be both reliable and valid, and may constitute an important tool to be used by nurses in evaluating women at risk of developing complications while adapting to pregnancy loss.

  14. Maladaptive coping in adults who have experienced early parental loss and grief counseling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høeg, Beverley Lim; Appel, Charlotte W.; von Heymann-Horan, Annika B.

    2017-01-01

    bereaved adults who received grief counseling (N = 822 women, N = 190 men) with bereaved controls who had not (N = 233 women, N = 66 men). Bereaved adults reported significantly more substance use, behavioral disengagement, and emotional eating than non-bereaved adults. Counseling participants reported...

  15. [Tobacco control policies and perinatal health].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peelen, M J; Sheikh, A; Kok, M; Hajenius, P; Zimmermann, L J; Kramer, B W; Hukkelhoven, C W; Reiss, I K; Mol, B W; Been, J V

    2017-01-01

    Study the association between the introduction of tobacco control policies in the Netherlands and changes in perinatal outcomes. National quasi-experimental study. We used Netherlands Perinatal Registry data (now called Perined) for the period 2000-2011. We studied whether the introduction of smoke-free legislation in workplaces plus a tobacco tax increase and mass media campaign in January 2004, and extension of the smoke-free law to the hospitality industry accompanied by another tax increase and media campaign in July 2008, was associated with changes in perinatal outcomes. We studied all singleton births (gestational age: 24+0 to 42+6 weeks). Our primary outcome measures were: perinatal mortality, preterm birth and being small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Interrupted time series logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate changes in these outcomes occurred after the introduction of the aforementioned tobacco control policies (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02189265). Among 2,069,695 singleton births, 13,027 (0.6%) perinatal deaths, 116,043 (5.6%) preterm live-births and 187,966 (9.1%) SGA live-births were observed. The policies introduced in January 2004 were not associated with significant changes in any of the primary outcome measures. A -4.4% (95% CI: -6.4 to -2.4; p hospitality industry, a further tax increase and another media campaign. This translates to an estimated over 500 cases of SGA being averted per year. A reduction in SGA births, but not preterm birth or perinatal mortality, was observed in the Netherlands after extension of the smoke-free workplace law to include bars and restaurants, in conjunction with a tax increase and media campaign in 2008.

  16. Long-term effects of the Family Bereavement Program on spousally bereaved parents: Grief, mental health problems, alcohol problems, and coping efficacy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandler, Irwin; Tein, Jenn-Yun; Cham, Heining; Wolchik, Sharlene; Ayers, Tim

    2016-08-01

    This study reports on the findings from a 6-year follow-up of a randomized trial of the Family Bereavement Program (FBP) on the outcomes for spousally bereaved parents. Spousally bereaved parents (N = 131) participated in the trial in which they were randomly assigned to receive the FBP (N = 72) or literature control (N = 59). Parents were assessed at four time points: pretest, posttest, and 11-month and 6-year follow-up. They reported on mental health problems, grief, and parenting at all four time periods. At the 6-year follow-up, parents reported on additional measures of persistent complex bereavement disorder, alcohol abuse problems, and coping efficacy. Bereaved parents in the FBP as compared to those in the literature control had lower levels of symptoms of depression, general psychiatric distress, prolonged grief, and alcohol problems, and higher coping efficacy (for mothers) at the 6-year follow-up. Multiple characteristics of the parent (e.g., gender, age, and baseline mental health problems) and of the spousal death (e.g., cause of death) were tested as moderators of program effects on each outcome, but only 3 of 45 tests of moderation were significant. Latent growth modeling found that the effects of the FBP on depression, psychiatric distress, and grief occurred immediately following program participation and were maintained over 6 years. Mediation analysis found that improvement in positive parenting partially mediated program effects to reduce depression and psychiatric distress, but had an indirect effect to higher levels of grief at the 6-year follow-up. Mediation analysis also found that improved parenting at the 6-year follow-up was partially mediated by program effects to reduce depression and that program effects to increase coping efficacy at the 6-year follow-up was partially mediated through reduced depression and grief and improved parenting. FBP reduced mental health problems, prolonged grief, and alcohol abuse, and increased coping

  17. Rural health professionals' perspectives on providing grief and loss support in cancer care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breen, L J; O'Connor, M

    2013-11-01

    Research demonstrates considerable inequalities in service delivery and health outcomes for people with cancer living outside large metropolitan cities. Semi-structured interviews with 11 professionals providing grief and loss support for people with cancer and their families in rural, regional, and remote areas Western Australia revealed the challenges they faced in delivering such support. The data are presented in four themes - Inequity of regional versus metropolitan services, Strain of the 'Jack of all trades' role, Constraints to accessing professional development, and Challenges in delivering post-bereavement services. These challenges are likely to be of growing concern given that populations are declining in rural areas as Australia becomes increasingly urban. The findings have implications in enhancing the loss and grief support services available in rural, regional, and remote Western Australia, including those grieving the death of a loved one through cancer. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Art Therapy Applications of Dolls in Grief Recovery, Identity, and Community Service

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feen-Calligan, Holly; McIntyre, Barbara; Sands-Goldstein, Margaret

    2009-01-01

    This article reviews the history of dollmaking that is relevant to art therapy, and the application of dolls as therapeutic media in clinical and educational settings. The authors describe their experiences using dollmaking in the resolution of grief, in professional identity construction, and in community service. The article addresses the…

  19. Understanding Parental Grief as a Response to Mental Illness: Implications for Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penzo, Jeanine A.; Harvey, Pat

    2008-01-01

    Parents who are raising children with mental illness struggle with feelings of grief and loss. Kubler-Ross' (1969) stages of grieving (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) are examined as experienced by parents raising children with chronic mental illness. Practice implications for social workers who are working with children and…

  20. Low cerebral blood flow in hypotensive perinatal distress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lou, H C; Lassen, N A; Friis-Hansen, B

    1977-01-01

    was used for the cerebral blood flow measurements. The study confirmed that perinatal distress may be associated with low arterial blood pressure, and it was shown that cerebral blood flow is very low, 20 ml/100 g/min or less, in hypotensive perinatal distress. It is concluded that cerebral ischaemia plays...... a crucial role in the development of perinatal hypoxic brain injury....

  1. Complicated grief in Aboriginal populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spiwak, Rae; Sareen, Jitender; Elias, Brenda; Martens, Patricia; Munro, Garry; Bolton, James

    2012-06-01

    To date there have been no studies examining complicated grief (CG) in Aboriginal populations. Although this research gap exists, it can be hypothesized that Aboriginal populations may be at increased risk for CG, given a variety of factors, including increased rates of all-cause mortality and death by suicide. Aboriginal people also have a past history of multiple stressors resulting from the effects of colonization and forced assimilation, a significant example being residential school placement. This loss of culture and high rates of traumatic events may place Aboriginal individuals at increased risk for suicide, as well as CG resulting from traumatic loss and suicide bereavement. Studies are needed to examine CG in Aboriginal populations. These studies must include cooperation with Aboriginal communities to help identify risk factors for CG, understand the role of culture among these communities, and identify interventions to reduce poor health outcomes such as suicidal behavior.

  2. Mourning Child Grief Support Group Curriculum: Early Childhood Edition, Kindergarten-Grade 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Linda; Jimerson, Shane R.; Gaasch, Ann

    The Mourning Child Early Childhood grief support curriculum is intended for use with early elementary-aged children, specifically children in kindergarten through grade two, who have experienced the death of someone special to them. It is designed for use by professionals who work in schools, hospitals, hospices, mental health agencies, or any…

  3. Socioeconomic differences in perinatal health and disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mortensen, Laust Hvas; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Helweg-Larsen, Karin

    2011-01-01

    been used to examine the influence of socioeconomic factors on perinatal health. Conclusion: Danish register data is an invaluable source of information on socioeconomic differences in perinatal health. Danish registers continue to provide excellent opportunities for research and surveillance...

  4. Effectiveness of an integrated approach to reduce perinatal mortality: recent experiences from Matlab, Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahman Anisur

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Improving perinatal health is the key to achieving the Millennium Development Goal for child survival. Recently, several reviews suggest that scaling up available effective perinatal interventions in an integrated approach can substantially reduce the stillbirth and neonatal death rates worldwide. We evaluated the effect of packaged interventions given in pregnancy, delivery and post-partum periods through integration of community- and facility-based services on perinatal mortality. Methods This study took advantage of an ongoing health and demographic surveillance system (HDSS and a new Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH Project initiated in 2007 in Matlab, Bangladesh in half (intervention area of the HDSS area. In the other half, women received usual care through the government health system (comparison area. The MNCH Project strengthened ongoing maternal and child health services as well as added new services. The intervention followed a continuum of care model for pregnancy, intrapartum, and post-natal periods by improving established links between community- and facility-based services. With a separate pre-post samples design, we compared the perinatal mortality rates between two periods--before (2005-2006 and after (2008-2009 implementation of MNCH interventions. We also evaluated the difference-of-differences in perinatal mortality between intervention and comparison areas. Results Antenatal coverage, facility delivery and cesarean section rates were significantly higher in the post- intervention period in comparison with the period before intervention. In the intervention area, the odds of perinatal mortality decreased by 36% between the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods (odds ratio: 0.64; 95% confidence intervals: 0.52-0.78. The reduction in the intervention area was also significant relative to the reduction in the comparison area (OR 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.95; P = 0.018. Conclusion The continuum

  5. Mourning Child Grief Support Group Curriculum: Middle Childhood Edition, Grades 3-6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehmann, Linda; Jimerson, Shane R.; Gaasch, Ann

    The Mourning Child Early Childhood grief support curriculum is intended for use with late elementary and middle school-aged children, specifically children in grades three through six, who have experienced the death of someone special to them. It is designed for use by professionals who work in schools, hospitals, hospices, mental health agencies,…

  6. Perinatal market penetration rate. A tool to evaluate regional perinatal programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powers, W F; McGill, L

    1987-01-01

    Very small babies born in tertiary centers fare better than outborn babies referred for tertiary care after birth. Viewing the 1001-1500 gm regional cohort of fetuses as a potential "market" for center delivery, and measuring a center's penetration into this market, quantitates how well a center draws to itself these small, high-risk fetuses for delivery. An Illinois center's annual penetration rate into its regional market for the years 1973-1983 is presented and significant increases are found. The penetration rates of nine Illinois perinatal centers are calculated and wide discrepancies are found. Defining a high-risk regional cohort as a market stresses a perinatal center's obligation to its region. The penetration rate into a defined market measures how well a center fulfills this obligation.

  7. The utilisation of storytelling as a therapeutic intervention by educational psychologists to address behavioural challenges relating to grief of adolescent clients

    OpenAIRE

    2014-01-01

    M.Ed. (Educational Psychology) Storytelling as a therapeutic intervention entails the narrating of events by externalising emotions, thoughts and responses to life-changing events such as loss and grief. This creates the opportunity for clients to engage with psychologists by projecting various beliefs and challenges, such as grief, through a range of therapeutic modalities. This study conducts an inquiry into the ways in which storytelling can be utilised by educational psychologists with...

  8. Perinatal Mortality Trends in Ethiopia | Berhan | Ethiopian Journal of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    BACKGROUND: Although the magnitude of perinatal mortality in Ethiopia was among the highest in Sub Saharan Africa, there was no systematic review done to assess the trend and causes of perinatal death. The objective of this review was to assess the trend of perinatal mortality rate (PMR) and the causes attributed to ...

  9. Cautioning Health-Care Professionals : Bereaved Persons Are Misguided Through the Stages of Grief

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Stroebe, Margaret; Schut, Henk; Boerner, Kathrin

    2017-01-01

    Science and practice seem deeply stuck in the so-called stage theory of grief. Health-care professionals continue to "prescribe" stages. Basically, this perspective endorses the idea that bereaved people go through a set pattern of specific reactions over time following the death of a loved one. It

  10. Download this PDF file

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    GB

    2017-07-01

    Jul 1, 2017 ... ToP, child death or where a child has been given up for adoption at ... A mother may decide to avoid a birth through abortion, she may give a child up for ... families. That is, perinatal loss related grief responses of parents may ...

  11. Perinatal Depression and Patterns of Attachment: A Critical Risk Factor?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Meuti

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. This study aims to verify if the presence and severity of perinatal depression are related to any particular pattern of attachment. Methods. The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, who were administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS and the Experience in Close Relationship (ECR. A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 89 subjects was selected and compared with a control group (C, regarding psychopathological variables and attachment patterns. Results. The ECR showed a prevalence of “Fearful-Avoidant” attachment style in PND group (29.2% versus 1.1%, p<0.001; additionally, the EPDS average score increases with the increasing of ECR dimensions (Avoidance and Anxiety. Conclusion. The severity of depression increases proportionally to attachment disorganization; therefore, we consider attachment as both an important risk factor as well as a focus for early psychotherapeutic intervention.

  12. Trends in perinatal health after assisted reproduction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henningsen, Anna-Karina Aaris; Gissler, M.; Skjaerven, R.

    2015-01-01

    STUDY QUESTIONS Has the perinatal outcome of children conceived after assisted reproductive technology (ART) improved over time? SUMMARY ANSWER The perinatal outcomes in children born after ART have improved over the last 20 years, mainly due to the reduction of multiple births. WHAT IS KNOWN...... with ART outcome and health data from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING AND METHODS We analysed the perinatal outcome of 62 379 ART singletons and 29 758 ART twins, born from 1988 to 2007 in four Nordic countries. The ART singletons were compared with a control group of 362 215...

  13. Potentially avoidable perinatal deaths in Denmark and Sweden 1991

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langhoff-Roos, J; Borch-Christensen, H; Larsen, S

    1996-01-01

    to some extent could reflect differences in the quality of care, indicated by the numbers of perinatal deaths in categories of potentially avoidable deaths. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical records of 97% of all perinatal deaths in 1991 in the two countries were analyzed. A new classification focusing......BACKGROUND: Since 1950 the perinatal mortality has been significantly higher in Denmark than in Sweden. In 1991 the rate in Denmark was 8.0/1000 deliveries compared to 6.5/1000 in Sweden. An international audit was designed to investigate whether the perinatal death rates in the two countries...

  14. Potentially avoidable perinatal deaths in Denmark and Sweden 1991

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langhoff-Roos, J; Borch-Christensen, H; Larsen, S

    1996-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Since 1950 the perinatal mortality has been significantly higher in Denmark than in Sweden. In 1991 the rate in Denmark was 8.0/1000 deliveries compared to 6.5/1000 in Sweden. An international audit was designed to investigate whether the perinatal death rates in the two countries...... to some extent could reflect differences in the quality of care, indicated by the numbers of perinatal deaths in categories of potentially avoidable deaths. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Medical records of 97% of all perinatal deaths in 1991 in the two countries were analyzed. A new classification focusing...

  15. The analysis of perinatal morbidity and mortality in conditions of perinatal center and the ways of its decrease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Нана Мерабівна Пасієшвілі

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim of research. The analysis of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the condition of one perinatal center of Ukraine and optimization of the possible ways of its decrease.Methods of research. There was analyze the work of Kharkiv regional center in 2011–2015 years taking into account the rates of perinatal morbidity and mortality and factors that have influence on it. There were studied the next parameters: the number of newborns, its apportionment on the weight category, survival, general morbidity, mortality structure of the full-term and premature children. Statistical processing of the received results was carried out using Statistica 6.0 program.Results of research. The frequency of normal delivery in perinatal center is in average 58,9 %. The rates of neonatal mortality decreased– 4,11 ‰ (in 2011 year – 8,23 ‰ and early neonatal one – 3,34 ‰ (in 2011 year – 6,44 ‰. The survival of newborns with extremely low body weight (500- 999 g in first 0-168 hours was 62,50 %; with body weight 1000 – 1499 g – 82,35 %; with body weight at delivery 1500-2499 g was 98,17 %, survival of newborns with body weight > 2500 g in the first 0-6 days was 99,75 % .The morbidity structure of full-term children still almost unchangeable during the last 5 years: asphyxia, congenital defects of development, arrest of foetus growth, cerebral ischemia, intrauterine infection, birth trauma. The morbidity structure of premature ones: respiratory disorder syndrome, intrauterine infection; asphyxia, congenital defects of development, arrest of foetus growth.Among the mortality causes the main ones were congenial defects of development (prevailed in full-term children and intrauterine infection (on the first place in premature children. The perinatal mortality rate in 2015 year was 18,22 %о, in 2011year – 26,65 %о . The maternal foetus infection is the very frequent cause of stillbirth and pre-term birth and as the result the birth of small

  16. A pilgrimage into the liminal: an experiential enquiry into the psychological and embodied space of grief and its representation in film

    OpenAIRE

    Lovey, Christina

    2016-01-01

    The lived experience of grief is a universal phenomenon that is both a psychological and embodied experience; it finds expression in varying art forms and is considered in multiple discourses, including psychoanalysis. This project identifies a range of responses to loss and grief and critically reflects on their value and efficacy. Through the use of a phenomenological research process, that results in the production of filmworks, the value of using film as a way of managing and processing...

  17. Growing up with grief: revisiting the death of a parent over the life course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blank, Nancee M; Werner-Lin, Allison

    2011-01-01

    In the era of managed care, evidence-based practice, and short term, solution focused interventions, clinicians in agency based settings generally do not have the luxury of long-term contact with bereaved children. Although a substantial, yet controversial, literature argues that children cannot fully resolve early loss until adulthood, limited attention is given to how children's understandings of early loss shift as their cognitive capacities mature. This article argues the emotional experience of grief shifts: 1) as children grapple with both normative life changes and the tasks of mourning, and 2) as their cognitive and emotional development allow them to understand and question aspects of their deceased parent's life and death in new ways. This article will present an overview of longitudinal and cross-sectional research on the long-term impact of childhood grief. We then suggest the ways bereaved children and adolescents revisit and reintegrate the loss of a parent as their emotional, moral, and cognitive capacities mature and as normative ego-centrism and magical thinking decline. To demonstrate these ideas, we draw on the case of a parentally bereaved boy and his family presenting across agency-based and private-practice work over the course of 14 years. This case suggests the need for coordinated care for children who are moving beyond the initial trauma of parental loss into various stages of grief and reintegration. While the loss of a parent is permanent and unchanging, the process is not: it is part of the child's ongoing experience. (Worden, 1996, p. 16).

  18. Responding to the challenge of adolescent perinatal depression ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Evidence shows that a critical gap exists in the management of perinatal ... intervention program for adolescent perinatal depression, and determine the factors required ... Affairs Canada, IDRC, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

  19. Self-compassion, grief rumination, and psychopathology among relatives of missing persons : A mediation analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lenferink, Lonneke I.M.; Eisma, Maarten C.; de Keijser, Jos; Boelen, Paul A.

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Introduction Experiencing the disappearance of a loved one is a unique type of loss that may heighten the risk of developing prolonged grief (PG), depression, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. Little is known about protective and risk factors for psychopathology among relatives of

  20. The bereavement process of tissue donors' family members: responses of grief, posttraumatic stress, personal growth, and ongoing attachment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, Nancy; Schmidt, Lee; Coolican, Maggie

    2014-09-01

    Donated tissues can save lives of critically burned patients and those needing a heart valve replacement. Tissues enhance the lives of a million recipients annually through transplants of corneas, bones, tendons, and vein grafts. Unfortunately, the need for some tissues exceeds their availability. The goal of the quantitative component of this mixed methods study was to identify the grief, posttraumatic stress, personal growth, and ongoing attachment response of tissue donors' family members during a 2-year period. Simultaneous mixed methods design. The sample for this study consisted of 52 tissue donors' family members, mostly widows (83%). Data were collected for 2 years to test changes in grief, posttraumatic stress, panic behavior, personal growth, and ongoing attachment. The bereaved participants experienced significantly fewer grief reactions, less posttraumatic stress, and greater personal growth. There was no significant difference in the ongoing attachment to their deceased loved ones. The results of this study may reinforce the positive meaning that tissue donors' family members can find in tissue donation. Findings also demonstrate that the bereavement process corroborates contemporary bereavement and attachment theories. Health professionals are encouraged to seek donations with less worry that tissue donors' family members will experience adverse outcomes during bereavement.

  1. Suicide Survivors' Mental Health and Grief Reactions: A Systematic Review of Controlled Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sveen, Carl-Aksel; Walby, Fredrik A.

    2008-01-01

    There has been a debate over several decades whether suicide survivors experience more severe mental health consequences and grief reactions than those who have been bereaved through other causes of death. This is the first systematic review of suicide survivors' reactions compared with survivors after other modes of death. Studies were identified…

  2. The relative importance of avoidance and restoration-oriented stressors for grief and depression in bereaved parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, Mairi; O'Connor, Rory C; O'Carroll, Ronan E

    2015-01-01

    Previous research has identified a number of individual risk factors for parental bereavement including the sex of the parent, the sex of the child, avoidance-focussed coping style and time since death. These factors emerged from research where variables were tested univariately and their relative importance is currently unknown. The current research, therefore, aims to investigate which risk factors are important, multivariately, for the outcomes of grief and depression in parents following the death of their child. Psychosocial measures were completed by 106 bereaved parents four years post-loss, recruited from death records in Scotland. The cause of the child's death included long-term illness and stillbirths as well as sudden and violent deaths. In multivariate regression analyses, depression was predicted by higher avoidance-focussed coping and higher number of restoration-oriented stressors such as relationship difficulties, problems at work and financial issues. Grief was predicted by higher avoidance, restoration stressors and level of continuing bonds. The present study adds to the knowledge about the phenomenon of parental bereavement with participants recruited directly from death records rather than through support, clinical or obituary sources. Factors previously found to be associated with outcomes when tested univariately such as sudden, violent death or sex of the parent were not significant when tested multivariately. This study highlights that different vulnerability factors exist for grief and depression in bereaved parents.

  3. The implementation of unit-based perinatal mortality audit in perinatal cooperation units in the northern region of the Netherlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Diem, M.T.; Timmer, A.; Bergman, K.A.; Bouman, K.; van Egmond, N.; Stant, D.A.; Ulkeman, L.H.M.; Veen, W.B.; Erwich, J.J.H.M.

    2012-01-01

    Background: Perinatal (mortality) audit can be considered to be a way to improve the careprocess for all pregnant women and their newborns by creating an opportunity to learn from unwanted events in the care process. In unit-based perinatal audit, the caregivers involved in cases that result in

  4. Perinatal mortality in the Cape Province, 1989 - 1991

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    1995-05-05

    May 5, 1995 ... ... of deliveries, the low- birth-weight rate and the perinatal mortality rate at ... mortality rates were in the northern and eastern Cape. Conclusion. The perinatal ..... World Health Organisation. World Health Statistics Annual. Vol.

  5. Perinatal Practices & Traditions Among Asian Indian Women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goyal, Deepika

    2016-01-01

    As the population in the United States grows more diverse, nurses caring for childbearing women must be aware of the many cultural traditions and customs unique to their patients. This knowledge and insight supports women and their families with the appropriate care, information, and resources. A supportive relationship builds trust, offers guidance, and allows for the new family to integrate information from nurses and other healthcare providers with the practice of certain perinatal cultural traditions. The Asian Indian culture is rich in tradition, specifically during the perinatal period. To support the cultural beliefs and practices of Asian Indian women during this time, nurses need to be aware of and consider multiple factors. Many women are navigating the new role of motherhood while making sense of and incorporating important cultural rituals. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of perinatal cultural practices and traditions specific to the Asian Indian culture that perinatal nurses may observe in the clinical setting. Cultural traditions and practices specific to the pregnancy and postpartum period are described together with symbolism and implications for nursing practice. It is important to note that information regarding perinatal customs is provided in an effort to promote culturally sensitive nursing care and may not pertain to all Asian Indian women living in the United States.

  6. Género, salud materna y la paradoja perinatal

    OpenAIRE

    Simone Grilo DINIZ

    2010-01-01

    En los últimos 20 años mejoraron prácticamente todos los indicadores de salud materna en el Brasil, así como hubo un amplio acceso a los servicios de salud. Gender, maternal health and the perinatal paradox1 Gênero, saúde materna e o paradoxo perinatal Género, salud materna y la paradoja perinatal REFLEXÕES SOBRE HUMANIZAÇÃO E A REALIDADE DOS SERVIÇOS REFLECTIONS ON HUMANIZATION AND THE REALITY OF HEALTH SERVICES REFLEXIONES SOBRE LA HUMANIZACIÓN Y LA REALIDAD DE LO...

  7. Emotional response patterns of depression, grief, sadness and stress to differing life events: a quantitative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Gordon; Paterson, Amelia; Hadzi-Pavlovic, Dusan

    2015-04-01

    In clarifying the clinical definition of an episode of major depression, DSM-5 equates bereavement with a number of other loss-related stressors (e.g. financial ruin, serious medical problems) and infers differences between such loss-related and non-loss-related responses. We undertook a study with the aim of examining the likelihood of varying life stressors leading to depression or to other emotional responses, and so allowing consideration as to whether bereavement might be equivalent to other loss-related stressful triggers. We studied a sample comprising sub-sets of those likely to have either experienced or never experienced a clinical depressive episode and report data for both the whole sample and the separate sub-sets. Participants were asked to report their exposure to 16 differing stressors and, given definitions of depression, grief, sadness and stress, to rate (in order of importance) their primary and secondary reactions if so experienced. Only one event (i.e. the individual being left by their partner) generated depression as the most likely response within the sample. A grief reaction was nominated as the most likely primary response to the death of a first-degree relative (52%) and was also a relatively common primary response to the death of a more distant relative or close family friend (36%). While one-fourth (24%) nominated grief as the primary response to being left by one's partner, it was rarely nominated as a primary response to all other events, including the DSM-5 'loss-related' exemplars of a financial crisis and of a medical illness (rates of 3% and 2%, respectively). As participants were given a definition of the emotional responses and candidate contexts, their responses may have been a reflection of the definitions provided. Additionally, a retrospective, self-report design was used which may have impacted on the veracity of responses. Findings position a grief response as showing relative specificity to bereavement events and that

  8. Methadone and perinatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Cleary, Brian J

    2012-08-01

      Methadone use in pregnancy has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). This study aimed to examine perinatal outcomes and NAS in relation to (i) concomitant drug use and (ii) methadone dose.

  9. Perinatal mortality and associated risk factors: a case control study ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    BACKGROUND: Perinatal mortality is reported to be five times higher in developing than in developed nations. Little is known about the commonly associated risk factors for perinatal mortality in Southern Nations National Regional State of Ethiopia. METHODS: A case control study for perinatal mortality was conducted in ...

  10. The mourning before: can anticipatory grief theory inform family care in adult intensive care?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coombs, Maureen A

    2010-12-01

    Although anticipatory grief is a much-debated and critiqued bereavement concept, it does offer a way of understanding and exploring expected loss that may be helpful in certain situations. In end-of-life care in adult intensive care units, families often act as proxy decision makers for patients in the transition from curative treatment efforts to planned treatment withdrawal. Despite there being a developed evidence base to inform care of families at this time, few of the clinical studies that provided this evidence were underpinned by bereavement theory. Focusing on end-of-life intensive care practices, this paper integrates work on anticipatory grief and family interventions to present a family-centred framework of care. Through this it is argued that the complex needs of families must be more comprehensively understood by doctors and nurses and that interventions must be more systematically planned to improve quality end-of-life care for families in this setting.

  11. Improvement of perinatal outcome in diabetic pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szilagyi, A; Szabo, I

    2001-01-01

    Obstetrical and perinatal outcomes in newborns of diabetic pregnant women depend on metabolic control and fetal surveillance during pregnancy. The effects of fetal surveillance on perinatal mortality and morbidity was analyzed in diabetic pregnant women with appropriate glucose control in our regional center for diabetes and pregnancy. 480 deliveries complicated by frank or gestational diabetes occurred in our Department in the period of 1988-1999. Perinatal mortality and morbidity, prevalence of premature deliveries, methods of fetal surveillance, options for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) profilaxis, cesarean section rate, timing of delivery and its indications and occurrence of malformations have been analyzed. It was found that malformation rate and perinatal mortality may be reduced to even lower level than that of in healthy pregnant women by appropriate glucose control and by using the latest methods of intrauterine fetal surveillance including cardiotocography (non stress test and oxytocin challenge test), doppler fetal artery velocimetry and fetal pulse oximetry. Timing of delivery was needed in 35% of the cases with IDDM and 15% of gestational diabetes due to chronic placental insufficiency. If labour induction was needed before the 38 weeks, amniocentesis was performed to test fetal lung maturity. Direct fetal glucocorticoid administration was used to enhance fetal lung maturation in 14 cases. C-section rate was slightly higher than that of in non diabetic pregnant women. Our perinatal morbidity data (macrosomia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, injuries, infections) are comparable with the data from the literature. Although perinatal mortality with the help of thorough fetal surveillance is even better in diabetic pregnant women than in non diabetic patients, future eye should be focused on factors affecting perinatal morbidity, because it is still higher than in newborns of healthy mothers.

  12. Improving Perinatal Mental Health Care for Women Veterans: Description of a Quality Improvement Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katon, Jodie G; Lewis, Lacey; Hercinovic, Selma; McNab, Amanda; Fortney, John; Rose, Susan M

    2017-08-01

    Purpose We describe results from a quality improvement project undertaken to address perinatal mental healthcare for women veterans. Description This quality improvement project was conducted in a single VA healthcare system between 2012 and 2015 and included screening for depressive symptoms with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) three times during the perinatal period, a dedicated maternity care coordinator (MCC), an on-site clinical social worker, and an on-site obstetrician/gynecologist (Ob/gyn). Information on prior mental health diagnosis was collected by the MCC or Ob/gyn. The prevalence of perinatal depressive symptoms and receipt of mental healthcare among those with such symptoms are reported by presence of a pre-pregnancy mental health diagnosis. Assessment Of the 199 women who used VA maternity benefits between 2012 and 2015, 56% (n = 111) had at least one pre-pregnancy mental health diagnosis. Compared to those without a pre-pregnancy mental health diagnosis, those with such a diagnosis were more likely to be screened for perinatal depressive symptoms at least once (61.5% vs. 46.8%, p = 0.04). Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 46.7% among those with a pre-pregnancy mental health diagnosis and 19.2% among those without. Among those with a pre-pregnancy mental health diagnosis and depressive symptoms (n = 35), 88% received outpatient mental healthcare and 77% met with the clinical social worker. Among those without a pre-pregnancy mental health diagnosis and depressive symptoms (n = 8), none received outpatient mental healthcare, but 77.8% met with the clinical social worker. Conclusion Improving perinatal mental healthcare for women veterans requires a multidisciplinary approach, including on-site integrated mental healthcare.

  13. Perinatal pathology: practice suggestions for limited-resource settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Drucilla J

    2013-06-01

    The practice of perinatal pathology in much of the world suffers, as do all subspecialties of anatomic pathology, from inadequate resources (equipment, consumables, and both professional and technical personnel), from lack of education (not only of the pathologist but also of the clinicians responsible for sending the specimens, and the technicians processing the specimens), and from lack of appropriate government sector support. Perinatal pathology has significant public health-related utility and should be championing its service by providing maternal and fetal/infant mortality and morbidity data to governmental health ministries. It is with this pathologic data that informed decisions can be made on health-related courses of action and allocation of resources. These perinatal pathology data are needed to develop appropriate public health initiatives, specifically toward achieving the Millennium Developmental Goals as the best way to effectively decrease infant and maternal deaths and to determine causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity. The following overview will focus on the utility of perinatal pathology specifically as related to its public health function and will suggest methods to improve its service in resource-poor settings. This article is offered not as a critique of the current practice that most pathologists find themselves working in globally, but to provide suggestions for improving perinatal pathology services, which could be implemented with the limited available resources and manpower most pathology departments currently have. In addition, we offer suggestions for graded improvements ("ramping up") over time.

  14. The grief experience of same-sex couples within an Irish context: tacit acknowledgement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glackin, Michelle; Higgins, Agnes

    2008-06-01

    This study sought to explore the grief experience of same sex couples. To date, the majority of research in this area has focused on the bereavement experience of individuals whose partner has died from an AIDS/HIV-related illness. The research design used was descriptive exploratory. A multi-pronged sampling strategy was employed to generate participants. Seven people underwent in-depth interviews once the study had received ethical approval. Data were analysed by coding, comparing, and merging codes into higher order themes. Five themes subsequently emerged that captured the essence of the bereavement experience, namely:'tacit acknowledgement'; 'sculpting the distress'; 'multiple losses'; 'seeking support'; and 'journeying anew.' While not all bereaved gay or lesbian partners experience 'disenfranchized grief', particularly if their relationship with the deceased was not hidden, it is clear from the findings of this study that many of the participants did (Doka, 1989;Wallbank, 1998). Health care professionals need to consider their approach to people who identify themselves as gay or lesbian, if they are to provide support structures (formal and informal) to meet their unique needs.

  15. Verbal autopsy in establishing cause of perinatal death | Iriya | East ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Introduction: Perinatal mortality is a sensitive indicator of health status of a community and is also highly amenable to intervention. The causes of perinatal deaths in developing countries are often difficult to establish. Verbal autopsy has been used in several countries for children and adults, but seldom for perinatal cause.

  16. Impact of perinatal asphyxia on the GABAergic and locomotor system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van de Berg, W D J; Kwaijtaal, M; de Louw, A J A; Lissone, N P A; Schmitz, C; Faull, R L M; Blokland, A; Blanco, C E; Steinbusch, H W M

    2003-01-01

    Perinatal asphyxia can cause neuronal loss and depletion of neurotransmitters within the striatum. The striatum plays an important role in motor control, sensorimotor integration and learning. In the present study we investigated whether perinatal asphyxia leads to motor deficits related to striatal damage, and in particular to the loss of GABAergic neurons. Perinatal asphyxia was induced in time-pregnant Wistar rats on the day of delivery by placing the uterus horns, containing the pups, in a 37 degrees C water bath for 20 min. Three motor performance tasks (open field, grip test and walking pattern) were performed at 3 and 6 weeks of age. Antibodies against calbindin and parvalbumin were used to stain GABAergic striatal projection neurons and interneurons, respectively. The motor tests revealed subtle effects of perinatal asphyxia, i.e. small decrease in motor activity. Analysis of the walking pattern revealed an increase in stride width at 6 weeks of age after perinatal asphyxia. Furthermore, a substantial loss of calbindin-immunoreactive (-22%) and parvalbumin-immunoreactive (-43%) cells was found in the striatum following perinatal asphyxia at two months of age. GABA(A) receptor autoradiography revealed no changes in GABA binding activity within the striatum, globus pallidus or substantia nigra. We conclude that perinatal asphyxia resulted in a loss of GABAergic projection neurons and interneurons in the striatum without alteration of GABA(A) receptor affinity. Despite a considerable loss of striatal neurons, only minor deficits in motor performance were found after perinatal asphyxia.

  17. Magnitude of income-related disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes

    OpenAIRE

    Shankardass, Ketan; O’Campo, Patricia; Dodds, Linda; Fahey, John; Joseph, KS; Morinis, Julia; Allen, Victoria M

    2014-01-01

    Background To assess and compare multiple measurements of socioeconomic position (SEP) in order to determine the relationship with adverse perinatal outcomes across various contexts. Methods A birth registry, the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database, was confidentially linked to income tax and related information for the year in which delivery occurred. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine odds ratios between multiple indicators of SEP and multiple adverse perinatal outcomes in 11...

  18. Information Architecture for Perinatal Registration in the Netherlands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goossen, William T F; Arns-Schiere, Anne Marieke

    In the Netherlands, the perinatal registry has undergone significant changes in the past decades. The purpose of this article is to describe the current health care information architecture for the national perinatal registry, including how the national data set is arranged and how electronic messages are used to submit data. We provide implications for women's health care providers based on the creation and implementation of the Dutch perinatal registry system. Copyright © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Improving perinatal outcome: towards individualized care

    OpenAIRE

    Kazemier, B.M.

    2015-01-01

    Unfortunately not all pregnancies and deliveries take place without complications. Complications during pregnancy or delivery can lead to maternal morbidity and poor perinatal outcomes such as perinatal mortality or (severe) neonatal morbidity. First assessment in antenatal care is to distinguish women who require standard care from those requiring special attention. At the moment, we can make some global risk assessments, but are not able to give a women a risk assessment that is adapted for...

  20. Evaluating Referral, Screening, and Assessment Procedures for Middle School Trauma/Grief-Focused Treatment Groups

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grassetti, Stevie N.; Williamson, Ariel A.; Herres, Joanna; Kobak, Roger; Layne, Christopher M.; Kaplow, Julie B.; Pynoos, Robert S.

    2018-01-01

    There is a need to delineate best practices for referring, assessing, and retaining students suspected of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and maladaptive grief (MG) in school-based treatment. Evidence-based risk-screening procedures should accurately include students who are appropriate for group treatment and exclude students who do not require…

  1. Developing a Blended Course on Dying, Loss, and Grief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kavanaugh, Karen; Andreoni, V. Ann; Wilkie, Diana J.; Burgener, Sandra; Buschmann, MaryBeth Tank; Henderson, Gloria; Hsiung, Yi-Fang Yvonne; Zhao, Zhongsheng

    2010-01-01

    An important component of end-of-life education is to provide health professionals with content related to dying, loss, and grief. The authors describe the strategies used to develop and offer a blended course (integration of classroom face-to-face learning with online learning) that addressed the sensitive and often emotional content associated with grieving and bereavement. Using Kolb’s experiential learning theory, a set of 4 online learning modules, with engaging, interactive elements, was created. Course evaluations demonstrated the success of the blended course in comparison to the traditional, exclusive face-to-face approach. PMID:19412055

  2. Do Incarcerated Offenders Experience the Five Stages of Grief as Do Terminally Ill Patients?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pledger, Carolyn Brastow

    1985-01-01

    Examines Kubler-Ross' five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) as they are experienced not by terminally ill persons, but by 20 criminal offenders and their families during incarceration. Concludes that shock of arrest and incarceration stimulates reactions similar to those of persons coping with terminal diagnosis.…

  3. Grief, Anger, Social Action: Experiences of the Windsor Chapter, Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kroeker, B. J.; And Others

    1994-01-01

    The experiences of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada, chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), in its development and progress through the grief-anger-social action continuum, are described. This article also portrays a model for problem resolution which emphasizes incorporating the respective strengths and efficiencies of self-help groups and…

  4. Grief rumination mediates the association between self-compassion and psychopathology in relatives of missing persons

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lenferink, Lonneke; Eisma, Maarten; de Keijser, Jos; Boelen, P.A.

    2017-01-01

    Background The disappearance of a loved one is a unique type of loss, also termed “ambiguous loss”, which may heighten the risk for developing prolonged grief (PG), depression, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. Little is known about protective and risk factors for psychopathology among

  5. Tendência da mortalidade perinatal em Belo Horizonte, 1984 a 2005 Tendencia de la mortalidad perinatal en Belo Horizonte, 1984 a 2005 Tendency of perinatal mortality in Belo Horizonte, 1984 to 2005

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunice Francisca Martins

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available O estudo objetivou analisar a tendência da mortalidade perinatal no município de Belo Horizonte no período de 1984 a 2005. A fonte dos dados foi o Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade (SIM. Realizou-se regressão linear simples para estimar a tendência de redução do percentual de informações ignoradas no SIM e das taxas de mortalidade. A melhora da qualidade da informação foi estatisticamente significativa apenas para a escolaridade materna e peso ao nascer. A redução média da mortalidade perinatal no período foi de 57,52%. O decréscimo da mortalidade perinatal nas duas últimas décadas em Belo Horizonte foi significativo, mas esforços devem ser direcionados no sentido de melhorar a completude do SIM para variáveis importantes na elaboração dos indicadores perinatais.El estudio apuntó a analizar la tendencia de la mortalidad perinatal en el distrito municipal de Belo Horizonte en el periodo de 1984 a 2005. La fuente de los datos era el Sistema de Información de Mortalidad. Tuvieron lugar la regresión lineal simple para estimar la tendencia de reducción del percentil de información desconocida en el sistema y de los impuestos de mortalidad. La mejora de la calidad de la información fue los significantes sólo para la educación maternal y peso al nacer. La reducción elemento de la mortalidad perinatal en el periodo era de 57,52%. La disminución de la mortalidad perinatal en las últimas dos décadas en Belo Horizonte era significante, pero deben dirigirse los esfuerzos en el sentido de mejorar el completude del sistema para las variables importantes en la elaboración del perinatais de los indicadores.The study aimed at to analyze the tendency of the mortality perinatal in the municipal district of Belo Horizonte in the period from 1984 to 2005. The source of the data was the System of Information of Mortality. Took place simple lineal regression to esteem the tendency of reduction of the percentile of unknown

  6. The Perinatal Mental Health and Wellness Project: Improving perinatal mental health outcomes by working together across sectors

    OpenAIRE

    Herde, Emily Louise

    2018-01-01

    This paper reports on the Perinatal Mental Health and Wellness Project which aimed to develop and evaluate a collaborative model for mental health promotion, illness prevention and early intervention in the perinatal period. The project took on a place-based action research approach, developing and trialling the model with expectant parents (n=537) engaged with Redcliffe Hospital Maternity Services in the Metro North Hospital and Health Service in Queensland, Australia, from 2015 – 2017.In Au...

  7. Relationship between maternal hemoglobin and perinatal outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakhtiar, U.J.; Khan, Y.; Nisar, R.

    2007-01-01

    To Study the Relationship between Maternal Hemoglobin and Perinatal outcome in a cohort of 860 pregnant women and to highlight the importance of antenatal care regarding maternal health and fetal outcome. All Singleton pregnancies delivering at Pakistan Railway Hospital Rawalpindi from January 2004 to December 2005 that fulfilled the required criteria were included. Out of the 860 patients, 402 were anemic (<11gm/dl) and 458 were non anemic. Perinatal outcome included preterm delivery, low birth weight, intrauterine growth retardation, perinatal death, low apgr scores and intrauterine fetal deaths. Risk of preterm and Low birth weight among anemic women was 3.4 and 1.8 times more than non anaemic women. The neonates of anemic woman also had 1.7 times increased risk of having low apgr scores at 1 min. Among anemic women there was 2.2 times greater risk of intrauterine fetal death than the non-anemic women. Regular antenatal care from first trimester has a vital role in assessing and managing maternal anemia timely and it directly affects the perinatal outcome. The patients with anemia have also higher risk of having low birth weight, preterm births and intra uterine fetal death. (author)

  8. Ethical issues in perinatal mental health research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandon, Anna R; Shivakumar, Geetha; Lee, Simon Craddock; Inrig, Stephen J; Sadler, John Z

    2009-11-01

    To review the background of current ethical standards for the conduct of perinatal mental health research and describe the ethical challenges in this research domain. Current literature reflects a growing sentiment in the scientific community that having no information regarding the impact of psychiatric treatment on the mother and developing fetus/infant poses dangers that may exceed the risks involved in research. However, without sufficient consensus across the scientific community, both regulatory bodies and perinatal researchers find themselves without a framework for decision making that satisfactorily limits the risks and facilitates the benefits of participation of pregnant and lactating women in clinical research. Psychiatric research in perinatal mental health is critically important as it enables clinicians and patients to participate in informed decision-making concerning treatment for psychiatric disorders. Specific areas of concern include fetal safety, maternal risk, the therapeutic misconception, commercial interests, forensic/legal issues, the informed consent process, and study design. Developing guidelines that address ethical challenges and include the views and concerns of multiple stakeholders could improve the access of perinatal women to the benefits of participation in mental health research in addition to providing evidence-based mental healthcare for this subpopulation.

  9. Web-based interventions for prevention and treatment of perinatal mood disorders: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Eleanor W; Denison, Fiona C; Hor, Kahyee; Reynolds, Rebecca M

    2016-02-29

    Perinatal depression is strikingly common with a prevalence of 10-15%. The adverse effects of perinatal depression on maternal and child health are profound with considerable costs. Despite this, few women seek medical attention. E-health, providing healthcare via the Internet is an accessible and effective solution for the treatment of depression in the general population. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of web-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of mood disorders in the perinatal period, defined as the start of pregnancy to 1 year post-partum. Six databases were searched until 26(th) March 2015. Two researchers independently screened articles for eligibility. Of the 547 screened articles, four met the inclusion criteria. These included three randomised-controlled trials and one feasibility trial, with total data from 1274 participants. MOOSE and PRISMA guidelines were adhered to for the conduct and reporting of the systematic review. All studies were conducted in the post-partum period. All reported an improvement in maternal mood following intervention. A significant improvement in depressive symptoms was measured using validated rating scales, such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), either at post-treatment or follow-up which ranged from 3 to 12 months post study completion. For the two RCTs utilising the EPDS, the EPDS score reductions were (mean ± SEM) 8.52 ± 0.22 (Range 19.46 to10.94) and 9.19 ± 0.63 (Range, 20.24 to 11.05) for treatment groups and 5.16 ± 0.25 (Range 19.44 to 14.28) and 6.81 ± 0.71 (Range 21.07 to 14.26) for comparator groups. However attrition within studies ranged from 13 to 61%. One study was rated as 'good' quality. Preliminary data suggests web-based therapies for perinatal depression delivered in the post-partum period may play a role in improving maternalmood but more studies are needed, particularly with interventions delivered antenatally. Further research is needed

  10. Prospective associations between recalled parental bonding and perinatal depression: a cohort study in urban and rural Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duman, Berker; Senturk Cankorur, Vesile; Taylor, Clare; Stewart, Robert

    2018-04-01

    Recalled experiences of parental bonding may be important in the aetiology of perinatal depression. We hypothesized that lower recalled parental bonding would be associated with perinatal depression. In a cohort study of perinatal depression in Turkey, 677 women were recruited in their third trimester. Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI) scores at baseline were investigated as predictors of depression on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 4, 14 and 21 months after childbirth in mothers without depression at baseline. Poor parental bonding scores, apart from paternal control and overprotection, were independently associated with antenatal depression. Incident postnatal depression at 4 months was predicted by parental overprotection, at 14 months by parental care and overprotection, and at 21 months by paternal control and overprotection. Less satisfactory parenting recalled in the antenatal period was an independent predictor of postnatal depression; however, the different bonding subscales varied as predictors according to the timing of the depression assessment after childbirth.

  11. Perinatal maternal stress and serotonin signaling: effects on pain sensitivity in offspring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knaepen, Liesbeth; Pawluski, Jodi L; Patijn, Jacob; van Kleef, Maarten; Tibboel, Dick; Joosten, Elbert A

    2014-07-01

    It has been estimated that 20% of pregnant women are facing perinatal stress and depression. Perinatal maternal stress has been shown to increase pain sensitivity in offspring. For the treatment of their depressive symptoms, pregnant women are frequently prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Since the descending pain inhibitory circuit matures perinatally, perinatal SSRI exposure has been shown to affect pain sensitivity in offspring. In the present review, we summarize experimental and clinical evidence for the effect of perinatal maternal stress and SSRI exposure on pain sensitivity in offspring. Both experimental and clinical studies show the effect of perinatal maternal stress on regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system and the serotonin pain inhibitory system. Alterations in these two systems likely underlie long-term alterations in the development of pain sensitivity. This review sheds light on the effect of perinatal maternal stress and treatment with SSRIs on offspring pain sensitivity, in relation to the developing HPA system and 5-HT signaling. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Staffing Needs for Quality Perinatal Care in Tanzania

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Erah

    and the required nursing staff for perinatal care in 16 health institutions in Dar es ... attitudes, lack of morale, absenteeism, ... countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. ... midwives working in the perinatal care ... method. 10 . Registered nurses were those who according to the National ... would spend doing other related official.

  13. Feelings of loss and grief in parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernańdez-Alcántara, Manuel; García-Caro, M Paz; Pérez-Marfil, M Nieves; Hueso-Montoro, Cesar; Laynez-Rubio, Carolina; Cruz-Quintana, Francisco

    2016-08-01

    Various authors have reported feelings of loss and grief in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder. However, no previous studies have investigated the structure of these feelings. To analyze in depth the feelings of loss in parents of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. A qualitative study was conducted based on grounded theory. Twenty parents participated through purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, asking about different emotional aspects of the upbringing of a child with autism spectrum disorder. Atlas.ti 6.2 program was used for open, axial, and selective coding. The core category that explained the feelings of these parents was unexpected child loss, associated with shock, negation, fear, guilt, anger, and/or sadness. Two processes were identified, one associated with the resolution of grief and the other with obstacles to overcoming it. Feelings of loss play an important role in explaining the complex emotions experienced by these parents. Different intervention strategies are proposed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. [Perinatal mortality in foreign workers (author's transl)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höfling, H J; Jonas, R; Brusis, E; Lochmüller, H; Selbmann, H K; Holzmann, K; Zander, J

    1975-03-01

    From 1970 to 1972, there were 216 perinatal deaths among 5595 newborns at the I. Frauenklinik der Universität München. 54 of these deaths were children of foreign workers (so-called "Gastarbeiter"). The data have been processed on punch cards and analysed by a computer. The differences noted underwent significance testing by the CHI-Quadrat test. Only statistical significant results are published. The perinatal mortality in the above period shows no difference between foreign and German ward patients. There is, however, a significant lower perinatal mortality in private patients. We feel that this difference is due to a significant lower rate of prematures in the private patient group. The cocial status as well as higher interest and motivation in health resulting in better prenatal care are discussed as causal reasons for this fact.

  15. A Cognitive Attachment Model of prolonged grief: integrating attachments, memory, and identity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maccallum, Fiona; Bryant, Richard A

    2013-08-01

    Prolonged grief (PG), otherwise known as complicated grief, has attracted much attention in recent years as a potentially debilitating condition that affects approximately 10% of bereaved people. We propose a model of PG that integrates processes of attachment, self-identity, and autobiographical memory. The paper commences with a discussion of the PG construct and reviews current evidence regarding the distinctiveness of PG from other bereavement related-outcomes. We then review the evidence regarding the dysfunctional attachments, appraisals, and coping styles that people with PG display. Recent evidence pertaining to the patterns of autobiographical memory in PG is described in the context of the self-memory system. This system provides a unifying framework to understand the roles of personal memories, identity, attachments, and coping responses in PG. The proposed model places emphasis on how one's sense of identity influences yearning, memories of the deceased, appraisals, and coping strategies, to maintain a focus on the loss. The model is discussed in relation to existing models of PG. The potential for shaping treatment strategies to shift perceptions of the self is then outlined. Finally, we outline future directions to test propositions stemming from the model and enhance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying PG. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Longitudinal study of perinatal maternal stress, depressive symptoms and anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liou, Shwu-Ru; Wang, Panchalli; Cheng, Ching-Yu

    2014-06-01

    to understand the trends in, and relationships between, maternal stress, depressive symptoms and anxiety in pregnancy and post partum. a prospective longitudinal survey study was undertaken to explore maternal psychological distress throughout the perinatal period. The participants were recruited after 24 completed weeks of gestation, and were followed-up monthly until one month post partum (four surveys in total). participants were recruited from a single hospital in southern Taiwan, and asked to complete questionnaires in the hospital waiting area. inclusion criteria were: age ≥18 years, able to read and write Chinese, ≥24 weeks of gestation, singleton pregnancy and no pregnancy complications (including a diagnosis of antenatal depression or anxiety disorder). In total, 197 women completed all four surveys (response rate 74.62%). stress was measured with the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies' Depression scale, and anxiety was measured with the Zung Self-reported Anxiety Scale. Participants were followed-up at four time points: T1 (25-29 gestational weeks), T2 (30-34 gestational weeks), T3 (>34 gestational weeks) and T4 (4-6 weeks post partum). Appointments for data collection were made in accordance with the participants' antenatal and postnatal check-ups. The three types of maternal distress had different courses of change throughout the perinatal period, as levels of depressive symptoms remained unchanged, anxiety levels increased as gestation advanced but declined after birth, and stress decreased gradually during pregnancy but returned to the T1 level after birth. There was a low to high degree of correlation in maternal stress, depressive symptoms and anxiety in pregnancy and post partum. around one-quarter of the study participants had depressive symptoms during pregnancy and post partum. Stress and anxiety showed opposing courses during the perinatal period. Regardless of the

  17. Clinical phenotypes of perinatal depression and time of symptom onset: analysis of data from an international consortium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putnam, Karen T; Wilcox, Marsha; Robertson-Blackmore, Emma; Sharkey, Katherine; Bergink, Veerle; Munk-Olsen, Trine; Deligiannidis, Kristina M; Payne, Jennifer; Altemus, Margaret; Newport, Jeffrey; Apter, Gisele; Devouche, Emmanuel; Viktorin, Alexander; Magnusson, Patrik; Penninx, Brenda; Buist, Anne; Bilszta, Justin; O’Hara, Michael; Stuart, Scott; Brock, Rebecca; Roza, Sabine; Tiemeier, Henning; Guille, Constance; Epperson, C Neill; Kim, Deborah; Schmidt, Peter; Martinez, Pedro; Di Florio, Arianna; Wisner, Katherine L; Stowe, Zachary; Jones, Ian; Sullivan, Patrick F; Rubinow, David; Wildenhaus, Kevin; Meltzer-Brody, Samantha

    2018-01-01

    Summary Background The perinatal period is a time of high risk for onset of depressive disorders and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, including maternal suicide. Perinatal depression comprises a heterogeneous group of clinical subtypes, and further refinement is needed to improve treatment outcomes. We sought to empirically identify and describe clinically relevant phenotypic subtypes of perinatal depression, and further characterise subtypes by time of symptom onset within pregnancy and three post-partum periods. Methods Data were assembled from a subset of seven of 19 international sites in the Postpartum Depression: Action Towards Causes and Treatment (PACT) Consortium. In this analysis, the cohort was restricted to women aged 19–40 years with information about onset of depressive symptoms in the perinatal period and complete prospective data for the ten-item Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS). Principal components and common factor analysis were used to identify symptom dimensions in the EPDS. The National Institute of Mental Health research domain criteria functional constructs of negative valence and arousal were applied to the EPDS dimensions that reflect states of depressed mood, anhedonia, and anxiety. We used k-means clustering to identify subtypes of women sharing symptom patterns. Univariate and bivariate statistics were used to describe the subtypes. Findings Data for 663 women were included in these analyses. We found evidence for three underlying dimensions measured by the EPDS: depressed mood, anxiety, and anhedonia. On the basis of these dimensions, we identified five distinct subtypes of perinatal depression: severe anxious depression, moderate anxious depression, anxious anhedonia, pure anhedonia, and resolved depression. These subtypes have clear differences in symptom quality and time of onset. Anxiety and anhedonia emerged as prominent symptom dimensions with post-partum onset and were notably severe

  18. Paradoxical centrally increased diffusivity in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stence, Nicholas V.; Mirsky, David M.; Deoni, Sean C.L.; Armstrong-Wells, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Restricted diffusion on acute MRI is the diagnostic standard for perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. In a subset of children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, primarily those with large infarct volumes, we noted a core of centrally increased diffusivity with a periphery of restricted diffusion. Given the paradoxical diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) appearance observed in some children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, we sought to determine its significance and hypothesized that: (1) centrally increased diffusivity is associated with larger infarcts in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and (2) this tissue is irreversibly injured (infarcted). We reviewed all perinatal arterial ischemic stroke cases in a prospective cohort study from Aug. 1, 2000, to Jan. 1, 2012. Infarct volumes were measured by drawing regions of interest around the periphery of the area of restricted diffusion on DWI. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare means between groups. Of 25 eligible cases, centrally increased diffusivity was seen in 4 (16%). Cases with centrally increased diffusivity had larger average infarct volumes (mean 117,182 mm 3 vs. 36,995 mm 3 ; P = 0.008), higher average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the infarct core (1,679 x 10 -6 mm 2 /s vs. 611 x 10 -6 mm 2 /s, P < 0.0001), and higher ADC ratio (1.2 vs. 0.5, P < 0.0001). At last clinical follow-up, children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and centrally increased diffusivity were more often treated for ongoing seizures (75% vs. 0%; P < 0.001) than those without. Centrally increased diffusivity was associated with larger stroke volume and the involved tissue was confirmed to be infarcted on follow-up imaging. Radiologists should be aware of this unusual appearance of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke in order to avoid underestimating infarct volume or making an incorrect early diagnosis. (orig.)

  19. Paradoxical centrally increased diffusivity in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stence, Nicholas V.; Mirsky, David M.; Deoni, Sean C.L. [University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Aurora, CO (United States); Children' s Hospital Colorado, Department of Radiology, Aurora, CO (United States); Armstrong-Wells, Jennifer [University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics (Neurology) and OB/GYN, Aurora, CO (United States); University of Colorado Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Aurora, CO (United States)

    2016-01-15

    Restricted diffusion on acute MRI is the diagnostic standard for perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. In a subset of children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, primarily those with large infarct volumes, we noted a core of centrally increased diffusivity with a periphery of restricted diffusion. Given the paradoxical diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) appearance observed in some children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, we sought to determine its significance and hypothesized that: (1) centrally increased diffusivity is associated with larger infarcts in perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and (2) this tissue is irreversibly injured (infarcted). We reviewed all perinatal arterial ischemic stroke cases in a prospective cohort study from Aug. 1, 2000, to Jan. 1, 2012. Infarct volumes were measured by drawing regions of interest around the periphery of the area of restricted diffusion on DWI. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare means between groups. Of 25 eligible cases, centrally increased diffusivity was seen in 4 (16%). Cases with centrally increased diffusivity had larger average infarct volumes (mean 117,182 mm{sup 3} vs. 36,995 mm{sup 3}; P = 0.008), higher average apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the infarct core (1,679 x 10{sup -6} mm{sup 2}/s vs. 611 x 10{sup -6} mm{sup 2}/s, P < 0.0001), and higher ADC ratio (1.2 vs. 0.5, P < 0.0001). At last clinical follow-up, children with perinatal arterial ischemic stroke and centrally increased diffusivity were more often treated for ongoing seizures (75% vs. 0%; P < 0.001) than those without. Centrally increased diffusivity was associated with larger stroke volume and the involved tissue was confirmed to be infarcted on follow-up imaging. Radiologists should be aware of this unusual appearance of perinatal arterial ischemic stroke in order to avoid underestimating infarct volume or making an incorrect early diagnosis. (orig.)

  20. Evaluating the quality of perinatal anxiety information available online.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirby, Paige L; Reynolds, Kristin A; Walker, John R; Furer, Patricia; Pryor, Teaghan A M

    2018-06-22

    The Internet is an easily accessible source of information for women experiencing anxiety in pregnancy and/or postpartum to use when seeking health information. However, the Internet has several drawbacks, including inaccurate content that may be perceived as being accurate, non-biased, and evidence-based. Prior research indicates that anxiety and postpartum mental health websites have poor quality in terms of describing treatment options. There is a lack of research and knowledge in the area of perinatal anxiety, and an absence of research evaluating perinatal anxiety websites. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of information regarding perinatal anxiety available on the Internet. Websites concerning perinatal anxiety were selected using the Google search engine. Each website was evaluated based on quality of health information, website usability, and readability. The 20 websites included in this study had low to moderate quality scores based on the DISCERN tool. There were no associations found between website order and website quality, or between website readability and website quality. Many websites had high PEMAT scores for the understandability section, which included content, style, and layout of information; however, most did not use visual aids to enhance comprehension. Most websites had low actionability scores, suggesting that information may not be useful in describing what actions may be taken to manage perinatal anxiety. This study highlights the need for high-quality websites concerning perinatal anxiety that are easy to navigate and provide the public with evidence-based information.

  1. Magnitude of income-related disparities in adverse perinatal outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankardass, Ketan; O'Campo, Patricia; Dodds, Linda; Fahey, John; Joseph, Ks; Morinis, Julia; Allen, Victoria M

    2014-03-04

    To assess and compare multiple measurements of socioeconomic position (SEP) in order to determine the relationship with adverse perinatal outcomes across various contexts. A birth registry, the Nova Scotia Atlee Perinatal Database, was confidentially linked to income tax and related information for the year in which delivery occurred. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine odds ratios between multiple indicators of SEP and multiple adverse perinatal outcomes in 117734 singleton births between 1988 and 2003. Models for after tax family income were also adjusted for neighborhood deprivation to gauge the relative magnitude of effects related to SEP at both levels. Effects of SEP were stratified by single- versus multiple-parent family composition, and by urban versus rural location of residence. The risk of small for gestational age and spontaneous preterm birth was higher across all the indicators of lower SEP, while risk for large for gestational age was lower across indicators of lower SEP. Higher risk of postneonatal death was demonstrated for several measures of lower SEP. Higher material deprivation in the neighborhood of residence was associated with increased risk for perinatal death, small for gestational age birth, and iatrogenic and spontaneous preterm birth. Family composition and urbanicity were shown to modify the association between income and some perinatal outcomes. This study highlights the importance of understanding the definitions of SEP and the mechanisms that lead to the association between income and poor perinatal outcomes, and broadening the types of SEP measures used in some cases.

  2. Coping Flexibility and Complicated Grief: A Comparison of American and Chinese Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burton, Charles L.; Yan, Oscar H.; Pat-Horenczyk, Ruth; Chan, Ide S. F.; Ho, Samuel; Bonanno, George A.

    2011-01-01

    Background The ability to process a death, and the ability to remain optimistic and look beyond the loss, are both thought to be effective means of coping with loss and other aversive events. Recently, these seemingly contrary dimensions have been integrated into the idea of coping flexibility. Method In this study we assessed the ability of married and bereaved individuals in the US and Hong Kong to use both coping approaches as operationalized by the trauma-focused and forward-focused coping scales of a previously validated questionnaire. We also calculated a single flexibility score. Results Bereaved participants reported greater trauma-focused coping ability than did married participants. However, bereaved participants meeting criteria for complicated grief (CG) reported less forward-focused coping than both asymptomatic bereaved and married participants. The CG group also showed less overall coping flexibility than the asymptomatic bereaved and married groups. Country was not a factor. Conclusions Findings suggest that deficits in coping flexibility are indicative of pathology in bereaved individuals, and that this relationship extends across cultures. Limitations of the study and directions for future research are discussed. PMID:21898713

  3. Post-traumatic stress disorder in the perinatal period: A concept analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vignato, Julie; Georges, Jane M; Bush, Ruth A; Connelly, Cynthia D

    2017-12-01

    To report an analysis of the concept of perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder. Prevalence of perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder is rising in the USA, with 9% of the U.S. perinatal population diagnosed with the disorder and an additional 18% being at risk for the condition. Left untreated, adverse maternal-child outcomes result in increased morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Concept analysis via Walker and Avant's approach. The databases Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Academic Search Premier and PsychINFO were searched for articles, written in English, published between 2006-2015, containing the terms perinatal and post-traumatic stress disorder. Perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder owns unique attributes, antecedents and outcomes when compared to post-traumatic stress disorder in other contexts, and may be defined as a disorder arising after a traumatic experience, diagnosed any time from conception to 6 months postpartum, lasting longer than 1 month, leading to specific negative maternal symptoms and poor maternal-infant outcomes. Attributes include a diagnostic time frame (conception to 6 months postpartum), harmful prior or current trauma and specific diagnostic symptomatology defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition. Antecedents were identified as trauma (perinatal complications and abuse), postpartum depression and previous psychiatric history. Consequences comprised adverse maternal-infant outcomes. Further research on perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder antecedents, attributes and outcomes in ethnically diverse populations may provide clinicians a more comprehensive framework for identifying and treating perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder. Nurses are encouraged to increase their awareness of perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder for early assessment and intervention, and prevention of adverse maternal-infant outcomes. © 2017 John Wiley

  4. "So truly afflicting and distressing to me his sorrowing mother": expressions of maternal grief in eighteenth-century Philadelphia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMahon, Lucia

    2012-01-01

    In 1781, Lowry Wister produced an eight-page account of her three-year son’s death from small pox. Lowry Wister’s narrative offers important insights into the emotional landscape of mothering, mourning, and religion in late eighteenth-century America. Religious and cultural prescriptions stressed restraint throughout the mourning process, and in particular admonished women to avoid excessive displays of grief. Lowry Wister’s emotional struggles as a “sorrowing mother” enable us to examine the relationship between individual experiences and prescribed expressions of grief and mourning. While eighteenth-century conventions stressed quiet resignation to God’s will, emerging cultural changes increasingly enabled – indeed, encouraged – women to give public voice to their private emotions. By the nineteenth century, sentimental views of childhood, along with a culture of mourning, inspired parents – especially mothers – to give full expression to intense feelings of loss and sorrow. Lowry Wister’s narrative reveals how women responded to and negotiated various religious, cultural and literary conventions that shaped their understandings of motherhood and mourning. Her narrative illustrates the various ways in which individual women challenged cultural norms and helped usher in new forms of emotional and literary expression. Comparisons of Wister’s narrative to other eighteenth-century women’s writings on grief and mourning further illuminate the interplay between cultural convention and individual expression.

  5. [Studies on flomoxef in the perinatal period].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, N; Fukunaga, K; Kunii, K; Kobayashi, I

    1991-06-01

    Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on flomoxef (FMOX) in the perinatal period were carried out with the following summary of the results. Antibacterial effects of FMOX on the growth of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, MIC 400 micrograms/ml), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA, MIC 0.78 microgram/ml), Escherichia coli (MIC 3.13 micrograms/ml and MIC 0.20 microgram/ml) in amniotic fluid were determined and it was found that the activity of FMOX was enhanced in the amniotic fluid. FMOX rapidly penetrated into tissues and sera of pregnant women upon intravenous injection and its maternal serum concentrations reached their peak levels shortly after administration. Placental penetration of FMOX to the fetus was good and, after single intravenous injection of 1 g, the concentrations of FMOX in the umbilical cord serum and amniotic fluid exceeded MICs against major causative organisms of perinatal infections. These results indicate that single intravenous injection of FMOX 1 g twice a day is effective for the treatment and prophylaxis of perinatal infections. Injection of FMOX for the treatment of 14 cases of puerperal infections showed excellent clinical effectiveness with 100% clinical effect and 81.8% bacteriological response. No side-effect was observed in any case. All of these results suggested clinical usefulness of FMOX in the perinatal period.

  6. Associations between Prolonged Grief Disorder, Depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Anxiety in Rwandan Genocide Survivors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaal, Susanne; Dusingizemungu, Jean-Pierre; Jacob, Nadja; Neuner, Frank; Elbert, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    A number of studies have demonstrated that symptoms of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) represent a symptom cluster distinct from bereavement-related depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The aim of the present study was to confirm and extend these findings using the most recent criteria defining PGD. The authors interviewed…

  7. Grief and mourning in schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittmann, Daniela; Keshavan, Matcheri

    2007-01-01

    Depression and suicidality after first episode of psychosis are well-documented responses in patients with schizophrenia (Addington, Williams, Young, & Addington, 2004). The understanding of depression and suicidality has been increasingly refined through careful study. Researchers have identified a number of factors that may cause depression such as insight into the illness, feelings of loss and inferiority about the illness as a damaging life event, hopelessness about having a viable future with the illness and mourning for losses engendered by the illness. The authors argue that grief and mourning are not just an occasional reaction to the diagnosis of schizophrenia, but are a necessary part of coming to terms with having the illness. They offer three case examples, each of which illuminates a distinct way in which psychosis and mourning may be related--psychosis as a loss of former identity, psychosis as offering meaning and transformation, and psychosis as a way of coping with the inability to mourn. In their view, recovery depends on mourning illness-related losses, developing personal meaning for the illness, and moving forward with "usable insight" and new identity (Lewis, 2004) that reflects a new understanding of one's strengths and limitations with the illness.

  8. Midwifery care: a perinatal mental health case scenario.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marnes, Joanne; Hall, Pauline

    2013-12-01

    The establishment of the National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI, 2008-2013) has brought a focus across Australia for the need to identify women at risk of perinatal mental health disorders, suggesting that routine screening by relevant health professionals may aid earlier detection, better care and improved outcomes. Midwives are frequently the primary point of contact in the perinatal period and thus ideally placed to identify, interpret and manage complex situations, including screening for perinatal mental health disorders. This paper offers strategies that could be implemented into daily midwifery practice in order to achieve the goals consistent with the National Perinatal Depression Initiative. A case study (Jen) and discussion, guided by recommendations from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Competency standards and beyondblue Clinical Practice Guidelines, are used to demonstrate how midwifery care can be provided. In accordance with her legal obligations, the midwife should act within her scope of practice to undertake a series of psychosocial and medical assessments in order to best determine how midwifery care and support can be of benefit to Jen, her infant and her family. Suggestions described include administration of validated screening questionnaires, clinical interview, physical assessment, discussion with partner, awareness of the mother-infant interactions and questioning around baby's sleep and feeding. Based on evaluation of the information gained from a bio-psycho-social assessment, suggestions are made as to the midwifery care options that could be applied. Copyright © 2013 Australian College of Midwives. All rights reserved.

  9. Introduction of a qualitative perinatal audit at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Angela N

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Perinatal death is a devastating experience for the mother and of concern in clinical practice. Regular perinatal audit may identify suboptimal care related to perinatal deaths and thus appropriate measures for its reduction. The aim of this study was to perform a qualitative perinatal audit of intrapartum and early neonatal deaths and propose means of reducing the perinatal mortality rate (PMR. Methods From 1st August, 2007 to 31st December, 2007 we conducted an audit of perinatal deaths (n = 133 with birth weight 1500 g or more at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH. The audit was done by three obstetricians, two external and one internal auditors. Each auditor independently evaluated the cases narratives. Suboptimal factors were identified in the antepartum, intrapartum and early neonatal period and classified into three levels of delay (community, infrastructure and health care. The contribution of each suboptimal factor to adverse perinatal outcome was identified and the case graded according to possible avoidability. Degree of agreement between auditors was assessed by the kappa coefficient. Results The PMR was 92 per 1000 total births. Suboptimal factors were identified in 80% of audited cases and half of suboptimal factors were found to be the likely cause of adverse perinatal outcome and were preventable. Poor foetal heart monitoring during labour was indirectly associated with over 40% of perinatal death. There was a poor to fair agreement between external and internal auditors. Conclusion There are significant areas of care that need improvement. Poor monitoring during labour was a major cause of avoidable perinatal mortality. This type of audit was a good starting point for quality assurance at MNH. Regular perinatal audits to identify avoidable causes of perinatal deaths with feed back to the staff may be a useful strategy to reduce perinatal mortality.

  10. Perinatal outcomes among Asian-white interracial couples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nystrom, Michael J; Caughey, Aaron B; Lyell, Deirdre J; Druzin, Maurice L; El-Sayed, Yasser Y

    2008-10-01

    To investigate whether perinatal outcomes among interracial Asian-white couples are different than among Asian-Asian and white-white couples. This was a retrospective study of Asian, white, and Asian-white couples delivered at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital from 2000-2005. Asian-white couples were subdivided into white-mother/Asian-father or Asian-mother/white-father. Perinatal outcomes included gestational diabetes, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, preterm delivery, birth weight >4000 g and interracial Asian-white couples.

  11. How Adults With an Intellectual Disability Experience Bereavement and Grief: A Qualitative Exploration

    OpenAIRE

    McRitchie, Robyn; McKenzie, Karen; Quayle, Ethel; Harlin, Margaret; Neumann, Katja

    2014-01-01

    This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of bereavement of 13 adults with an intellectual disability and found that their experiences could be situated within the concept of disenfranchised grief. The latter mediated participants' meaning making of the grieving process illustrated in the themes of intra- and interpersonal bereavement experiences, core beliefs about life and death, level of inclusion, and maintaining a continuing relationship with the deceased. The results suggest...

  12. Perinatal Chicken Pox (Varicella Zoster Virus Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Annagur

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Chickenpox is due to infection with the varicella zoster virus (VZV, a human alphaherpervirus found worldwide. Classically, the cinical disease is a febrile illness with a pruritic vesicular rash. Maternal chickenpox between 5 days before delivery to 2 days after delivery (perinatal varicella can cause severe and even fatal illness in the newborn. A 7-day old girl baby presented on day 4 of postnatal with the complaints of widespread vesicular rash and non-suckling. Mother of the baby also had a similar eruption four day prior to delivery, which was clinically characteristic of varicella. Considering history and clinical presentation, a diagnosis of perinatal chickenpox was considered and the baby was treated with acyclovir which she responded and recovered. Herein, the clinical feasures and treatment of chickenpox infection in the perinatal period have been emphasized with this case report. [Cukurova Med J 2013; 38(2.000: 311-314

  13. Prevalence and factors influencing perinatal mortality in rural mysore, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddalingappa, Hugara; Murthy M R, Nrayana; Kulkarni, Praveen; N C, Ashok

    2013-12-01

    With decreasing Infant Mortality Rate, Perinatal Mortality is gaining importance as it takes into consideration most of the factors influencing child birth and its survival, mortality during this period is a better indicator of quality of Maternal and Child Health services. To estimate the Prevalence of perinatal mortality and its associated risk factors. Cross sectional community based study was carried out in rural field practice area catering 26,700 population. All births during 2010 among permanent residents of this area were included. House to house survey was conducted to collect details regarding Antenatal, intra-natal and post-natal history by interviewing mother using a pre-tested questionnaire. Hospital records were also referred when available. Nine perinatal deaths had occurred out of 314 births in a span of one year with a perinatal, early neonatal mortality rates of 28.93, 19.29 per 1000 live births respectively and still birth rate of 9.55 per 100 total births. Higher Perinatal Mortality Rate(PNMR) was observed in mothers who got married before 18 years, conceived during teenage, having anaemia, delivered at home, normal vaginal deliveries and having suffered by intra-partal and placental complications. Male babies, babies fed with prelacteal feeds, born out of intra-uterine complications, having low birth weight, had delayed first cry, premature births and twin births showed higher risk for mortality. The prevalence of perinatal mortality in the present study was 28.93 per 1000 live births. Even though this was well below the national and state values indicating improved quality of Maternal and Child Health care, it also gives way for relooking into strategies for further bringing down the perinatal deaths.

  14. Maternal and fetal determinants of perinatal transmission of HIV ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    All effort should be geared toward identifying those positive and minimized or modify risks factors through behavior change, prompt initiation of treatment and prophylaxis for those found positive with a view to reduce the incidence of perinatal transmission. Key Words: perinatal transmission, HIV, maternal, fetal determinants, ...

  15. The Impact of Antenatal Depression on Perinatal Outcomes in Australian Women.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Eastwood

    Full Text Available In Australia, there is limited evidence on the impact of antenatal depression on perinatal outcomes. This study investigates the association between maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy and key perinatal outcomes, including birth weight, gestational age at birth, breastfeeding indicators and postnatal depressive symptoms.A retrospective cohort of mothers (N = 17,564 of all infants born in public health facilities within South Western Sydney Local Health District and Sydney Local Health District in 2014, in the state of New South Wales (NSW, Australia, was enumerated from routinely collected antenatal data to investigate the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes associated with maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Antenatal depressive symptoms were measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS. Logistic regression models that adjusted for confounders were conducted to determine associations between antenatal depressive symptoms and low birth weight, early gestational age at birth (<37 weeks, breast feeding indicators and postnatal depressive symptoms.The prevalence of maternal depressive symptoms during pregnancy was 7.0% in the cohort, and was significantly associated with postnatal depressive symptoms [Adjusted Odd Ratios (AOR = 6.4, 95% CI: 4.8-8.7, P<0.001]. Antenatal depressive symptoms was associated with a higher odds of low birth weight [AOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2-2.3, P = 0.003] and a gestational age at birth of <37 weeks [AOR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7, P = 0.018] compared to women who reported lower EPDS scores in antenatal period. Antenatal depressive symptoms were not strongly associated with non-exclusive breast feeding in the early postnatal period.Maternal depressive symptoms in the antenatal period are strongly associated with postnatal depressive symptoms and adverse perinatal outcomes in Australian infants. Early identification of antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms, and referral for appropriate

  16. FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF DYADIC PROLONGED EXPOSURE INTERVENTION FOR PREVENTING POSTTRAUMATIC GRIEF IN YOUNG CHILDREN: A CASE REPORT OF TWO SIBLINGS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rachamim, Lilach

    2017-09-01

    This article highlights the feasibility of a dyadic prolonged exposure (DPE) intervention (L. Rachamim, I. Mirochnik, L. Helpman, N. Nacasch, & E. Yadin, ) in a 3-year-old preschooler and in a 6-year-old kindergartener immediately following the traumatic death of their younger sibling. It presents a detailed case description of the DPE treatment addressing traumatic grief and includes transcribed treatment dialogue. At the time of treatment termination, both children and caregivers resumed normal functioning. The results suggest that DPE intervention may ameliorate posttraumatic grief symptoms in young children. Controlled studies of preventive interventions for this population are clearly warranted. © 2017 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  17. A pilot study on the effectiveness of anticipatory grief therapy for elderly facing the end of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Joanna Oi-Yue; Lo, Raymond; Chan, Faye; Woo, Jean

    2010-01-01

    This pilot study evaluates the benefits of anticipatory grief therapy (AGT) for day hospice patients and long-term care (LTC) residents with cancer and non-malignant chronic diseases. Twenty-six elderly people (69.2 percent female; average age 81.8 years) participated in experiential, expressive activities and discussions during AGT. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire-Hong Kong version and the 15-item Geriatrics Depression Scale (Chinese version) were administered immediately before and after AGT, and at a four-week follow-up. Focus groups were held to collect qualitative feedback. Significant post-AGT improvements were found in physical (Z = -2.12, p art, perceived benefits of AGT, and comments and suggestions for improving AGT in the future. We conclude that AGT delivered in both day hospice and LTC settings could be acceptable, feasible, and useful for elderly people facing the end of life.

  18. Parental grief and memento mori photography: narrative, meaning, culture, and context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blood, Cybele; Cacciatore, Joanne

    2014-01-01

    Postmortem photography is a widespread practice in perinatal bereavement care, yet few studies have explored how it affects bereaved parents, or how it might be received by parents of older children. This study is an examination of the meaning, utility, and social context of postmortem photography in a sample of 181 bereaved parents. Data were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Photographs were positively regarded by most parents after perinatal death and several parents of older children. Other parents rejected postmortem photography for aesthetic, personal, or cultural reasons. Brief recommendations are offered for healthcare providers.

  19. A Greek perspective on concepts of death and expression of grief, with implications for practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mystakidou, Kyriaki; Tsilika, Eleni; Parpa, Efi; Katsouda, Emmanuela; Vlahos, Lambros

    2003-12-01

    Death has been conceptualised in different ways by different cultures and civilizations. It is increasingly entering into the public consciousness and society is now more ready to discuss and lessen the fear of dying and grief than it has been in the past few decades. In Greece, by Classical times there was an increase in burial rituals and commemorative practices compared to earlier periods. When Christianity was introduced into Greece it attempted to change the way the dead were mourned, preaching immortality of the soul and resurrection of the dead. Nevertheless, the way people grieve and bury their dead in Greece has not changed greatly since before the introduction of Christianity, except for the difficulty experienced in witnessing burial procedures observed in the large cities. Burial and bereavement traditions were introduced to help Greeks cope with death and bereavement. In Greece today beliefs about grief and death are based both on the ancient and the Christian Orthodox traditions. Healthcare professionals need to develop cultural competence to improve nursing and future health care. If care is culturally informed and tailored its quality is improved.

  20. Perinatal Asphyxia: A Review from a Metabolomics Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Fattuoni

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Perinatal asphyxia is defined as an oxygen deprivation that occurs around the time of birth, and may be caused by several perinatal events. This medical condition affects some four million neonates worldwide per year, causing the death of one million subjects. In most cases, infants successfully recover from hypoxia episodes; however, some patients may develop HIE, leading to permanent neurological conditions or impairment of different organs and systems. Given its multifactor dependency, the timing, severity and outcome of this disease, mainly assessed through Sarnat staging, are of difficult evaluation. Moreover, although the latest newborn resuscitation guideline suggests the use of a 21% oxygen concentration or room air, such an approach is still under debate. Therefore, the pathological mechanism is still not clear and a golden standard treatment has yet to be defined. In this context, metabolomics, a new discipline that has described important perinatal issues over the last years, proved to be a useful tool for the monitoring, the assessment, and the identification of potential biomarkers associated with asphyxia events. This review covers metabolomics research on perinatal asphyxia condition, examining in detail the studies reported both on animal and human models.

  1. Domestic Violence Enhanced Perinatal Home Visits: The DOVE Randomized Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharps, Phyllis W; Bullock, Linda F; Campbell, Jacquelyn C; Alhusen, Jeanne L; Ghazarian, Sharon R; Bhandari, Shreya S; Schminkey, Donna L

    2016-11-01

    Perinatal intimate partner violence (IPV) is common and has significant negative health outcomes for mothers and infants. This study evaluated the effectiveness of an IPV intervention in reducing violence among abused women in perinatal home visiting programs. This assessor-blinded multisite randomized control trial of 239 women experiencing perinatal IPV was conducted from 2006 to 2012 in U.S. urban and rural settings. The Domestic Violence Enhanced Home Visitation Program (DOVE) intervention group (n = 124) received a structured abuse assessment and six home visitor-delivered empowerment sessions integrated into home visits. All participants were screened for IPV and referred appropriately. IPV was measured by the Conflicts Tactics Scale2 at baseline through 24 months postpartum. There was a significant decrease in IPV over time (F = 114.23; p < 0.001) from baseline to 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postpartum (all p < 0.001). Additional models examining change in IPV from baseline indicated a significant treatment effect (F = 6.45; p < 0.01). Women in the DOVE treatment group reported a larger mean decrease in IPV scores from baseline compared to women in the usual care group (mean decline 40.82 vs. 35.87). All models accounted for age and maternal depression as covariates. The DOVE intervention was effective in decreasing IPV and is brief, thereby facilitating its incorporation within well-woman and well-child care visits, as well as home visiting programs, while satisfying recommendations set forth in the Affordable Care Act for IPV screening and brief counseling.

  2. The value of incorporating avoidable factors into perinatal audits ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To assess whether incorporating a system of identifying, classifying and grading avoidable factors into a perinatal audit can be useful in identifying problem areas. Design. Descriptive study. Setting. Black urban population, Pretoria, South Africa. Subjects. All perinatal deaths of infants weighing more than 1 000 g ...

  3. Perinatal outcomes of pregnancies conceived by assisted reproductive technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Šljivančanin Tamara

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Recent epidemiological studies showed significantly higher incidence of perinatal complications in newborns and women after the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART. Multiple pregnancies are more frequent after the use of ART. Singleton pregnancies following ART are more prone to preterm birth, low and very low birth weight (LBW and VLBW, small for gestational age (SGA and perinatal mortality. Objective. The aim of this study was to summarize the results of relevant articles and to evaluate whether the mode of conception is the determining factor for different pregnancy outcomes after assisted and natural conceptions. Methods. Eleven studies were included in this review. The following outcomes were observed: preterm and very preterm birth, SGA, LBW, VLBW, perinatal mortality, admission to neonatal intensive care unit (NICU, and Apgar score (As ≤7 at fifth minute. Qualitative analysis and quantitative assessment were performed. Results. For singletons, odds ratios were 1.794 (95% confidence interval 1.660-1.939 for preterm birth, 1.649 (1.301-2.089 for LBW, 1.265 (1.048-1.527 for SGA. Admission to NICU, As≤7 at fifth minute and perinatal mortality showed significantly different frequency after assisted conception. Summary of results for twin gestations showed no significant difference between ART and spontaneous conception for preterm birth (32-36 weeks, very preterm birth (<32 weeks, LBW and VLBW. Conclusion. Analyzed studies showed that infants from ART have significantly worse perinatal outcome compared with natural conception. More observational studies should be conducted in order to establish the exact mechanism leading to more frequent perinatal morbidity and mortality after the use of ART.

  4. Genetic and perinatal effects of abused substances

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brande, M.C.; Zimmerman, A.M.

    1987-01-01

    This book provides an overview of the effects of several abused drugs, including opiates, cannabinoids, alcohol, nicotine, and cocaine, with special emphasis on the actions of these substances at the molecular and cellular levels. The first half deals with genetic effects, including molecular genetics, biochemical genetics, pharmacogenetics, cytogenetics, and genetic toxicity. The second half focuses on perinatal effects and covers: drug abuse during pregnancy; biochemical aspects of marihuana on male reproduction; and long-term behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of perinatal alcohol exposure.

  5. Perinatal-lethal Gaucher disease presenting as hydrops fetalis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    BenHamida, Emira; Ayadi, Imene; Ouertani, Ines; Chammem, Maroua; Bezzine, Ahlem; BenTmime, Riadh; Attia, Leila; Mrad, Ridha; Marrakchi, Zahra

    2015-01-01

    Perinatal-lethal Gaucher disease is very rare and is considered a variant of type 2 Gaucher disease that occurs in the neonatal period. The most distinct features of perinatal-lethal Gaucher disease are non-immune hydrops fetalis. Less common signs of the disease are hepatosplenomegaly, ichthyosis and arthrogryposis. We report a case of Gaucher's disease (type 2) diagnosed in a newborn who presented with Hydrops Fetalis.

  6. The long-term psychiatric and medical prognosis of perinatal mental illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meltzer-Brody, Samantha; Stuebe, Alison

    2014-01-01

    The perinatal period provides an important window into a woman's long-term health. Perinatal mental illness is a common condition conferring potential serious long-term psychiatric and medical consequences for the mother and family. It is known that childbirth acts as a powerful trigger for depressive episodes in some women, and that women with histories of a mood disorder are particularly vulnerable. Some evidence links perinatal mental illness with obstetrical complications and reduced lactation initiation and duration. Therefore, perinatal mental illness may be a marker for long-term risk, and may contribute directly to subsequent cardiometabolic disease through both neuroendocrine mechanisms and the effects of mental illness on health behaviours. In clinical practice, these associations underscore the importance of screening and treating women with perinatal mental illness to ensure best possible long-term outcomes. Early screening and treatment may both mitigate the primary disease process and reduce the risk of comorbid medical conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Perinatal Depression – the Fourth Inflammatory Morbidity of Pregnancy? Theory and Literature Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osborne, Lauren M.; Monk, Catherine

    2015-01-01

    Perinatal depression is one of the leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality. The biological etiology of this disorder remains in question, despite considerable research into the contributions of hormonal imbalance, the role of monoamines, and dysregulation of the HPA axis. Because inflammation is known to be associated with major depression in men and non-perinatal women as well as with other important morbidities of pregnancy (such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes), and because these morbidities may correlate with perinatal depression, inflammation may be a common physiological pathway that can also help explain perinatal depression. In this paper, we review the theoretical background of inflammation in perinatal depression and then review the literature concerning immune and inflammatory factors in the etiology and course of perinatal depression. We close with recommendations for future studies in this still relatively unexplored area. Identification and understanding of a common pathophysiology between other pregnancy morbidities and perinatal depression would link physical and mental well-being, likely leading to better treatment and prevention. PMID:23608136

  8. Perinatal outcomes in 375 children born after oocyte donation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Malchau, Sara S; Loft, Anne; Larsen, Elisabeth C

    2013-01-01

    To describe perinatal outcomes in children born after oocyte donation (OD) compared with in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and spontaneous conception (SC).......To describe perinatal outcomes in children born after oocyte donation (OD) compared with in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and spontaneous conception (SC)....

  9. A current landscape of provincial perinatal data collection in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massey, Kiran A; Magee, Laura A; Dale, Sheryll; Claydon, Jennifer; Morris, Tara J; von Dadelszen, Peter; Liston, Robert M; Ansermino, J Mark

    2009-03-01

    The Canadian Perinatal Network (CPN) was launched in 2005 as a national perinatal database project designed to identify best practices in maternity care. The inaugural project of CPN is focused on interventions that optimize maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with threatened preterm birth at 22+0 to 28+6 weeks' gestation. To examine existing data collection by perinatal health programs (PHPs) to inform decisions about shared data collection and CPN database construction. We reviewed the database manuals and websites of all Canadian PHPs and compiled a list of data fields and their definitions. We compared these fields and definitions with those of CPN and the Canadian Minimal Dataset, proposed as a common dataset by the Canadian Perinatal Programs Coalition of Canadian PHPs. PHPs collect information on 2/3 of deliveries in Canada. PHPs consistently collect information on maternal demographics (including both maternal and neonatal personal identifiers), past obstetrical history, maternal lifestyle, aspects of labour and delivery, and basic neonatal outcomes. However, most PHPs collect insufficient data to enable identification of obstetric (and neonatal) practices associated with improved maternal and perinatal outcomes. In addition, there is between-PHP variability in defining many data fields. Construction of a separate CPN database was needed although harmonization of data field definitions with those of the proposed Canadian Minimal Dataset was done to plan for future shared data collection. This convergence should be the goal of researchers and clinicians alike as we construct a common language for electronic health records.

  10. A Qualitative Study on the Grief of People Who Lose Their Only Child: From the Perspective of Familism Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yudi Zhang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Shidu is the Chinese transliteration for ‘losing an only child,’ which indicates the death of the only child in the family. Shidu is a unique social phenomenon resulting from the One-Child Policy implemented in China for several decades. Shiduers are parents who have lost their only child. The grief research scholar Neimeyer (2012 argued that grief research should consider the role of different cultures in the grieving process. Familism culture is a collectivist culture that has a profound effect on Chinese society and is likely to produce a significant effect on the grieving process of shiduers; however, this effect has not yet received systematic attention in research. To explore the effect of familism culture on the grief of shiduers, we conducted semi-structured personal interviews in Beijing, China, with seven shiduers. The study results show that the effect of familism culture on the grief of shiduers includes three levels: cognition, emotion, and behavior. These levels are reflected in a variety of relationships, including relationships with ancestors, the deceased child, the spouse, relatives, Tong Ming Ren (the Chinese transliteration of ‘people who share the same fate’, and the country. The first four types of relationships are reflections of ‘direct familism culture,’ and the latter two types of relationships are reflections of ‘extended familism culture’. The relationships with the deceased child, relatives, and Tong Ming Ren are mainly supportive; the relationship with ancestors is mainly stressful; the relationship with the spouse has a dual nature; and the relationship with the country is contradictory. Over time, shiduers have abandoned the concept of familism culture and have moved toward reducing stress and increasing supportiveness. Psychological professionals, social workers, and government staff may refer to the results of this study to help shiduers obtain support and reduce stress from the described

  11. Total perinatally related losses at Tygerberg Hospital – a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective. To determine the leading causes of perinatal deaths and to evaluate any changes, with the inclusion of placental histology. Method. At perinatal mortality meetings, primary and final causes of death were assigned for the period 1 July 2006 - 30 June 2007. All singleton babies born to women residing in the ...

  12. Perinatal management and long-term cardiac outcome in fetal arrhythmia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hahurij, N.D.; Blom, N.A.; Lopriore, E.; Aziz, M.I.; Nagel, H.T.; Rozendaal, L.; Vandenbussche, F.P.H.A.

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: cardiac arrhythmias are commonly observed in the fetus, however, may have major consequences for fetal development and post natal life. AIMS: to evaluate the perinatal management and cardiac outcome of fetuses with tachy- or bradyarrhythmia. STUDY DESIGN: perinatal management, outcome

  13. Perinatal mental health service provision in Switzerland and in the UK.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amiel Castro, Rita T; Schroeder, Katrin; Pinard, Claudia; Blöchlinger, Patricia; Künzli, Hansjörg; Riecher-Rössler, Anita; Kammerer, Martin

    2015-01-01

    The epidemiology of maternal perinatal-psychiatric disorders as well as their effect on the baby is well recognised. Increasingly well researched specialised treatment methods can reduce maternal morbidity, positively affect mother-baby bonding and empower women's confidence as a mother. Here, we aimed to compare guidelines and the structure of perinatal-psychiatric service delivery in the United Kingdom and in Switzerland from the government's perspective. Swiss cantons provided information regarding guidelines and structure of service delivery in 2000. A subsequent survey using the same questionnaire was carried out in 2007. In the UK, similar information was accessed through published reports from 2000-2012. Guidelines for perinatal psychiatry exist in the UK, whereas in Switzerland in 2000 none of the 26 cantons had guidelines, and in 2007 only one canton did. Joint mother-baby admissions on general psychiatric wards were offered by 92% of the Swiss cantons. In the UK, pregnant women and joint mother-baby admissions are only advised onto specialised perinatal-psychiatric units. In Switzerland, in 2007, three specialised units (max. 24 beds) were in place corresponding to 1 unit per 2.5 million people, while in the UK there were 22 mother-baby units (168 beds) in 2012 (1 unit per 2.8 million). In the UK, less than 50% of trusts provided specialised perinatal-psychiatric health care. The main difference between the UK and Switzerland was the absence of guidelines, regular assessment and plans for future development of perinatal psychiatry in Switzerland. There are still geographical differences in the provision of perinatal-psychiatric services in the UK.

  14. Grief elaboration in families with handicapped member.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calandra, C; Finocchiaro, G; Raciti, L; Alberti, A

    1992-01-01

    Families with handicapped member seem to follow the same five stages (rejection and isolation, anger, dealing with the problem, depression, acceptance) of Kubler-Ross grief elaboration theory while dealing with the narcissistic wound of a handicapped child. Some of these families show a block in one of the stages. The effort of psychotherapy is to remove the block and let them reach the last stage. In this paper families under systemic psychotherapeutic treatment are analyzed, who had in common the birth of a child with low or modest invalidating signs and psychotic or autistic features. The families structure did not show the characteristics of a psychotic family. Nevertheless either one or both parents ignored the evidence of their child disease and they built a "disease-incongrous" wait around the child, trying to push away the painful reality. The authors explain the importance of this approach for the improvement of the autistic traits.

  15. Prenatal and perinatal risk factors and the clinical implications on autism spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chien, Yi-Ling; Chou, Miao-Chun; Chou, Wen-Jiun; Wu, Yu-Yu; Tsai, Wen-Che; Chiu, Yen-Nan; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

    2018-06-01

    Prenatal and perinatal factors may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder. However, little is known about whether unaffected siblings of probands with autism spectrum disorder also share the phenomenon and whether the prenatal/perinatal factors are related to the clinical severity of autistic symptoms. We compared the frequency of prenatal and perinatal factors among 323 probands with autism spectrum disorder (mean age ± standard deviation, 10.7 ± 3.5 years; males, 91.0%), 257 unaffected siblings (11.7 ± 4.5; 42.8%), and 1504 typically developing controls (8.9 ± 1.6 years; 53.1%); and investigated their effects on the severity of autistic symptoms. We found that probands with autism spectrum disorder and their unaffected siblings had more prenatal/perinatal events than typically developing controls with higher numbers of prenatal/perinatal factors in probands than in unaffected siblings. The prenatal/perinatal events were associated with greater stereotyped behaviors, social-emotional problems, socio-communication deficits, and overall severity. We also found that six prenatal/perinatal factors (i.e. preeclampsia, polyhydramnios, oligoamnios, placenta previa, umbilical cord knot, and gestational diabetes) were associated with the severity of autistic symptoms, particularly stereotyped behaviors and socio-communication deficits. Our findings suggest that prenatal and perinatal factors may potentially moderate the clinical expression of autism spectrum disorder. The underlying mechanism warrants further research.

  16. Impacts of online and group perinatal education: a mixed methods study protocol for the optimization of perinatal health services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roch, Geneviève; Borgès Da Silva, Roxane; de Montigny, Francine; Witteman, Holly O; Pierce, Tamarha; Semenic, Sonia; Poissant, Julie; Parent, André-Anne; White, Deena; Chaillet, Nils; Dubois, Carl-Ardy; Ouimet, Mathieu; Lapointe, Geneviève; Turcotte, Stéphane; Prud'homme, Alexandre; Painchaud Guérard, Geneviève; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

    2018-05-29

    Prenatal education is a core component of perinatal care and services provided by health institutions. Whereas group prenatal education is the most common educational model, some health institutions have opted to implement online prenatal education to address accessibility issues as well as the evolving needs of future parents. Various studies have shown that prenatal education can be effective in acquisition of knowledge on labour and delivery, reducing psychological distress and maximising father's involvement. However, these results may depend on educational material, organization, format and content. Furthermore, the effectiveness of online prenatal education compared to group prenatal education remains unclear in the literature. This project aims to evaluate the impacts of group prenatal education and online prenatal education on health determinants and users' health status, as well as on networks of perinatal educational services maintained with community-based partners. This multipronged mixed methods study uses a collaborative research approach to integrate and mobilize knowledge throughout the process. It consists of: 1) a prospective cohort study with quantitative data collection and qualitative interviews with future and new parents; and 2) a multiple case study integrating documentary sources and interviews with stakeholders involved in the implementation of perinatal information service networks and collaborations with community partners. Perinatal health indicators and determinants will be compared between prenatal education groups (group prenatal education and online prenatal education) and standard care without these prenatal education services (control group). This study will provide knowledge about the impact of online prenatal education as a new technological service delivery model compared to traditional group prenatal education. Indicators related to the complementarity of these interventions and those available in community settings will

  17. Depression in perinatally HIV-infected pregnant women compared to non-perinatally HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angrand, Ruth C; Sperling, Rhoda; Roccobono, Kinga; Osborne, Lauren M; Jao, Jennifer

    2018-05-18

    "Depression (as noted in chart by a physician)" was compared between HIV infected pregnant women and controls. Perinatally HIV-infected (PHIV), non-perinatally HIV-infected (NPHIV), and HIV-uninfected (HIV-U) pregnant women were all compared using a logistic regression model. Overall, HIV-infected women had higher rates of depression than HIV-U, with PHIV women demonstrating a clinically and statistically significant increased risk compared to HIV-U women [adjusted OR: 15.9, 95% CI = 1.8-143.8]. Future studies in larger populations are warranted to confirm these findings and further elucidate mental health outcomes of PHIV and NPHIV pregnant women.

  18. Building Perinatal Case Manager Capacity Using Quality Improvement

    OpenAIRE

    Fitzgerald, Elaine

    2015-01-01

    Improving breastfeeding rates among Black women is a potential strategy to address disparities in health outcomes that disproportionately impact Black women and children. This quality improvement (QI) initiative aimed to improve perinatal case manager knowledge and self-efficacy to promote breastfeeding among Black, low-income women who use services through Boston Healthy Start Initiative. QI methodology was used to develop and test a two-part strategy for perinatal case managers to promote a...

  19. Perinatal outcome of preterm cesarean section in a resource-limited ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: The relationship between perinatal outcome and anesthetic technique for preterm cesarean sections has not been explored in South Eastern, Nigeria. Objective: The objective of the following study is to evaluate perinatal outcome in preterm cesarean sections conducted under general anesthesia (GA) and ...

  20. Perinatal psychosis in mothers with a history of major depressive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mighton, Chloe E; Inglis, Angela J; Carrion, Prescilla B; Hippman, Catriona L; Morris, Emily M; Andrighetti, Heather J; Batallones, Rolan; Honer, William G; Austin, Jehannine C

    2016-04-01

    While women with a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) have higher chances for postpartum depressive and manic episodes, little is known about their chance for postpartum psychosis (PPP). We prospectively assessed the frequency of perinatal psychotic symptoms among primiparous women with a history of MDD only (structured clinical interview was used to exclude women with pre-existing histories of mania or psychosis) and explored whether sex of the baby influenced these symptoms.The presence of symptoms of psychosis was defined using previously established cutoff scores on five key items from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), which was administered during pregnancy, at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postpartum.Fourteen of 60 women (23%) scored above threshold for psychosis at one or more time points, with 6 experiencing postpartum onset. There was a non-significant trend (p = 0.073) towards higher frequency of these symptoms among mothers of girls.If controlled studies using diagnostic interviews confirm that psychotic symptoms are relatively common among women with MDD, monitoring for psychosis during the perinatal period may be indicated in this population. The potential effect of sex of the baby on mothers' chance for PPP requires further study.

  1. Sexual activity and sexual dysfunction of women in the perinatal period: a longitudinal study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallwiener, Stephanie; Müller, Mitho; Doster, Anne; Kuon, Ruben Jeremias; Plewniok, Katharina; Feller, Sandra; Wallwiener, Markus; Reck, Corinna; Matthies, Lina Maria; Wallwiener, Christian

    2017-04-01

    Reduced sexual activity and dysfunctional problems are highly prevalent in the perinatal period, and there is a lack of data regarding the degree of normality during pregnancy. Several risk factors have been independently associated with a greater extent of Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual inactivity and sexual dysfunctions in German women during the perinatal period and the verification of potential risk factors. Questionnaires were administered to 315 women prenatally (TI 3rd trimester) and postpartum (TII 1 week, TIII 4 months), including the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Questionnaire of Partnership (PFB). The frequency of sexual inactivity was 24% (TI), 40.5% (TII), and 19.9% (TIII). Overall, 26.5-34.8% of women were at risk of sexual dysfunction (FSFI score Sexual desire disorder was the most prevalent form of Female sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, especially breastfeeding and low partnership quality were revealed as significant risk factors for sexual dysfunctional problems postpartum. Depressive symptoms having a cesarean section and high maternal education were correlated with dysfunctional problems in several subdomains. Findings indicated that women at risk of FSD differed significantly in aspects of partnership quality, breastfeeding, mode of delivery, maternal education, and depressive symptoms. Aspects of perinatal sexuality should be routinely implemented in the counseling of couples in prenatal classes.

  2. Análisis del comportamiento de la mortalidad materna y perinatal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angélica Uribe-Meneses

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Este estudio se orientó a identificar las causas, calcular la tasa y caracterizar los casos de mortalidad materna y perinatal en la Empresa Social del Estado Hospital Regional Noroccidental del departamento Norte de Santander, entre los años 2006 a 2009. La investigación es de carácter cuantitativo, descriptivo, con enfoque retrospectivo. Se emplearon los siguientes instrumentos para la recolección de información: Ficha SIVIGILA de notificación mortalidad materno perinatal del Instituto Nacional de Salud, encuesta de visita de campo del protocolo para la vigilancia de la mortalidad materno-perinatal del Instituto Nacional de Salud, historias clínicas de cada uno de los casos objeto de estudio. La población es tomada del total de muertes maternas y perinatales de procedencia de la Empresa Social del Estado Hospital Regional Noroccidental del departamento Norte de Santander, la muestra está representada en el 100% de los de casos de mortalidad materna y perinatal de la ESE, que en total son 65 casos, 7 de mortalidad materna y 58 de mortalidad perinatal. Entre las causas identificadas como más prevalentes para la mortalidad materna fueron la eclampsia y/ pre-eclampsia, y la causa de mortalidad perinatal fue el síndrome de dificultad respiratoria, la tasa más alta de mortalidad materna la presentó el municipio del Carmen con 1.49 y convención con 1.41 por 10.000 MEF y la tasa de mortalidad perinatal la presentó el municipio del Carmen con una tasa de 29.65 por 1.000 nacidos vivos.

  3. Avoidance of Bereavement-Related Stimuli in Chinese Individuals Experiencing Prolonged Grief: Evidence from a Dot-Probe Task

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng Yu

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Attentional bias refers to a preference for (e.g., vigilance or a shifting away (e.g., avoidance of one’s focus with respect to specific stimuli. Accumulating evidence suggests that an attentional bias toward death/threat-related stimuli exists in bereaved individuals experiencing prolonged grief (PG. Measuring for different processing may reflect different cognitive characteristics. Therefore, this study sought to compare information-processing biases in Chinese individuals with high versus low levels of PG symptomatology at supraliminal and subliminal levels, respectively.Method: A 2 (grief level × 2 (consciousness level × 2 (word type three-factor mixed design with supraliminal and subliminal tasks was utilized in the current study. Based on their Prolonged Grief Questionnaire-13 (PG-13 scores, 38 participants were included in the low-PG group, and 34 individuals were included in the high-PG group. All the participants completed a dot-probe task in which they were primed with death-related and life-related words paired with neutral stimuli.Results: High-PG individuals were slower in reacting to the death-related information in both supraliminal and subliminal tasks. After controlling for other symptoms in the backward deletion regression, PG-13 scores significantly predicted the avoidance tendency to death-related words in the supraliminal task, while anxiety was the best predictor of turning one’s vision away from death-related stimuli in the subliminal trials.Conclusion: The results suggested that high PG is associated with a tendency to avoid death-related words. Future research is needed to explore interventions that address the avoidance of death-related stimuli among individuals with elevated, or diagnosable, levels of PG.

  4. Does perinatal asphyxia contribute to neurological dysfunction in preterm infants?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Iersel, Patricia A. M.; Bakker, Saskia C. M.; Jonker, Arnold J. H.; Hadders-Algra, Mijna

    Background: Children born preterm are known to be at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. The role of perinatal asphyxia in this increased risk is still a matter of debate. Aim: To analyze the contribution of perinatal asphyxia in a population of preterm infants admitted to a secondary paediatric

  5. Perinatal western-type diet and associated gestational weight gain alter postpartum maternal mood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolton, Jessica L; Wiley, Melanie G; Ryan, Bailey; Truong, Samantha; Strait, Melva; Baker, Dana Creighton; Yang, Nancy Y; Ilkayeva, Olga; O'Connell, Thomas M; Wroth, Shelley W; Sánchez, Cristina L; Swamy, Geeta; Newgard, Christopher; Kuhn, Cynthia; Bilbo, Staci D; Simmons, Leigh Ann

    2017-10-01

    The role of perinatal diet in postpartum maternal mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, remains unclear. We investigated whether perinatal consumption of a Western-type diet (high in fat and branched-chain amino acids [BCAA]) and associated gestational weight gain (GWG) cause serotonin dysregulation in the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in postpartum depression and anxiety (PPD/A). Mouse dams were fed one of four diets (high-fat/high BCAA, low-fat/high BCAA, high-fat, and low-fat) prior to mating and throughout gestation and lactation. Postpartum behavioral assessments were conducted, and plasma and brain tissues assayed. To evaluate potential clinical utility, we conducted preliminary human studies using data from an extant sample of 17 primiparous women with high GWG, comparing across self-reported postpartum mood symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for percent GWG and plasma amino acid levels. Mouse dams fed the high-fat/high BCAA diet gained more weight per kcal consumed, and BCAA-supplemented dams lost weight more slowly postpartum. Dams on BCAA-supplemented diets exhibited increased PPD/A-like behavior, decreased dopaminergic function, and decreased plasma tyrosine and histidine levels when assessed on postnatal day (P)8. Preliminary human data showed that GWG accounted for 29% of the variance in EPDS scores. Histidine was also lower in women with higher EPDS scores. These findings highlight the role of perinatal diet and excess GWG in the development of postpartum mood disorders.

  6. [Perinatal clomiphene citrate treatment changes sexual orientations of male mice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Feng-Qin; Zhang, Heng-Rui

    2013-10-01

    Perinatal period and adolescence are critical for brain development, which is the biological basis of an individual's sexual orientation and sexual behavior. In this study, animals were divided into two groups and their sexual orientations were observed: one group experienced drug treatments during the perinatal period, and the other group was castrated at puberty. The results showed that estradiol treatment had no effect on mature male offspring's sexual orientations, but 9 days and 14 days of clomiphene citrate treatment significantly increased the chance of homosexuality and effeminized behavior. In addition, the sexual orientation of mature normal male offspring, which were castrated when they were 21 days old,was not significant different from the control animals. These findings suggest that the inhibition of perinatal estrogen activities could suppress individual male-typical responses, enhance female-typical responses and induce homosexual orientations. Moreover, the masculinizing effects of estrogen were more obvious during perinatal period than adolescence.

  7. Trends in Perinatal Care and Implications for Frontline Nurse Leaders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crenshaw, Jeannette T; Adams, Ellise D; Amis, Debby

    2016-01-01

    The perinatal trends presented in this article are based on recent topics from conferences, journals, the media, as well as from input from perinatal nurses. Trends in patient care are influenced by evidence known for decades, new research, emerging and innovative concepts in healthcare, patient and family preferences, and the media. Trends discussed in this article are rethinking the due date, birth outside the hospital setting, obstetric hospitalists as birth attendants, nitrous oxide for pain in childbirth, hydrotherapy and waterbirth in the hospital setting, delayed cord clamping, disrupters of an optimal infant microbiome, skin-to-skin care during cesarean surgery, and breast-sleeping and the breast-feeding dyad. In addition, the authors developed implications for perinatal nurses related to each trend. The goal is to stimulate reflection on evidence that supports or does not support current practice and to stimulate future research by discussing some of the current trends that may influence the care that perinatal nurses provide during the birthing year.

  8. ProvenCare perinatal: a model for delivering evidence/ guideline-based care for perinatal populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berry, Scott A; Laam, Leslie A; Wary, Andrea A; Mateer, Harry O; Cassagnol, Hans P; McKinley, Karen E; Nolan, Ruth A

    2011-05-01

    Geisinger Health System (GHS) has applied its ProvenCare model to demonstrate that a large integrated health care delivery system, enabled by an electronic health record (EHR), could reengineer a complicated clinical process, reduce unwarranted variation, and provide evidence-based care for patients with a specified clinical condition. In 2007 GHS began to apply the model to a more complicated, longer-term condition of "wellness"--perinatal care. ADAPTING PROVENCARE TO PERINATAL CARE: The ProvenCare Perinatal initiative was more complex than the five previous ProvenCare endeavors in terms of breadth, scope, and duration. Each of the 22 sites created a process flow map to depict the current, real-time process at each location. The local practice site providers-physicians and mid-level practitioners-reached consensus on 103 unique best practice measures (BPMs), which would be tracked for every patient. These maps were then used to create a single standardized pathway that included the BPMs but also preserved some unique care offerings that reflected the needs of the local context. A nine-phase methodology, expanded from the previous six-phase model, was implemented on schedule. Pre- to postimplementation improvement occurred for all seven BPMs or BPM bundles that were considered the most clinically relevant, with five statistically significant. In addition, the rate of primary cesarean sections decreased by 32%, and birth trauma remained unchanged as the number of vaginal births increased. Preliminary experience suggests that integrating evidence/guideline-based best practices into work flows in inpatient and outpatient settings can achieve improvements in daily patient care processes and outcomes.

  9. The EPDS-Lifetime: assessment of lifetime prevalence and risk factors for perinatal depression in a large cohort of depressed women

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meltzer-Brody, S.; Boschloo, L.; Jones, I.; Sullivan, P.F.; Penninx, B.W.J.H.

    2013-01-01

    Perinatal depression (PND) is a common complication of pregnancy and postpartum associated with significant morbidity. We had three goals: (1) to explore the performance of a new lifetime version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-Lifetime) to assess lifetime prevalence of PND; (2) to

  10. The EPDS-Lifetime : assessment of lifetime prevalence and risk factors for perinatal depression in a large cohort of depressed women

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meltzer-Brody, Samantha; Boschloo, Lynn; Jones, Ian; Sullivan, Patrick F.; Penninx, Brenda W.

    2013-01-01

    Perinatal depression (PND) is a common complication of pregnancy and postpartum associated with significant morbidity. We had three goals: (1) to explore the performance of a new lifetime version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-Lifetime) to assess lifetime prevalence of PND; (2) to

  11. Action plan to reduce perinatal mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhakoo, O N; Kumar, R

    1990-01-01

    The government of India has set a goal of reducing perinatal mortality from its current rate of 48/1000 to 30-35/1000 by the year 2000. Perinatal deaths result from maternal malnutrition, inadequate prenatal care, complications of delivery, and infections in the postpartum period. Since reductions in perinatal mortality require attention to social, economic, and behavioral factors, as well as improvements in the health care delivery system, a comprehensive strategy is required. Social measures, such as raising the age at marriage to 18 years for females, improving the nutritional status of adolescent girls, reducing the strenuousness of work during pregnancy, improving female literacy, raising women's status in the society and thus in the family, and poverty alleviation programs, would all help eliminate the extent of complications of pregnancy. Measures required to enhance infant survival include improved prenatal care, prenatal tetanus toxoid immunization, use of sterile disposable cord care kits, the provision of mucus extractors and resuscitation materials to birth attendants, the creation of neonatal care units in health facilities, and more efficient referral of high-risk newborns and mothers. Since 90% of births in rural India take place at home priority must be given to training traditional birth attendants in the identification of high risk factors during pregnancy, delivery, and the newborn period.

  12. Duelo, amor y subjetividad en adolescentes. Grief, love and subjectivity in teenagers.

    OpenAIRE

    Gallo Acosta, Jairo; Muhete, Magnolia

    2012-01-01

     Grief, love and subjectivity in teenagers.ResumenEl articulo presenta resultados de un proyecto hace parte de la línea de investigación Psicoanálisis y Campo social. Es una propuesta desde la teoría psicoanalítica, en donde se aborda el tema del duelo amoroso en adolescentes, tema relevante para identificar las representaciones de los adolescentes en este proceso, y donde la elaboración de un duelo puede ser un aspecto importante para sus vidas, por eso la importancia de analizar el duelo y ...

  13. Grief Tourism on Destination Image Formation: Afyonkarahisar and Başkomutan National Historical Park

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Burhan KILIÇ

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available The diversification of supply sources owned causes differences between destinations and special interest which is shaped for demand leads to become tourism widespread. In Turkey, there are many destinations where different features exist together. By means of alternative tourism types, various destinations and tourism types emerge. When all the events happened during the Independence War are considered in terms of national heritage, Afyonkarahisar is an important centre among grief tourism destinations. In research related to image components of Afyonkarahisar, confectionery, food products, and thermal tourism are the values of this destination that come to mind first. When the city is considered in terms of tourism, by highlighting the thermal tourism, the slogan “The Capital of Thermal Tourism” has been used. However it is hard to say that thermal tourism has a success taking the research into consideration. Therefore either other tourism values will be used to support the slogan available or with the work of a new image, a new image destination image will be created. The aim of this study is to eliminate the current negativity of Afyonkarahisar province’s destination image, strengthen the image and examine the availability of grief tourism which is one of the heritage tourism types so as to increase its market share

  14. Perinatal Outcome in Patients With Pre-Eclampsia in Benin City ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objective: To determine the prevalence of pre-eclampsia and examine its influence on perinatal outcome among Nigerian women. Methods: Among 3780 deliveries over a two-and-half year period, 212 singleton infants were born after preeclamptic pregnancies. We compared the perinatal outcome with those of 636 control ...

  15. Risk factors and prognostic models for perinatal asphyxia at term

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ensing, S.

    2015-01-01

    This thesis will focus on the risk factors and prognostic models for adverse perinatal outcome at term, with a special focus on perinatal asphyxia and obstetric interventions during labor to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes. For the majority of the studies in this thesis we were allowed to use data

  16. Peer supporters' experiences on an Australian perinatal mental health helpline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biggs, Laura J; McLachlan, Helen L; Shafiei, Touran; Small, Rhonda; Forster, Della A

    2018-01-16

    Perinatal mental health is an important public health issue, and peer support is a potentially important strategy for emotional well-being in the perinatal period. PANDA Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia provides support to individuals impacted by perinatal mental health issues via the National Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Helpline. Callers receive peer support from volunteers and counselling from paid professional staff. The views and experiences of PANDA peer support volunteers have not previously been studied. We conducted two focus groups and an online survey to explore the experiences of women providing volunteer peer support on the Helpline. Data collection took place in October and November 2013. Two social theories were used in framing and addressing the study aims and in interpreting our findings: the Empathy-Altruism Hypothesis, and the Helper Therapy Principle. All PANDA volunteers were invited to participate (n = 40). Eight volunteers attended a focus group, and 11 survey responses were received. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data. All survey respondents 'strongly agreed' that they felt positive about being part of PANDA. Thematic analysis of data from focus groups and open-ended survey responses identified the following themes: motivated to help others, supported to support callers, helping to make a difference and emotional impacts for volunteers. Respondents described a strong desire to support others experiencing emotional distress as a motivator to volunteer. Although perinatal peer support services are designed to benefit those who receive support, this study suggests volunteers may also experience personal benefits from the role. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  17. Perinatal systemic gene delivery using adeno-associated viral vectors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajvinder eKarda

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Neurodegenerative monogenic diseases can also affect a broad range of tissues and organs throughout the body. An effective treatment would require a systemic approach. The intravenous administration of novel therapies is ideal but is hampered by the inability of such drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier and precludes efficacy in the central nervous system. A number of these early lethal intractable diseases also present devastating irreversible pathology at birth or soon after. Therefore, any therapy would ideally be administered during the perinatal period to prevent, stop or ameliorate disease progression. The concept of perinatal gene therapy has moved a step further towards being a feasible approach to treating such disorders. This has primarily been driven by the recent discoveries that particular serotypes of adeno-associated virus (AAV gene delivery vectors have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier following intravenous administration. Furthermore, this has been safely demonstrated in perinatal mice and non-human primates. This review focuses on the progress made in using AAV to achieve systemic transduction and what this means for developing perinatal gene therapy for early lethal neurodegenerative diseases.

  18. The effectiveness of regionalization of perinatal care services--a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashidian, A; Omidvari, A H; Vali, Y; Mortaz, S; Yousefi-Nooraie, R; Jafari, M; Bhutta, Z A

    2014-10-01

    Several reports recommend the implementation of perinatal regionalization for improvements in maternal and neonatal outcomes, while research evidence on the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization has been limited. The interventional studies have been assessed for robust evidence on the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization on improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Bibliographic databases of Medline, EMbase, EconLit, HMIC have been searched using sensitive search terms for interventional studies that reported important patient or process outcomes. At least two authors assessed eligibility for inclusion and the risk of biases and extracted data from the included studies. As meta-analysis was not possible, a narrative analysis as well as a 'vote-counting' analysis has been conducted for important outcomes. After initial screenings 53 full text papers were retrieved. Eight studies were included in the review from the USA, Canada and France. Studies varied in their designs, and in the specifications of the intervention and setting. Only three interrupted time series studies had a low risk of bias, of which only one study reported significant reductions in neonatal and infant mortality. Studies of higher risk of bias were more likely to report improvements in outcomes. Implementing perinatal regionalization programs is correlated with improvements in perinatal outcomes, but it is not possible to establish a causal link. Despite several high profile policy statements, evidence of effect is weak. It is necessary to assess the effectiveness of perinatal regionalization using robust research designs in a more diverse range of countries.

  19. Neurometabolite Alterations Associated With Cognitive Performance in Perinatally HIV-Infected Children

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Dalen, Yvonne W.; Blokhuis, Charlotte; Cohen, Sophie; ter Stege, Jacqueline A.; Teunissen, Charlotte E.; Kuhle, Jens; Kootstra, Neeltje A.; Scherpbier, Henriette J.; Kuijpers, Taco W.; Reiss, Peter; Majoie, Charles B. L. M.; Caan, Matthan W. A.; Pajkrt, Dasja

    2016-01-01

    Despite treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), cognitive impairment is still observed in perinatally HIV-infected children. We aimed to evaluate potential underlying cerebral injury by comparing neurometabolite levels between perinatally HIV-infected children and healthy controls.

  20. Management of renal dysfunction following term perinatal hypoxia-ischaemia.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Sweetman, Deirdre U

    2013-03-01

    Acute kidney injury frequently develops following the term perinatal hypoxia-ischaemia. Quantifying the degree of acute kidney injury is difficult, however, as the methods currently in use are suboptimal. Acute kidney injury management is largely supportive with little evidence basis for many interventions. This review discusses management strategies and novel biomarkers that may improve diagnosis and management of renal injury following perinatal hypoxia-ischaemia.

  1. Substandard factors in perinatal care in The Netherlands : a regional audit of perinatal deaths

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wolleswinkel-van den Bosch, JH; Vredevoogd, CB; Borkent-Polet, M; van Eyck, J; Fetter, WPF; Lagro-Janssen, TLM; Rosink, IH; Treffers, PE; Amelink, M; Richardus, JH; Verloove-Vanhorick, P; Mackenbach, JP

    Background. To determine: 1) whether substandard factors were present in cases of perinatal death, and to what extent another course of action might have resulted in a better outcome, and 2) whether there were differences in the frequency of substandard factors by level of care, particularly between

  2. Factors associated with and causes of perinatal mortality in northeastern Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schmiegelow, Christentze; Minja, Daniel; Oesterholt, Mayke

    2012-01-01

    , including preeclampsia, small-for-gestational age, preterm delivery, anemia, and health-seeking behavior. Fetal growth was monitored using ultrasound. Finally, the specific causes of the perinatal deaths were evaluated. Main outcome measure. Perinatal mortality. Results. Forty-six deaths occurred. Key...... to the antenatal care program (adjusted OR 0.027, 95%CI 0.003-0.26, p = 0.002) protected against perinatal mortality. The cause of death in 43% of cases was attributed to complications related to labor and specifically to intrapartum asphyxia (30%) and neonatal infection (13%). Among the remaining deaths, 27% (7....../26) were attributed to preeclampsia and 23% (6/26) to small-for-gestational age. Of these, 54% (14/26) were preterm. Conclusions. Preeclampsia, small-for-gestational age and preterm delivery were key risk factors and causes of perinatal mortality in this area of Tanzania. Maternal anemia was also strongly...

  3. Kinesthetic deficits after perinatal stroke: robotic measurement in hemiparetic children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuczynski, Andrea M; Semrau, Jennifer A; Kirton, Adam; Dukelow, Sean P

    2017-02-15

    While sensory dysfunction is common in children with hemiparetic cerebral palsy (CP) secondary to perinatal stroke, it is an understudied contributor to disability with limited objective measurement tools. Robotic technology offers the potential to objectively measure complex sensorimotor function but has been understudied in perinatal stroke. The present study aimed to quantify kinesthetic deficits in hemiparetic children with perinatal stroke and determine their association with clinical function. Case-control study. Participants were 6-19 years of age. Stroke participants had MRI confirmed unilateral perinatal arterial ischemic stroke or periventricular venous infarction, and symptomatic hemiparetic cerebral palsy. Participants completed a robotic assessment of upper extremity kinesthesia using a robotic exoskeleton (KINARM). Four kinesthetic parameters (response latency, initial direction error, peak speed ratio, and path length ratio) and their variabilities were measured with and without vision. Robotic outcomes were compared across stroke groups and controls and to clinical measures of sensorimotor function. Forty-three stroke participants (23 arterial, 20 venous, median age 12 years, 42% female) were compared to 106 healthy controls. Stroke cases displayed significantly impaired kinesthesia that remained when vision was restored. Kinesthesia was more impaired in arterial versus venous lesions and correlated with clinical measures. Robotic assessment of kinesthesia is feasible in children with perinatal stroke. Kinesthetic impairment is common and associated with stroke type. Failure to correct with vision suggests sensory network dysfunction.

  4. Perinatal Programming of Asthma: The Role of Gut Microbiota

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meghan B. Azad

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Perinatal programming, a dominant theory for the origins of cardiovascular disease, proposes that environmental stimuli influence developmental pathways during critical periods of prenatal and postnatal development, inducing permanent changes in metabolism. In this paper, we present evidence for the perinatal programming of asthma via the intestinal microbiome. While epigenetic mechanisms continue to provide new explanations for the programming hypothesis of asthma development, it is increasingly apparent that the intestinal microbiota plays an independent and potentially interactive role. Commensal gut bacteria are essential to immune system development, and exposures disrupting the infant gut microbiota have been linked to asthma. This paper summarizes the recent findings that implicate caesarean delivery, breastfeeding, perinatal stress, probiotics, and antibiotics as modifiers of infant gut microbiota in the development of asthma.

  5. Low cerebral blood flow in hypotensive perinatal distress

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lou, H.C.; Lassen, N.A.; Friis-Hansen, B.

    1977-01-01

    Hypoxic brain injury is the most important neurological problem in the neonatal period and accounts for more neurological deficits in children than any other lesion. The neurological deficits are notably mental retardation, epilepsy and cerebral palsy. The pathogenesis has hitherto been poorly understood. Arterial hypoxia has been taken as the obvious mechanism but this does not fully explain the patho-anatomical findings. In the present investigation we have examined the arterial blood pressure and the cerebral blood flow in eight infants a few hours after birth. The 133Xe clearance technique was used for the cerebral blood flow measurements. The study confirmed that perinatal distress may be associated with low arterial blood pressure, and it was shown that cerebral blood flow is very low, 20 ml/100 g/min or less, in hypotensive perinatal distress. It is concluded that cerebral ischaemia plays a crucial role in the development of perinatal hypoxic brain injury. (author)

  6. A survey comparing the attitudes toward perinatal bereavement care of nurses from three Asian cities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Moon Fai; Lou, Feng-lan; Arthur, David Gordon

    2010-12-01

    Caring for parents whose infant has died is extremely demanding, difficult, and stressful. In some situations, nurses may experience personal failure, feel helpless, and need to distance themselves from bereaved parents because they are unable to deal with the enormity of the parental feelings of loss. The aim of the study was to describe and compare attitudes toward perinatal bereavement care across a sample of nurses working in five obstetrics and gynecology settings from three Asian cities, as well as the factors associated with these attitudes. A survey was conducted, and 573 nurses were recruited from 2006 to 2007. The data were collected using the perinatal bereavement attitudes scale, which involves an 11-item self-report questionnaire. Nurses' attitudes were mainly positive, but differed across cities, with the attitude of Jinan nurses being significantly more positive than nurses from the other two cities, and the attitude of Hong Kong nurses being significantly the lowest. Positive attitudes were associated with position, and nurses who were well informed of hospital policy and received training for bereavement care were statistically significantly more likely to have a positive attitude toward perinatal bereavement care. Although nurses' attitudes to prenatal bereavement care differ significantly across the three Asian cities, they are generally similar. The differences observed could be related to the wider social, cultural, and organizational circumstances of nursing practice.

  7. Nursing diagnosis of grieving: content validity in perinatal loss situations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paloma-Castro, Olga; Romero-Sánchez, José Manuel; Paramio-Cuevas, Juan Carlos; Pastor-Montero, Sonia María; Castro-Yuste, Cristina; Frandsen, Anna J; Albar-Marín, María Jesús; Bas-Sarmiento, Pilar; Moreno-Corral, Luis Javier

    2014-06-01

    To validate the content of the NANDA-I nursing diagnosis of grieving in situations of perinatal loss. Using the Fehring's model, 208 Spanish experts were asked to assess the adequacy of the defining characteristics and other manifestations identified in the literature for cases of perinatal loss. The content validity index was 0.867. Twelve of the 18 defining characteristics were validated, seven as major and five as minor. From the manifestations proposed, "empty inside" was considered as major. The nursing diagnosis of grieving fits in content to the cases of perinatal loss according to experts. The results have provided evidence to support the use of the diagnosis in care plans for said clinical situation. © 2013 NANDA International.

  8. Characteristics that perinatal nurse managers desire in new nurse hires.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Falls, Emily; Hensel, Desiree

    2012-04-01

    Nursing leaders have proposed that nurses must have the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies to work in complex health care systems. Using the QSEN framework, this study explored what characteristics perinatal nurse managers desired most in new nurses. This study used a survey design and a convenience sample of perinatal nurse managers working in Indiana hospitals (N = 46). Managers were more likely to hire nurses with experience, positive references, and excellent attendance. Of the QSEN competencies, managers looked most for teamwork and collaboration, followed by safety and patient-centered care. In addition to the traditional qualities desired in new nurses, the QSEN competencies are gaining importance among perinatal managers. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

  9. Perinatal DDT Exposure Induces Hypertension and Cardiac Hypertrophy in Adult Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Merrill, Michele A; Sethi, Sunjay; Benard, Ludovic; Moshier, Erin; Haraldsson, Borje; Buettner, Christoph

    2016-11-01

    Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was used extensively to control malaria, typhus, body lice, and bubonic plague worldwide, until countries began restricting its use in the 1970s. However, the use of DDT to control vector-borne diseases continues in developing countries. Prenatal DDT exposure is associated with elevated blood pressure in humans. We hypothesized that perinatal DDT exposure causes hypertension in adult mice. DDT was administered to C57BL/6J dams from gestational day 11.5 to postnatal day 5. Blood pressure (BP) and myocardial wall thickness were measured in male and female adult offspring. Adult mice were treated with an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, captopril, to evaluate sensitivity to amelioration of DDT-associated hypertension by ACE inhibition. We further assessed the influence of DDT exposure on the expression of mRNAs that regulate BP through renal ion transport. Adult mice perinatally exposed to DDT exhibited chronically increased systolic BP, increased myocardial wall thickness, and elevated expression of mRNAs of several renal ion transporters. Captopril completely reversed hypertension in mice perinatally exposed to DDT. These data demonstrate that perinatal exposure to DDT causes hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy in adult offspring. A key mechanism underpinning this hypertension is an overactivated renin angiotensin system because ACE inhibition reverses the hypertension induced by perinatal DDT exposure. Citation: La Merrill M, Sethi S, Benard L, Moshier E, Haraldsson B, Buettner C. 2016. Perinatal DDT exposure induces hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy in adult mice. Environ Health Perspect 124:1722-1727; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP164.

  10. Tei index in neonatal respiratory distress and perinatal asphyxia

    OpenAIRE

    Ahmed Anwer Attia Khattab

    2015-01-01

    Cardiovascular compromise is a common complication of neonatal respiratory distress and perinatal asphyxia. Tei index is a Doppler-derived index for the assessment of overall left ventricular function that combines systolic and diastolic time intervals. Aim: Assess the role of MPI versus cardiac troponin I as early indicator of hypoxic cardiac damage in neonates with respiratory distress or perinatal asphyxia. The present work was conducted on forty neonates, 15 with neonatal respiratory dist...

  11. Use of Facebook in the maternal grief process: An exploratory qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perluxo, Diana; Francisco, Rita

    2018-02-01

    This study seeks to explore the potential implications of Facebook use in the process of maternal grief. The participants were 11 women who had lost their children due to accidents or prolonged illness. Semistructured interviews were conducted and subjected to thematic analysis. The participants stated that they used Facebook to receive support, to identify with other mothers, to remember the child who died, to access the child's information, to honor him/her, and to express their feelings. The use of Facebook can play a very important role in the initial phase of grieving due to the functions of this social network.

  12. Assessing the Role of Attachment to God, Meaning, and Religious Coping as Mediators in the Grief Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelley, Melissa M.; Chan, Keith T.

    2012-01-01

    Research has examined the relationship of styles of attachment to others and meaning with grief and the stress-related growth process. Less has been written on styles of attachment to God and patterns of religious coping and how these constructs may impact adjustment in persons dealing with loss. This study examines the roles of attachment to God,…

  13. Social inequality in fetal and perinatal mortality in the Nordic Countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Tina; Mortensen, Laust Hvas; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this study is to review the epidemiological literature from the past 27 years on social inequality in fetal and perinatal mortality in the Nordic countries in order to examine whether social inequalities in fetal and perinatal mortality exist, and whether there are differences between...

  14. Preterm brain injury on term-equivalent age MRI in relation to perinatal factors and neurodevelopmental outcome at two years.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margaretha J Brouwer

    Full Text Available First, to apply a recently extended scoring system for preterm brain injury at term-equivalent age (TEA-MRI in a regional extremely preterm cohort; second, to identify independent perinatal factors associated with this score; and third, to assess the prognostic value of this TEA-MRI score with respect to early neurodevelopmental outcome.239 extremely preterm infants (median gestational age [range] in weeks: 26.6 [24.3-27.9], admitted to the Wilhelmina Children's Hospital between 2006 and 2012 were included. Brain abnormalities in white matter, cortical and deep grey matter and cerebellum and brain growth were scored on T1- and T2-weighted TEA-MRI using the Kidokoro scoring system. Neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed at two years corrected age using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition. The association between TEA-MRI and perinatal factors as well as neurodevelopmental outcome was evaluated using multivariable regression analysis.The distribution of brain abnormalities and brain metrics in the Utrecht cohort differed from the original St. Louis cohort (p 7 days (β [95% confidence interval, CI]: 1.3 [.5; 2.0] and parenteral nutrition >21 days (2.2 [1.2; 3.2] were independently associated with higher global brain abnormality scores (p < .001. Global brain abnormality scores were inversely associated with cognitive (β in composite scores [95% CI]: -.7 [-1.2; -.2], p = .004, fine motor (β in scaled scores [95% CI]: -.1 [-.3; -.0], p = .007 and gross motor outcome (β in scaled scores [95% CI]: -.2 [-.3; -.1], p < .001 at two years corrected age, although the explained variances were low (R2 ≤.219.Patterns of brain injury differed between cohorts. Prolonged mechanical ventilation and parenteral nutrition were identified as independent perinatal risk factors. The prognostic value of the TEA-MRI score was rather limited in this well-performing cohort.

  15. Childhood adversity, social support, and telomere length among perinatal women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Amanda M; Kowalsky, Jennifer M; Epel, Elissa S; Lin, Jue; Christian, Lisa M

    2018-01-01

    Adverse perinatal health outcomes are heightened among women with psychosocial risk factors, including childhood adversity and a lack of social support. Biological aging could be one pathway by which such outcomes occur. However, data examining links between psychosocial factors and indicators of biological aging among perinatal women are limited. The current study examined the associations of childhood socioeconomic status (SES), childhood trauma, and current social support with telomere length in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a sample of 81 women assessed in early, mid, and late pregnancy as well as 7-11 weeks postpartum. Childhood SES was defined as perceived childhood social class and parental educational attainment. Measures included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and average telomere length in PBMCs. Per a linear mixed model, telomere length did not change across pregnancy and postpartum visits; thus, subsequent analyses defined telomere length as the average across all available timepoints. ANCOVAs showed group differences by perceived childhood social class, maternal and paternal educational attainment, and current family social support, with lower values corresponding with shorter telomeres, after adjustment for possible confounds. No effects of childhood trauma or social support from significant others or friends on telomere length were observed. Findings demonstrate that while current SES was not related to telomeres, low childhood SES, independent of current SES, and low family social support were distinct risk factors for cellular aging in women. These data have relevance for understanding potential mechanisms by which early life deprivation of socioeconomic and relationship resources affect maternal health. In turn, this has potential significance for intergenerational transmission of telomere length. The predictive value of

  16. Making Stories and Taking Stories: Methodological Reflections on Researching Grief and Marital Tension following the Death of a Child.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riches, Gordon; Dawson, Pam

    1996-01-01

    Explores some of the methodological issues which arose during an investigation into experiences of bereaved parents. Notes the values of ethnographic approaches in researching intimate and painful experiences and argues that parents' stories about their children's lives are central to processes of identity reconstruction during grief. (RJM)

  17. Strategies to Reduce Perinatal Health Inequalities : The Healthy Pregnancy 4 All study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    A.A. Vos (Amber)

    2015-01-01

    markdownabstractAbstract Promotion of healthy pregnancies has gained high priority in the Netherlands because of the relatively unfavorable perinatal outcomes compared to surrounding countries which was confirmed by two consecutive European reports on perinatal health. Additionally, large

  18. Effects of tobacco exposure on perinatal suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weng, Shu-Chuan; Huang, Jian-Pei; Huang, Ya-Li; Lee, Tony Szu-Hsien; Chen, Yi-Hua

    2016-07-22

    Previous studies have stressed the importance of tobacco exposure for the mood disorders of depression and anxiety. Although a few studies have focused on perinatal women, none have specifically considered the effects of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure on perinatal suicidal ideation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationships of smoking/secondhand smoke exposure status with suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety from the first trimester to the first month post partum. This cross-sectional study based on self-reported data was conducted at five hospitals in Taipei, Taiwan from July 2011 to June 2014. The questionnaire inquired about women's pregnancy history, sociodemographic information, and pre-pregnancy smoking and secondhand smoke exposure status, and assessed their suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Logistic regression models were used for analysis. In the 3867 women in the study, secondhand smoke exposure was positively associated with perinatal depression and suicidal ideation. Compared with women without perinatal secondhand smoke exposure, women exposed to secondhand smoke independently exhibited higher risks for suicidal ideation during the second trimester (odds ratio (OR) = 7.63; 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 3.25-17.93) and third trimester (OR = 4.03; 95 % CI = 1.76-9.23). Women exposed to secondhand smoke had an increased risk of depression, especially those aged 26-35 years (OR = 1.71; 95 % CI = 1.27-2.29). Secondhand smoke exposure also considerably contributes to adverse mental health for women in perinatal periods, especially for the severe outcome of suicidal ideation. Our results strongly support the importance of propagating smoke-free environments to protect the health of perinatal women.

  19. Factores de riesgo de mortalidad perinatal en hospitales de la seguridad social peruana: análisis de los datos del Sistema de Vigilancia Perinatal de EsSalud

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Arrieta-Herrera

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: El estudio utiliza la información del Sistema de Vigilancia Perinatal (SVP de la red hospitalaria del Seguro Social de Salud del Perú (EsSalud para identificar factores de riesgo que inciden en la mortalidad perinatal. El SVP incluye policlínicos y hospitales en todo el Perú, con diferentes niveles de capacidad resolutiva. El estudio agrupa hospitales según mayor y menor capacidad de resolución, para investigar la magnitud de la incidencia de los factores de riesgo en cada grupo. Finalmente, el estudio resalta la importancia de mantener un sistema de información perinatal eficiente y ágil que pueda ser integrado entre diferentes redes de salud en el país, con el objetivo de reducir la mortalidad perinatal nacional. Objetivos: El primer objetivo fue encontrar los principales factores de riesgo de mortalidad perinatal en la red hospitalaria de EsSalud. El segundo objetivo fue identificar diferencias en la magnitud de la incidencia de dichos factores en hospitales de menor y mayor capacidad resolutiva. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo, comparativo y transversal. Lugar: Red nacional de hospitales de EsSalud, Perú. Participantes: Madres y sus recién nacidos. Intervenciones: Se utilizó información clínica del SVP de EsSalud para estimar probabilidad de muerte perinatal, basado en un modelo logístico multivariado, que incluyó 108 813 nacimientos correspondientes a madres y sus recién nacidos en EsSalud, en los años 2005 y 2006. Principales medidas de resultados: Muertes perinatales. Resultados: La anomalía congénita fue el principal factor de riesgo de la mortalidad perinatal en los hospitales de menor y mayor capacidad resolutiva (OR=30,99 y 15,26, respectivamente, seguido por prematuridad menor a 32 semanas (OR=15,68 y 4,20 y peso mayor a 4 000 gramos (OR=4,17 y 3,87. Factores de riesgo de la madre también resultaron asociados a mortalidad perinatal, pero en menor magnitud, resaltando el sangrado genital después de la

  20. Diabetes and perinatal mortality in twin pregnancies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong-Cheng Luo

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Diabetes in pregnancy has been associated with a paradoxically reduced risk of neonatal death in twin pregnancies. Risk "shift" may be a concern in that the reduction in neonatal deaths may be due to an increase in fetal deaths (stillbirths. This study aimed to clarify the impact of diabetes on the risk of perinatal death (neonatal death plus stillbirth in twin pregnancies. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of twin births using the largest available dataset on twin births (the U.S. matched multiple birth data 1995-2000; 19,676 neonates from diabetic pregnancies, 541,481 from non-diabetic pregnancies. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (aHR of perinatal death accounting for twin cluster-level dependence. RESULTS: Comparing diabetic versus non-diabetic twin pregnancies, overall perinatal mortality rate was counterintuitively lower [2.1% versus 3.3%, aHR 0.70 (95% confidence intervals 0.63-0.78]. Individually, both stillbirth and neonatal mortality rates were lower in diabetic pregnancies, but we identified significant differences by gestational age and birth weight. Diabetes was associated with a survival benefit in pregnancies completed before 32 weeks [aHR 0.55 (0.48-0.63] or with birth weight =2500 g [aHR 2.20 (1.55-3.13]. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes in pregnancy appears to be "protective" against perinatal death in twin pregnancies ending in very preterm or very low birth weight births. Prospective studies are required to clarify whether these patterns of risk are real, or they are artifacts of unmeasured confounders. Additional data correlating these outcomes with the types of diabetes in pregnancy are also needed to distinguish the effects of pre-gestational vs. gestational diabetes.

  1. The Social Nature of Perceived Illness Representations of Perinatal Depression in Rural Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarkar, Nandini D P; Bardaji, Azucena; Peeters Grietens, Koen; Bunders-Aelen, Joske; Baingana, Florence; Criel, Bart

    2018-06-07

    While the global health community advocates for greater integration of mental health into maternal health agendas, a more robust understanding of perinatal mental health, and its role in providing integrated maternal health care and service delivery, is required. The present study uses the Illness Representation Model, a theoretical cognitive framework for understanding illness conceptualisations, to qualitatively explore multiple stakeholder perspectives on perinatal depression in rural Uganda. A total of 70 in-depth interviews and 9 focus group discussions were conducted with various local health system stakeholders, followed by an emergent thematic analysis using NVivo 11. Local communities perceived perinatal depression as being both the fault of women, and not. It was perceived as having socio-economic and cultural causal factors, in particular, as being partner-related. In these communities, perinatal depression was thought to be a common occurrence, and its negative consequences for women, infants and the community at large were recognised. Coping and help-seeking behaviours prescribed by the participants were also primarily socio-cultural in nature. Placing the dynamics and mechanisms of these local conceptualisations of perinatal depression alongside existing gaps in social and health care systems highlights both the need of, and the opportunities for, growth and prioritisation of integrated perinatal biomedical, mental, and social health programs in resource-constrained settings.

  2. A prototype system for perinatal knowledge engineering using an artificial intelligence tool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokol, R J; Chik, L

    1988-01-01

    Though several perinatal expert systems are extant, the use of artificial intelligence has, as yet, had minimal impact in medical computing. In this evaluation of the potential of AI techniques in the development of a computer based "Perinatal Consultant," a "top down" approach to the development of a perinatal knowledge base was taken, using as a source for such a knowledge base a 30-page manuscript of a chapter concerning high risk pregnancy. The UNIX utility "style" was used to parse sentences and obtain key words and phrases, both as part of a natural language interface and to identify key perinatal concepts. Compared with the "gold standard" of sentences containing key facts as chosen by the experts, a semiautomated method using a nonmedical speller to identify key words and phrases in context functioned with a sensitivity of 79%, i.e., approximately 8 in 10 key sentences were detected as the basis for PROLOG, rules and facts for the knowledge base. These encouraging results suggest that functional perinatal expert systems may well be expedited by using programming utilities in conjunction with AI tools and published literature.

  3. Systematic analysis of research underfunding in maternal and perinatal health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisk, N M; Atun, R

    2009-02-01

    Little published evidence supports the widely held contention that research in pregnancy is underfunded compared with other disease areas. To assess absolute and relative government and charitable funding for maternal and perinatal research in the UK and internationally. SEARCH STRATEGY, SELECTION CRITERIA, DATA COLLECTION, AND ANALYSIS: Major research funding bodies and alliances were identified from an Internet search and discussions with opinion leaders/senior investigators. Websites and annual reports were reviewed for details of strategy, research spend, grants awarded, and allocation to maternal and/or perinatal disease using generic and disease-specific search terms. Within the imprecision in the data sets, global philanthropy concentrated on service provision rather than research. Although research expenditure has been deemed as appropriate for 'reproductive health' disease burden in the UK, there are no data on the equity of maternal/perinatal research spend against disease burden, which globally may justify a manyfold increase. This systematic review of research expenditure and priorities from national and international funding bodies suggests relative underinvestment in maternal/perinatal health. Contributing factors include the low political priority given to women's health, the challenging nature of clinical research in pregnancy, and research capacity dearth as a consequence of chronic underinvestment.

  4. Perinatal brain damage : The term infant

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hagberg, Henrik; David Edwards, A.; Groenendaal, Floris

    2016-01-01

    Perinatal brain injury at term is common and often manifests with neonatal encephalopathy including seizures. The most common aetiologies are hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy, intracranial haemorrhage and neonatal stroke. Besides clinical and biochemical assessment the diagnostic evaluation rely

  5. Perinatal characteristics and breast cancer risk in daughters: a Scandinavian population-based study

    OpenAIRE

    Troisi, R.; Grotmol, T.; Jacobsen, J.; Tretli, S.; Toft-Sørensen, H.; Gissler, M.; Kaaja, R.; Potischman, N.; Ekbom, A.; N. Hoover, R.; Stephansson, O.

    2013-01-01

    The in utero origins of breast cancer are an increasing focus of research. However, the long time period between exposure and disease diagnosis, and the lack of standardized perinatal data collection makes this research challenging. We assessed perinatal factors, as proxies for in utero exposures, and breast cancer risk using pooled, population-based birth and cancer registry data. Birth registries provided information on perinatal exposures. Cases were females born in Norway, Sweden or Denma...

  6. Trends in perinatal health indices in the Amajuba District, KwaZulu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Trends in perinatal health indices in the Amajuba District, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 1990 - 2012. FS Bondi, TI Runsewe-Abiodun. Abstract. Background. In order to address the high perinatal mortality rate, South Africa (SA) commenced a number of interventions from 1995. These included the abolition of user fees, basic ...

  7. Prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors associated with autism spectrum disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imen Hadjkacem

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To identify prenatal, perinatal and postnatal risk factors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD by comparing them to their siblings without autistic disorders. Method: The present study is cross sectional and comparative. It was conducted over a period of three months (July-September 2014. It included 101 children: 50 ASD's children diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria and 51 unaffected siblings. The severity of ASD was assessed by the CARS. Results: Our study revealed a higher prevalence of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors in children with ASD in comparison with unaffected siblings. It showed also a significant association between perinatal and postnatal factors and ASD (respectively p = 0.03 and p = 0.042. In this group, perinatal factors were mainly as type of suffering acute fetal (26% of cases, long duration of delivery and prematurity (18% of cases for each factor, while postnatal factors were represented principally by respiratory infections (24%. As for parental factors, no correlation was found between advanced age of parents at the moment of the conception and ASD. Likewise, no correlation was observed between the severity of ASD and different factors. After logistic regression, the risk factors retained for autism in the final model were: male gender, prenatal urinary tract infection, acute fetal distress, difficult labor and respiratory infection. Conclusions: The present survey confirms the high prevalence of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors in children with ASD and suggests the intervention of some of these factors (acute fetal distress and difficult labor, among others, as determinant variables for the genesis of ASD.

  8. Perinatal stroke and the risk of developing childhood epilepsy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golomb, Meredith R.; Garg, Bhuwan P.; Carvalho, Karen S.; Johnson, Cynthia S.; Williams, Linda S.

    2008-01-01

    Objectives To describe the prevalence of epilepsy after 6 months-of-age in children with perinatal stroke and examine whether perinatal data predict epilepsy onset and resolution. Study design A retrospective review of 64 children with perinatal stroke. In children with at least 6 months of follow-up data, Kaplan-Meier curves, univariate log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine predictors of time to development of seizures, and time to resolution of seizures in children with epilepsy. The association of risk factors with the presence of epilepsy at any time after 6 months-of-age was examined using Fisher’s exact test. Results Forty-one of the 61 children with at least 6 months of follow-up data (67%) had epilepsy between 6 months-of-age and last follow-up, but in 13 of 41 seizures eventually resolved and anticonvulsants were discontinued. Infarct on prenatal ultrasound (p=0.0065) and family history of epilepsy (p=0.0093) were significantly associated with time to development of seizures after 6 months-of-age in the univariate analysis. No assessed variables were associated with time to resolution of epilepsy or with the presence of epilepsy after 6 months-of-age. Conclusions Childhood epilepsy is frequent after perinatal stroke. Evidence of infarction on prenatal ultrasound and a family history of epilepsy predict earlier onset of active seizures. PMID:17889079

  9. Alignment of the Kübler-Ross grief cycle phases with the process of adaptation to type 1 diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isla Pera, Pilar; Moncho Vasallo, Joaquín; Guasch Andreu, Oscar; Torras Rabasa, Alberto

    2008-02-01

    To understand the process of adaptation to type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) and analyze its alignment with the grief cycle phases described by Kübler-Ross. We performed an ethnographic study through in-depth interviews with 20 patients, 10 relatives and 12 health professionals (6 physicians and 6 nurses). For the analysis, the Miles and Huberman qualitative data analysis model was used. Patients diagnosed with DM1 and their families face a loss of lifestyle and of the objects, real or imaginary, of their previous life. Patients and relatives experience emotional reactions that in some cases can be similar to the grief cycle phases described by Kübler-Ross for terminal diseases (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance). However, there are some differences depending on personal and psycho-social factors. Health professionals tend to relate low adherence to denial of the disease, but some patients feel threatened by the demands of treatment and control and their effects on their quality of life, and consciously choose not to follow recommendations. It is more realistic to talk about disease adaptation than acceptance, since the loss processes are ongoing and patients must reconstruct their identity according to their situation. The grief cycle also affects the family and may differ from that of the patient in its duration, intensity and assessment of problems. Adaptation is a complex process in which many variables intervene. There are observable differences among the mechanisms used by each specific individual. Healthcare professionals, and specifically nurses, should consider the multiple psycho-social dimensions of chronic disease. Copyright © 2008 Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  10. Perinatal mortality in eastern Uganda: a community based prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nankabirwa, Victoria; Tumwine, James K; Tylleskär, Thorkild; Nankunda, Jolly; Sommerfelt, Halvor

    2011-05-09

    To achieve a child mortality reduction according to millennium development goal 4, it is necessary to considerably reduce neonatal mortality. We report stillbirth and early neonatal mortality risks as well as determinants of perinatal mortality in Eastern Uganda. A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted between 2006 and 2008. A total of 835 pregnant women were followed up for pregnancy outcome and survival of their children until 7 days after delivery. Mother's residence, age, parity, bed net use and whether delivery took place at home were included in multivariable regression analyses to identify risk factors for perinatal death. The stillbirth risk was 19 per 1,000 pregnancies and the early neonatal death risk 22 per 1,000 live births. Overall, the perinatal mortality risk was 41 [95%CI: 27, 54] per 1,000 pregnancies. Of the deaths, 47% followed complicated deliveries and 24% preterm births. Perinatal mortality was 63/1,000 pregnancies among teenage mothers, 76/1,000 pregnancies among nulliparous women and 61/1,000 pregnancies among women delivering at home who, after controlling for potential confounders, had a 3.7 (95%CI: 1.8, 7.4) times higher perinatal mortality than women who gave birth in a health facility. This association was considerably stronger among nulliparous women [RR 8.0 (95%CI: 2.9, 21.6)] than among women with a previous live birth [RR 1.8 (95%CI: 0.7, 4.5)]. All perinatal deaths occurred among women who did not sleep under a mosquito net. Women living in urban slums had a higher risk of losing their babies than those in rural areas [RR: 2.7 (95%CI: 1.4, 5.3)]. Our findings strengthen arguments for ensuring that pregnant women have access to and use adequate delivery facilities and bed nets.

  11. Effects of tobacco exposure on perinatal suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu-Chuan Weng

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have stressed the importance of tobacco exposure for the mood disorders of depression and anxiety. Although a few studies have focused on perinatal women, none have specifically considered the effects of smoking and secondhand smoke exposure on perinatal suicidal ideation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationships of smoking/secondhand smoke exposure status with suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety from the first trimester to the first month post partum. Methods This cross-sectional study based on self-reported data was conducted at five hospitals in Taipei, Taiwan from July 2011 to June 2014. The questionnaire inquired about women’s pregnancy history, sociodemographic information, and pre-pregnancy smoking and secondhand smoke exposure status, and assessed their suicidal ideation, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Logistic regression models were used for analysis. Results In the 3867 women in the study, secondhand smoke exposure was positively associated with perinatal depression and suicidal ideation. Compared with women without perinatal secondhand smoke exposure, women exposed to secondhand smoke independently exhibited higher risks for suicidal ideation during the second trimester (odds ratio (OR = 7.63; 95 % confidence interval (CI = 3.25–17.93 and third trimester (OR = 4.03; 95 % CI = 1.76–9.23. Women exposed to secondhand smoke had an increased risk of depression, especially those aged 26–35 years (OR = 1.71; 95 % CI = 1.27–2.29. Conclusions Secondhand smoke exposure also considerably contributes to adverse mental health for women in perinatal periods, especially for the severe outcome of suicidal ideation. Our results strongly support the importance of propagating smoke-free environments to protect the health of perinatal women.

  12. Perinatal mortality in eastern Uganda: a community based prospective cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria Nankabirwa

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available To achieve a child mortality reduction according to millennium development goal 4, it is necessary to considerably reduce neonatal mortality. We report stillbirth and early neonatal mortality risks as well as determinants of perinatal mortality in Eastern Uganda.A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted between 2006 and 2008. A total of 835 pregnant women were followed up for pregnancy outcome and survival of their children until 7 days after delivery. Mother's residence, age, parity, bed net use and whether delivery took place at home were included in multivariable regression analyses to identify risk factors for perinatal death.The stillbirth risk was 19 per 1,000 pregnancies and the early neonatal death risk 22 per 1,000 live births. Overall, the perinatal mortality risk was 41 [95%CI: 27, 54] per 1,000 pregnancies. Of the deaths, 47% followed complicated deliveries and 24% preterm births. Perinatal mortality was 63/1,000 pregnancies among teenage mothers, 76/1,000 pregnancies among nulliparous women and 61/1,000 pregnancies among women delivering at home who, after controlling for potential confounders, had a 3.7 (95%CI: 1.8, 7.4 times higher perinatal mortality than women who gave birth in a health facility. This association was considerably stronger among nulliparous women [RR 8.0 (95%CI: 2.9, 21.6] than among women with a previous live birth [RR 1.8 (95%CI: 0.7, 4.5]. All perinatal deaths occurred among women who did not sleep under a mosquito net. Women living in urban slums had a higher risk of losing their babies than those in rural areas [RR: 2.7 (95%CI: 1.4, 5.3].Our findings strengthen arguments for ensuring that pregnant women have access to and use adequate delivery facilities and bed nets.

  13. NEUROGENETIC ASPECTS OF PERINATAL HYPOXIC-ISCHEMIC AFFECTIONS OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George A. Karkashadze

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Neurogenetics is a thriving young science greatly contributing to the generally accepted concept of the brain development in health and disease. Thereby; scientists are not only able to highlight new key points in traditional ideas about the origin of diseases; but also to completely rethink their view on the problem of pathology development. In particular; new data on neurogenetics of perinatal affections of the central nervous system (CNS has appeared. Genetic factors in varying degrees affect perinatal hypoxic-ischemic CNS affections. Prematurity determination stays the most studied among them. Nevertheless; there is increasing evidence of significant epigenetic regulations of neuro-expression caused by hypoxia; malnutrition of a pregnant woman; stress; smoking; alcohol; drugs that either directly pathologically affect the developing brain; or form a brain phenotype sensitive to a perinatal CNS affection. New data obliges to change the approaches to prevention of perinatal CNS affections.

  14. Utility of local health registers in measuring perinatal mortality: a case study in rural Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burke, Leona; Suswardany, Dwi Linna; Michener, Keryl; Mazurki, Setiawaty; Adair, Timothy; Elmiyati, Catur; Rao, Chalapati

    2011-03-17

    Perinatal mortality is an important indicator of obstetric and newborn care services. Although the vast majority of global perinatal mortality is estimated to occur in developing countries, there is a critical paucity of reliable data at the local level to inform health policy, plan health care services, and monitor their impact. This paper explores the utility of information from village health registers to measure perinatal mortality at the sub district level in a rural area of Indonesia. A retrospective pregnancy cohort for 2007 was constructed by triangulating data from antenatal care, birth, and newborn care registers in a sample of villages in three rural sub districts in Central Java, Indonesia. For each pregnancy, birth outcome and first week survival were traced and recorded from the different registers, as available. Additional local death records were consulted to verify perinatal mortality, or identify deaths not recorded in the health registers. Analyses were performed to assess data quality from registers, and measure perinatal mortality rates. Qualitative research was conducted to explore knowledge and practices of village midwives in register maintenance and reporting of perinatal mortality. Field activities were conducted in 23 villages, covering a total of 1759 deliveries that occurred in 2007. Perinatal mortality outcomes were 23 stillbirths and 15 early neonatal deaths, resulting in a perinatal mortality rate of 21.6 per 1000 live births in 2007. Stillbirth rates for the study population were about four times the rates reported in the routine Maternal and Child Health program information system. Inadequate awareness and supervision, and alternate workload were cited by local midwives as factors resulting in inconsistent data reporting. Local maternal and child health registers are a useful source of information on perinatal mortality in rural Indonesia. Suitable training, supervision, and quality control, in conjunction with computerisation to

  15. The Social Nature of Perceived Illness Representations of Perinatal Depression in Rural Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nandini D. P. Sarkar

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available While the global health community advocates for greater integration of mental health into maternal health agendas, a more robust understanding of perinatal mental health, and its role in providing integrated maternal health care and service delivery, is required. The present study uses the Illness Representation Model, a theoretical cognitive framework for understanding illness conceptualisations, to qualitatively explore multiple stakeholder perspectives on perinatal depression in rural Uganda. A total of 70 in-depth interviews and 9 focus group discussions were conducted with various local health system stakeholders, followed by an emergent thematic analysis using NVivo 11. Local communities perceived perinatal depression as being both the fault of women, and not. It was perceived as having socio-economic and cultural causal factors, in particular, as being partner-related. In these communities, perinatal depression was thought to be a common occurrence, and its negative consequences for women, infants and the community at large were recognised. Coping and help-seeking behaviours prescribed by the participants were also primarily socio-cultural in nature. Placing the dynamics and mechanisms of these local conceptualisations of perinatal depression alongside existing gaps in social and health care systems highlights both the need of, and the opportunities for, growth and prioritisation of integrated perinatal biomedical, mental, and social health programs in resource-constrained settings.

  16. Seeking help for perinatal psychological distress: a meta-synthesis of women's experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Button, Susan; Thornton, Alexandra; Lee, Suzanne; Shakespeare, Judy; Ayers, Susan

    2017-10-01

    Women may not seek help for perinatal psychological distress, despite regular contact with primary care services. Barriers include ignorance of symptoms, inability to disclose distress, others' attitudes, and cultural expectations. Much of the evidence has been obtained from North American populations and may not, therefore, extrapolate to the UK. To understand the factors affecting women's decision to seek help for perinatal distress. Meta-synthesis of the available published qualitative evidence on UK women's experiences of seeking help for perinatal distress. Systematic searches were conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, CINAHL, and Academic Search Complete. Searches of grey literature and references were also conducted. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported qualitative data on UK women's experiences of perinatal distress and contact with healthcare professionals. The synthesis was conducted using meta-ethnography. In all, 24 studies were eligible for inclusion. Metasynthesis identified three main themes: identifying a problem, the influence of healthcare professionals, and stigma. These themes build on current understanding of help seeking by identifying the need for women to be able to frame their experience, for healthcare professionals to educate women about their roles, the need for continuity of care, and the way that being seen as a 'bad mother' causes women to self-silence. Perinatal care provision needs to allow for continuity of care and for staff training that facilitates awareness of factors that influence women's help seeking. Further research is required, particularly in relation to effective means of identifying perinatal psychological distress. © British Journal of General Practice 2017.

  17. Perinatal outcomes following an earlier post-term labour induction policy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hedegaard, M.; Lidegaard, Ø; Skovlund, C W

    2015-01-01

    : Perinatal outcomes were estimated using a logistic regression analysis with adjustment for gestational age, maternal age, parity, plurality, smoking and body mass index. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 770 926 infants were included. Labour induction from 37 weeks increased...... from 9.7% in 2000-02 to 22.5% in 2011-12. From 2003-05 to 2011-12, the risk of umbilical cord pH care units...

  18. The influence of the war on perinatal and maternal mortality in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatusić, Z; Kurjak, A; Grgić, G; Tulumović, A

    2005-10-01

    To investigate the influence of the war on perinatal and maternal mortality during the war conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In a retrospective study we analysed perinatal and maternal mortality in the pre-war period (1988-1991), the war period (1992-1995) and the post-war period (1996-2003). We also analysed the number of deliveries, the perinatal and maternal mortality rates and their causes. During the analysed period we had a range of 3337-6912 deliveries per year, with a decreased number in the war period. During the war period and immediately after the war, the perinatal mortality rate increased to 20.9-26.3% (average 24.28%). After the war the rate decreased to 8.01% in 2003 (p war was 39/100,000 deliveries, during the war it increased to 65/100,000 and after the war it decreased to 12/100,000 deliveries (p war was because of an increased number of uterine ruptures, sepsis and bleeding due to shell injury of pregnant women. During the war we could expect a decreased number of deliveries, and an increased rate of perinatal and maternal mortality and preterm deliveries due to: inadequate nutrition, stress factors (life in refugee's centers, bombing, deaths of relatives, uncertain future...), and break down of the perinatal care system (lack of medical staff, impossibility of collecting valid health records, particularly perinatal information, and the destruction of medical buildings).

  19. Dreams of the Dead among Cambodian Refugees: Frequency, Phenomenology, and Relationship to Complicated Grief and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinton, Devon E.; Field, Nigel P.; Nickerson, Angela; Bryant, Richard A.; Simon, Naomi

    2013-01-01

    The authors investigated the importance of dreams of the deceased in the experiencing of prolonged grief (PG) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Cambodian refugees who survived the Pol Pot genocide (1975-1979). Such dreams were frequent in the last month (52% of those surveyed), and most often involved a relative who died in the Pol…

  20. Prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors associated with autism spectrum disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hadjkacem, Imen; Ayadi, Héla; Turki, Mariem; Yaich, Sourour; Khemekhem, Khaoula; Walha, Adel; Cherif, Leila; Moalla, Yousr; Ghribi, Farhat

    To identify prenatal, perinatal and postnatal risk factors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by comparing them to their siblings without autistic disorders. The present study is cross sectional and comparative. It was conducted over a period of three months (July-September 2014). It included 101 children: 50 ASD's children diagnosed according to DSM-5 criteria and 51 unaffected siblings. The severity of ASD was assessed by the CARS. Our study revealed a higher prevalence of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors in children with ASD in comparison with unaffected siblings. It showed also a significant association between perinatal and postnatal factors and ASD (respectively p=0.03 and p=0.042). In this group, perinatal factors were mainly as type of suffering acute fetal (26% of cases), long duration of delivery and prematurity (18% of cases for each factor), while postnatal factors were represented principally by respiratory infections (24%). As for parental factors, no correlation was found between advanced age of parents at the moment of the conception and ASD. Likewise, no correlation was observed between the severity of ASD and different factors. After logistic regression, the risk factors retained for autism in the final model were: male gender, prenatal urinary tract infection, acute fetal distress, difficult labor and respiratory infection. The present survey confirms the high prevalence of prenatal, perinatal and postnatal factors in children with ASD and suggests the intervention of some of these factors (acute fetal distress and difficult labor, among others), as determinant variables for the genesis of ASD. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  1. New Fathers' Perinatal Depression and Anxiety-Treatment Options: An Integrative Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Anthony P; McNeil, Karen A; Fletcher, Richard; Conrad, Agatha; Wilson, Amanda J; Jones, Donovan; Chan, Sally W

    2017-07-01

    More than 10% of fathers experience depression and anxiety during the perinatal period, but paternal perinatal depression (PPND) and anxiety have received less attention than maternal perinatal mental health problems. Few mainstream treatment options are available for men with PPND and anxiety. The aim of this literature review was to summarize the current understanding of PPND and the treatment programs specifically designed for fathers with perinatal depression. Eight electronic databases were searched using a predefined strategy, and reference lists were also hand searched. PPND and anxiety were identified to have a negative impact on family relationships, as well as the health of mothers and children. Evidence suggests a lack of support and tailored treatment options for men having trouble adjusting to the transition to fatherhood. Of the limited options available, cognitive behavioral therapy, group work, and blended delivery programs, including e-support approaches appear to be most effective in helping fathers with perinatal depression and anxiety. The review findings have important implications for the understanding of PPND and anxiety. Future research is needed to address the adoption of father-inclusive and father-specific models of care to encourage fathers' help-seeking behavior. Inclusion of male-specific requirements into support and treatment options can improve the ability of services to engage new fathers. Psychotherapeutic intervention could assist to address the cognitive differences and dissonance for men adjusting to the role of father, including male identity and role expectations.

  2. Birth weight discordance and perinatal mortality among triplets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Egić Amira

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION. The incidence of multiple births has increased in the last decade. Perinatal mortality in triplets is significantly greater than in twin and singleton births. OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to describe the extent of birth weight discordance among triplets and to identify its association with an increased risk of perinatal mortality. METHOD A retrospective analysis of triplet births, for the period 1993-2003, was conducted at the Gynaecological-Obstetric Clinic "Narodni Front" in Belgrade. Birth weight discordance was defined as the difference in birth weight between the largest and the smallest triplet's weight of more than 20%. RESULTS. The rate of triplets has increased by almost 75% between the first (7.7% and the last (29.6% 5-year period of the last decade. Triplets are becoming more common because of the frequent use of assisted reproductive technology as a treatment for infertility. In the period 1993-2003, there were a total of 40 triplet live births (24 weeks and greater with incidence of 0.06%. There was no clear association between maternal age, parity, method of conception, birth gestational age, and disorders complicating pregnancy with birth discordance more than 20%. Regarding birth weight groups, statistical significance occurred only in the <999 grams group for discordant and in the 2000-2499 grams group for concordant triplets. Overall, the perinatal mortality rate in the group was 10.8%, the foetal mortality rate was 1.7% (2/120, and the neonatal (0-28 days mortality rate was 9.1% (11/120. An odds ratio of 95% confidence interval shows 3 times greater risk for adverse perinatal outcome in the discordant group. However, the difference was not significant. CONCLUSION. Increasing birth weight discordance may increase the risk of adverse perinatal outcome. Triplet pregnancies, being high risk, require intensive antenatal care in order to prevent preterm delivery and ultrasound in order to diagnose foetal

  3. Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Cognitive Impairment in Children with Perinatal Stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nigul Ilves

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Perinatal stroke is a leading cause of congenital hemiparesis and neurocognitive deficits in children. Dysfunctions in the large-scale resting-state functional networks may underlie cognitive and behavioral disability in these children. We studied resting-state functional connectivity in patients with perinatal stroke collected from the Estonian Pediatric Stroke Database. Neurodevelopment of children was assessed by the Pediatric Stroke Outcome Measurement and the Kaufman Assessment Battery. The study included 36 children (age range 7.6–17.9 years: 10 with periventricular venous infarction (PVI, 7 with arterial ischemic stroke (AIS, and 19 controls. There were no differences in severity of hemiparesis between the PVI and AIS groups. A significant increase in default mode network connectivity (FDR 0.1 and lower cognitive functions (p<0.05 were found in children with AIS compared to the controls and the PVI group. The children with PVI had no significant differences in the resting-state networks compared to the controls and their cognitive functions were normal. Our findings demonstrate impairment in cognitive functions and neural network profile in hemiparetic children with AIS compared to children with PVI and controls. Changes in the resting-state networks found in children with AIS could possibly serve as the underlying derangements of cognitive brain functions in these children.

  4. Perinatal taurine exposure affects adult arterial pressure control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roysommuti, Sanya; Wyss, J. Michael

    2012-01-01

    Taurine is an abundant free amino acid found in mammalian cells that contributes to many physiologic functions from that of a simple cell osmolyte to a programmer of adult health and disease. Taurine’s contribution extends from conception throughout life, but its most critical exposure period is during perinatal life. In adults, taurine supplementation prevents or alleviates cardiovascular disease and related complications. In contrast, low taurine consumption coincides with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and type II diabetes. This review focuses on the effects that altered perinatal taurine exposure has on long-term mechanisms that control adult arterial blood pressure and could thereby contribute to arterial hypertension through its ability to program these cardiovascular regulatory mechanisms very early in life. The modifications of these mechanisms can last a lifetime and transfer to the next generation, suggesting that epigenetic mechanisms underlie the changes. The ability of perinatal taurine exposure to influence arterial pressure control mechanisms and hypertension in adult life appears to involve the regulation of growth and development, the central and autonomic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin system, glucose-insulin interaction and changes to heart, blood vessels and kidney function. PMID:23070226

  5. Perinatal services and outcomes in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nga, Nguyen T; Målqvist, Mats; Eriksson, Leif; Hoa, Dinh P; Johansson, Annika; Wallin, Lars; Persson, Lars-Åke; Ewald, Uwe

    2010-10-01

    We report baseline results of a community-based randomized trial for improved neonatal survival in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam (NeoKIP; ISRCTN44599712). The NeoKIP trial seeks to evaluate a method of knowledge implementation called facilitation through group meetings at local health centres with health staff and community key persons. Facilitation is a participatory enabling approach that, if successful, is well suited for scaling up within health systems. The aim of this baseline report is to describe perinatal services provided and neonatal outcomes. Survey of all health facility registers of service utilization, maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths during 2005 in the province. Systematic group interviews of village health workers from all communes. A Geographic Information System database was also established. Three quarters of pregnant women had ≥3 visits to antenatal care. Two hundred and five health facilities, including 18 hospitals, provided delivery care, ranging from 1 to 3258 deliveries/year. Totally there were 17 519 births and 284 neonatal deaths in the province. Neonatal mortality rate was 16/1000 live births, ranging from 10 to 44/1000 in the different districts, with highest rates in the mountainous parts of the province. Only 8% had home deliveries without skilled attendance, but those deliveries resulted in one-fifth of the neonatal deaths. A relatively good coverage of perinatal care was found in a Vietnamese province, but neonatal mortality varied markedly with geography and level of care. A remaining small proportion of home deliveries generated a substantial part of mortality. © 2010 The Author(s)/Journal Compilation © 2010 Foundation Acta Paediatrica.

  6. Asfixia perinatal y proteína S100B

    OpenAIRE

    Barrero Montoya, Ivan Ricardo

    2016-01-01

    La asfixia perinatal es la principal causa de muerte en la primera semana de vida la nivel mundial, los niños que sufren esta complicación y sobreviven pueden presentar trastornos neurológicos de diferente nivel de compromiso que inciden en su desarrollo personal y social. Las cifras de muerte por este problema de salud han disminuido de manera importante, sin embargo en el reporte de la Organización Mundial de Salud (OPS) del 2010, la asfixia perinatal es causa del 29% de muertes infantiles ...

  7. Perinatal Outcomes after Assisted Reproductive Technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Setenay Arzu Yilmaz

    2014-08-01

    The aim of this review is to summarize perinatal outcomes and the congenital anomaly risk of IVF pregnancies and also examine the risks of different technologies including ICSI, blastocyst culture, and cryopreservation on this topic. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2014; 23(4.000: 575-586

  8. Macrosomia, Perinatal and Infant Mortality in Cree Communities in Quebec, 1996-2010.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Xiao

    Full Text Available Cree births in Quebec are characterized by the highest reported prevalence of macrosomia (~35% in the world. It is unclear whether Cree births are at greater elevated risk of perinatal and infant mortality than other First Nations relative to non-Aboriginal births in Quebec, and if macrosomia may be related.This was a population-based retrospective birth cohort study using the linked birth-infant death database for singleton births to mothers from Cree (n = 5,340, other First Nations (n = 10,810 and non-Aboriginal (n = 229,960 communities in Quebec, 1996-2010. Community type was ascertained by residential postal code and municipality name. The primary outcomes were perinatal and infant mortality.Macrosomia (birth weight for gestational age >90th percentile was substantially more frequent in Cree (38.0% and other First Nations (21.9% vs non-Aboriginal (9.4% communities. Comparing Cree and other First Nations vs non-Aboriginal communities, perinatal mortality rates were 1.52 (95% confidence intervals 1.17, 1.98 and 1.34 (1.10, 1.64 times higher, and infant mortality rates 2.27 (1.71, 3.02 and 1.49 (1.16, 1.91 times higher, respectively. The risk elevations in perinatal and infant death in Cree communities attenuated after adjusting for maternal characteristics (age, education, marital status, parity, but became greater after further adjustment for birth weight (small, appropriate, or large for gestational age.Cree communities had greater risk elevations in perinatal and infant mortality than other First Nations relative to non-Aboriginal communities in Quebec. High prevalence of macrosomia did not explain the elevated risk of perinatal and infant mortality in Cree communities.

  9. Perinatal mortality in rural Burkina Faso: a prospective community-based cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diallo Abdoulaye

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a scarcity of reliable data on perinatal mortality (PNM in Sub-Saharan Africa. The PROMISE-EBF trial, during which we promoted exclusive breastfeeding, gave us the opportunity to describe the epidemiology of PNM in Banfora Health District, South-West in Burkina Faso. Study objectives To measure the perinatal mortality rate (PNMR in the PROMISE-EBF cohort in Banfora Health District and to identify potential risk factors for perinatal death. Methods We used data collected prospectively during the PROMISE-EBF-trial to estimate the stillbirth rate (SBR and early neonatal mortality rate (ENMR. We used binomial regression with generalized estimating equations to identify potential risk factors for perinatal death. Results 895 pregnant women were enrolled for data collection in the EBF trial and followed-up to 7 days after birth. The PNMR, the SBR and the ENMR, were 79 per 1000 (95% CI: 59-99, 54 per 1000 (95% CI: 38-69 and 27 per 1000 (95% CI: 9-44, respectively. In a multivariable analysis, nulliparous women (RR = 2.90, 95% CI: 1.6-5.0, primiparae mothers (RR = 2.20, 95% CI: 1.2-3.9, twins (RR = 4.0, 95% CI: 2.3-6.9 and giving birth during the dry season (RR = 2.1 95% CI: 1.3-3.3 were factors associated with increased risk of perinatal death. There was no evidence that risk of perinatal death differed between deliveries at home and at a health centre Conclusion Our study observed the highest PNMR ever reported in Burkina. There is an urgent need for sustainable interventions to improve maternal and newborn health in the country.

  10. Use of Online Forums for Perinatal Mental Illness, Stigma, and Disclosure: An Exploratory Model

    OpenAIRE

    Moore, Donna; Drey, Nicholas; Ayers, Susan

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Perinatal mental illness is a global health concern; however, many women with the illness do not get the treatment they need to recover. Interventions that reduce the stigma around perinatal mental illness have the potential to enable women to disclose their symptoms to health care providers and consequently access treatment. There are many online forums for perinatal mental illness and thousands of women use them. Preliminary research suggests that online forums may promote help-...

  11. Mourning and Grief on Facebook: An Examination of Motivations for Interacting With the Deceased.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willis, Erin; Ferrucci, Patrick

    2017-12-01

    Facebook not only changed the way we communicate but also the way we mourn and express grief. The social networking site allows users to interact with deceased users' walls after death. This study utilized textual analysis to categorize Facebook posts ( N = 122) on 30 deceased users' walls according to uses and gratifications theory. Most posts were found to be motivated by entertainment, followed by integration and social interaction. Facebook users posted memories, condolences, and interacted with friends and family members in the deceased user's network. Implications and potential future research are discussed.

  12. Helping nurses cope with grief and compassion fatigue: an educational intervention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houck, Dereen

    2014-08-01

    Oncology nurses may experience intense physical and emotional exhaustion, identified in the literature as symptoms of cumulative grief and compassion fatigue, with significant consequences for both nurses and organizations. The first step in preventing these consequences is recognition. Organizations should provide nurses with resources including education, counseling, and opportunities to grieve. Nurses need to learn the importance of work-life balance, self-care strategies, and communication skills. Using recommendations from the literature, an educational intervention was designed with the purpose of providing nurses with knowledge, skills, and resources to practice effective self-care and recognize when assistance is needed. The program's objective was to help nurses develop the coping skills and inner resources necessary to maintain their emotional and physical health.

  13. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF INTERVENTIONS TARGETING PATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH IN THE PERINATAL PERIOD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rominov, Holly; Pilkington, Pamela D; Giallo, Rebecca; Whelan, Thomas A

    2016-05-01

    Interventions targeting parents' mental health in the perinatal period are critical due to potential consequences of perinatal mental illness for the parent, the infant, and their family. To date, most programs have targeted mothers. This systematic review explores the current status and evidence for intervention programs aiming to prevent or treat paternal mental illness in the perinatal period. Electronic databases were systematically searched to identify peer-reviewed studies that described an intervention targeting fathers' mental health in the perinatal period. Mental health outcomes included depression, anxiety, and stress as well as more general measures of psychological functioning. Eleven studies were identified. Three of five psychosocial interventions and three massage-technique interventions reported significant effects. None of the couple-based interventions reported significant effects. A number of methodological limitations were identified, including inadequate reporting of study designs, and issues with the timing of interventions. The variability in outcomes measures across the studies made it difficult to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the interventions. Father-focused interventions aimed at preventing perinatal mood problems will be improved if future studies utilize more rigorous research strategies. © 2016 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  14. Validity of a questionnaire measuring the world health organization concept of health system responsiveness with respect to perinatal services in the Dutch obstetric care system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Kooy, Jacoba; Valentine, Nicole B; Birnie, Erwin; Vujkovic, Marijana; de Graaf, Johanna P; Denktaş, Semiha; Steegers, Eric A P; Bonsel, Gouke J

    2014-12-03

    The concept of responsiveness, introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO), addresses non-clinical aspects of health service quality that are relevant regardless of provider, country, health system or health condition. Responsiveness refers to "aspects related to the way individuals are treated and the environment in which they are treated" during health system interactions. This paper assesses the psychometric properties of a newly developed responsiveness questionnaire dedicated to evaluating maternal experiences of perinatal care services, called the Responsiveness in Perinatal and Obstetric Health Care Questionnaire (ReproQ), using the eight-domain WHO concept. The ReproQ was developed between October 2009 and February 2010 by adapting the WHO Responsiveness Questionnaire items to the perinatal care context. The psychometric properties of feasibility, construct validity, and discriminative validity were empirically assessed in a sample of Dutch women two weeks post partum. A total of 171 women consented to participation. Feasibility: the interviews lasted between 20 and 40 minutes and the overall missing rate was 8%. Construct validity: mean Cronbach's alphas for the antenatal, birth and postpartum phase were: 0.73 (range 0.57-0.82), 0.84 (range 0.66-0.92), and 0.87 (range 0.62-0.95) respectively. The item-own scale correlations within all phases were considerably higher than most of the item-other scale correlations. Within the antenatal care, birth care and post partum phases, the eight factors explained 69%, 69%, and 76% of variance respectively. Discriminative validity: overall responsiveness mean sum scores were higher for women whose children were not admitted. This confirmed the hypothesis that dissatisfaction with health outcomes is transferred to their judgement on responsiveness of the perinatal services. The ReproQ interview-based questionnaire demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties to describe the quality of perinatal care in the

  15. Prenatal and perinatal striatal injury: a hypothetical cause of attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toft, P.B.

    1999-01-01

    , in children who have suffered perinatal adverse events. Evidence is presented to demonstrate that the composition of metabolites in the striatum is altered, primarily in the form of an elevated level of lactate, in human neonates who have suffered various perinatal disorders, such as germinal matrix...... hemorrhage, intrauterine growth retardation, and asphyxia. An elevated level of lactate suggests tissue hypoxia, which may interfere with the formation of frontostriatal circuits and may play a role in the pathogenesis of the behavioral disturbances observed in a proportion of children with a history...... of perinatal adverse events...

  16. MINOR NEUROLOGICAL DYSFUNCTION AFTER THE ONSET OF PUBERTY - ASSOCIATION WITH PERINATAL EVENTS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    SOORANILUNSING, RJ; HADDERSALGRA, M; HUISJES, HJ; TOUWEN, BCL

    In order to study the hypotheses that puberty is related to a decrease of minor neurological dysfunction (MND) and that persisting MND is associated with perinatal factors, two groups (174 normal, 172 MND) of the Groningen Perinatal Project were followed from 12 to 14 years. At 14 years almost all

  17. Prenatal and Perinatal Morbidity in Children with Tic Disorders: A Mainstream School-based Population Study in Central Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cubo, Esther; Hortigüela, Montesclaros; Jorge-Roldan, Sandra; Ciciliani, Selva Esther; Lopez, Patricia; Velasco, Leticia; Sastre, Emilio; Ausin, Vanesa; Delgado, Vanesa; Saez, Sara; Gabriel-Galán, José Trejo; Macarrón, Jesús

    2014-01-01

    While current research suggests that genetic factors confer the greatest risk for the development of tic disorders, studies of environmental factors are relatively few, with a lack of consistent risk factors across studies. Our aim is to analyze the association of tic disorders with exposure to prenatal and perinatal morbidity. This was a nested case-control study design. Cases and controls were selected and identified from a mainstream, school-based sample. The diagnosis of tic disorders was assigned by a movement disorder neurologist using 'Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, text revision' criteria, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities were screened using the Spanish computerized version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Predictive Scale. Information regarding the exposure to pre-perinatal risk factors was collected by a retrospective review of the birth certificates. Logistic regression analyses were then performed to test the association of tic disorders with pre-perinatal risk factors. Out of 407 participants, complete pre-perinatal data were available in 153 children (64 with tics and 89 without tics). After adjusting for family history of tics, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, body mass index, prenatal infection, and coexisting comorbid neuropsychiatric disturbances, tic disorders were associated with prenatal exposure to tobacco (odds ratio [OR] = 3.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-7.60, p = 0.007), and cesarean section (OR = 5.78, 95% CI 1.60-20.91, p = 0.01). This nested case-control study of children with tic disorders demonstrates higher adjusted odds for tics in children with exposure to cesarean delivery and maternal smoking. Longitudinal, population-based samples are required to confirm these results.

  18. Exploring the views and experiences of callers to the PANDA Post and Antenatal Depression Association Australian National Perinatal Depression Helpline: a cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biggs, Laura J; Shafiei, Touran; Forster, Della A; Small, Rhonda; McLachlan, Helen L

    2015-09-07

    Anxiety and depression are common in the perinatal period. Telephone interventions, including telephone peer support and counselling, have been developed to support those experiencing perinatal mental illness. PANDA Post and Antenatal Depression Association provides support to women and men experiencing perinatal mental illness via the Australian National Perinatal Depression Helpline, encompassing both volunteer peer support and professional counselling. This study aimed to explore the experiences of callers to the Helpline. A cross-sectional survey design was used. All new callers from 1(st) May to 30(th) September 2013 were invited to participate. The survey, adapted from a previous survey of PANDA callers, included 23 questions using Likert-type scales, demographic and open-ended questions. Thematic network analysis was undertaken for responses to open-ended questions. 124 responses were received (124/405; 30% response). The majority of callers had called the Helpline regarding themselves (90%), with over one third (33%) of all callers seeking crisis support and help. Ninety-nine per cent of respondents 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that staff and/or volunteers understood their concerns, and 97% 'agreed' or 'strongly agreed' that overall PANDA had helped them. Callers described the PANDA service as uniquely tailored to the perinatal period, providing accessible, non-judgemental understanding and support, with a global theme from open-ended comments describing PANDA as 'a safe space to be heard and receive support without judgement'. Recommendations for service changes included increased hours of availability. Callers reported positive experiences of accessing support from the PANDA National Perinatal Depression Helpline. The Helpline was described as an accessible and acceptable telephone support for individuals experiencing perinatal mental illness. Recommendations for changes to the service included an increase in hours of operation to enable greater

  19. Comparative efficacy of the generalized anxiety disorder 7-item scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale as screening tools for generalized anxiety disorder in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, William; Glazer, Melanie; Michalski, Natalie; Steiner, Meir; Frey, Benicio N

    2014-08-01

    About 24.1% of pregnant women suffer from at least 1 anxiety disorder, 8.5% of whom suffer specifically from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is often associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). During the perinatal period, the presence of physical and somatic symptoms often makes differentiation between depression and anxiety more challenging. To date, no screening tools have been developed to detect GAD in the perinatal population. We investigated the psychometric properties of the GAD 7-item Scale (GAD-7) as a screening tool for GAD in pregnant and postpartum women. Two hundred and forty perinatal women (n = 155 pregnant and n = 85 postpartum) referred for psychiatric consultation were enrolled. On the day of initial assessment, all women completed the GAD-7 and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-based diagnoses were made by experienced psychiatrists. Scores from the GAD-7 and EPDS were compared with the clinical diagnoses to evaluate the psychometric properties of the GAD-7 and EPDS when used as a screening tool for GAD. The GAD-7 yielded a sensitivity of 61.3% and specificity of 72.7% at an optimal cut-off score of 13. Compared with the EPDS and the EPDS-3A subscale, the GAD-7 displayed greater accuracy and specificity over a greater range of cut-off scores and more accurately identified GAD in patients with comorbid MDD. Our findings suggest that the GAD-7 represents a clinically useful scale for the detection of GAD in perinatal women.

  20. Mild perinatal adversities moderate the association between maternal harsh parenting and hair cortisol: Evidence for differential susceptibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Windhorst, Dafna A; Rippe, Ralph C A; Mileva-Seitz, Viara R; Verhulst, Frank C; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Noppe, Gerard; van Rossum, Elisabeth F C; van den Akker, Erica L T; Tiemeier, Henning; van IJzendoorn, Marinus H; Bakermans-Kranenburg, Marian J

    2017-04-01

    It has been shown that following exposure to mild perinatal adversity, children have greater susceptibility to both the negative and positive aspects of their subsequent environment. In a large population-based cohort study (N = 1,776), we investigated whether mild perinatal adversity moderated the association between maternal harsh parenting and children's hair cortisol levels, a biomarker of chronic stress. Mild perinatal adversity was defined as late preterm birth (gestational age at birth of 34-37 weeks, 6 days) or small for gestational age (birth weight between the 2.5th and 10th percentile for full term gestational age). Harsh parenting was assessed by maternal self-report at 3 years. Children's hair cortisol concentrations were measured from hair samples collected at age 6. There were no significant bivariate associations between mild perinatal adversities and harsh parenting and hair cortisol. However, mild perinatal adversities moderated the association between maternal harsh parenting and hair cortisol levels. Children with mild perinatal adversity had lower cortisol levels if parented more harshly and higher cortisol levels in the absence of harsh parenting than children who did not experience mild perinatal adversity. These results provide further evidence that mild perinatal adversity is a potential marker of differential susceptibility to environmental influences. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Tobacco control policies and perinatal health: a national quasi-experimental study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peelen, Myrthe J; Sheikh, Aziz; Kok, Marjolein; Hajenius, Petra; Zimmermann, Luc J; Kramer, Boris W; Hukkelhoven, Chantal W; Reiss, Irwin K; Mol, Ben W; Been, Jasper V

    2016-04-22

    We investigated whether changes in perinatal outcomes occurred following introduction of key tobacco control policies in the Netherlands: smoke-free legislation in workplaces plus a tobacco tax increase and mass media campaign (January-February 2004); and extension of the smoke-free law to the hospitality industry, accompanied by another tax increase and mass media campaign (July 2008). This was a national quasi-experimental study using Netherlands Perinatal Registry data (2000-2011; registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02189265). Primary outcome measures were: perinatal mortality, preterm birth, and being small-for-gestational age (SGA). The association with timing of the tobacco control policies was investigated using interrupted time series logistic regression analyses with adjustment for confounders. Among 2,069,695 singleton births, there were 13,027 (0.6%) perinatal deaths, 116,043 (5.6%) preterm live-births and 187,966 (9.1%) SGA live-births. The 2004 policies were not associated with significant changes in the odds of developing any of the primary outcomes. After the 2008 policy change, a -4.4% (95% CI -2.4; -6.4, p law to bars and restaurants in conjunction with a tax increase and mass media campaign.

  2. Childhood Maltreatment and Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Karmel W; Sikkema, Kathleen J

    2016-12-01

    Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) compromise maternal and child well-being and may be influenced by traumatic experiences across the life course. A potent and common form of trauma is childhood maltreatment, but its specific impact on PMADs is not well understood. A systematic review was undertaken to synthesize empirical literature on the relationship between maternal histories of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Of the 876 citations retrieved, 35 reports from a total of 26,239 participants met inclusion criteria, documenting substantial rates of childhood maltreatment and PMADs. Robust trends of association were observed between childhood maltreatment and perinatal depression, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, but findings for anxiety were less consistent. Examining multivariate results suggested that childhood maltreatment predicts PMADs above and beyond sociodemographic, psychiatric, perinatal, and psychosocial factors, but may also be partially mediated by variables such as later victimization and moderated by protective early relationships. Future research should test mediating and moderating pathways using prospective cohorts, expanding to cross-cultural settings and other disorder outcomes. Treatment and prevention of childhood maltreatment and its sequelae may help mitigate risk for perinatal psychopathology and its impact on maternal and child outcomes. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. Stimulation of Functional Vision in Children with Perinatal Brain Damage

    OpenAIRE

    Alimović, Sonja; Mejaški-Bošnjak, Vlatka

    2011-01-01

    Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) is one of the most common causes of bilateral visual loss, which frequently occurs due to perinatal brain injury. Vision in early life has great impact on acquisition of basic comprehensions which are fundamental for further development. Therefore, early detection of visual problems and early intervention is necessary. The aim of the present study is to determine specific visual functioning of children with perinatal brain damage and the influence of visual st...

  4. Perinatal nutrition programs neuroimmune function long-term: mechanisms and implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarah J Spencer

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Our early life nutritional environment can influence several aspects of physiology, including our propensity to become obese. There is now evidence to suggest perinatal diet can also independently influence development of our innate immune system. This review will address three not-necessarily-exclusive mechanisms by which perinatal nutrition can program neuroimmune function long-term: by predisposing the individual to obesity, by altering the gut microbiota, and by inducing epigenetic modifications that alter gene transcription throughout life.

  5. FCJ-160 Politics is Serious Business: Jacques Rancière, Griefing, and the Re-Partitioning of the (NonSensical

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steve Holmes

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This article contextualises certain elements of ‘griefing’ as a form of political action in virtual world by drawing on the political philosophy of Jacques Rancière. A small but growing number of scholars are starting to view griefing as an avant-garde, anarchist, or hacktivist political activity. I suggest that Rancière offers a more specific articulation of what constitutes political action and activism for griefing collectives because his understanding of politics is entirely grounded in relationship to the types of communities and individual political equality. The article focuses specifically on the Patriotic Nigras activities in the Great Habbo Raid of 2006 in an attempt to understand how a Rancièreian framework can provide some analytical tools for articulating politics in virtual worlds. I conclude that the PN do not ultimately realise a Rancièreian framework. They challenge not partitions of the sensible, but partitions of the nonsensical specific to the different operation of politics and community formation in virtual worlds.

  6. Cerebellar cytokine expression in a rat model for fetal asphyctic preconditioning and perinatal asphyxia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vlassaks, Evi; Brudek, Tomasz; Pakkenberg, Bente

    2014-01-01

    the effects of perinatal asphyxia and fetal asphyctic preconditioning on the inflammatory cytokine response in the cerebellum. Fetal asphyxia was induced at embryonic day 17 by clamping the uterine vasculature for 30 min. At term birth, global perinatal asphyxia was induced by placing the uterine horns...... was decreased 96 h postfetal asphyxia. When applied as preconditioning stimulus, fetal asphyxia attenuates the cerebellar cytokine response. These results indicate that sublethal fetal asphyxia may protect the cerebellum from perinatal asphyxia-induced damage via inhibition of inflammation.......Asphyctic brain injury is a major cause of neuronal inflammation in the perinatal period. Fetal asphyctic preconditioning has been shown to modulate the cerebral inflammatory cytokine response, hereby protecting the brain against asphyctic injury at birth. This study was designated to examine...

  7. The evaluation of perinatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with thrombophilias

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusuf Taner Kafadar

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Aim: In our study we included pregnant patients diagnosed with thrombophilia and evaluated their follow up by thromboprophylaxy for perinatal outcomes. (pregnancy loss, preclampsia,small for gestational age, preterm labour, venous thrombosis. In addition to our study group we aimed to evaluate a control group with negative thrombophilia screen results and hypothesized similar perinatal outcomes in comparison with the study group. Materials-Methods: Pregnant subjects that applied to Çukurova University Hospital, between June 2010 - February 2012 were recruited in the study. Patients with a positive thrombophilia screen for primary and secondary recurrent pregnancy loss were initiated a thromboprophylaxia protocol in the first trimester and their demographic backgrounds and past obstetric histories were also recorded. In addition to this, the type of thrombophilia and number of thrombophilia defects were also noted and the route of birth and perinatal outcomes were evaluated prospectively. The control group included patients who had a history of recurrent unexplained miscarriages, with a negative thrombophilia screen. Differences between both groups were statistically significant at a p value <0.05. Results: 60 patients diagnosed thrombophilia were included in the study group, while 50 patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriage composed the control group. When the perinatal outcomes were compared; pregnancy loss, development of preeclampsia/eclampsia (p=0.257, small for gestational age birth rate (p=0.619, preterm birth rate (p=0.232 and the incidence of venous thrombosis (p=0.246 did not differ significantly. The cesarean section rate in the study group was 55% and 18% in the study group (p=0.000 and it was statistically significant between both groups. Discussion: Our study discovered similar findings and perinatal outcomes in patients with and without thrombophilia. The only significant difference between both groups was the difference in

  8. US and territory telemedicine policies: identifying gaps in perinatal care

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okoroh, Ekwutosi M.; Kroelinger, Charlan D.; Smith, Alexander M.; Goodman, David A.; Barfield, Wanda D.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND Perinatal regionalization is a system of maternal and neonatal risk-appropriate health care delivery in which resources are ideally allocated for mothers and newborns during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postpartum, in order to deliver appropriate care. Typically, perinatal risk-appropriate care is provided in-person, but with the advancement of technologies, the opportunity to provide care remotely has emerged. Telemedicine provides distance-based care to patients by consultation, diagnosis, and treatment in rural or remote US jurisdictions (states and territories). OBJECTIVE We sought to summarize the telemedicine policies of states and territories and assess if maternal and neonatal risk-appropriate care is specified. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a 2014 systematic World Wide Web–based review of publicly available rules, statutes, regulations, laws, planning documents, and program descriptions among US jurisdictions (N=59) on telemedicine care. Policies including language on the topics of consultation, diagnosis, or treatment, and those specific to maternal and neonatal risk-appropriate care were categorized for analysis. RESULTS Overall, 36 jurisdictions (32 states; 3 territories; and District of Columbia) (61%) had telemedicine policies with language referencing consultation, diagnosis, or treatment; 29 (49%) referenced consultation, 30 (51%) referenced diagnosis, and 35 (59%) referenced treatment. In all, 26 jurisdictions (22 states; 3 territories; and District of Columbia) (44%), referenced all topics. Only 3 jurisdictions (3 states; 0 territories) (5%), had policy language specifically addressing perinatal care. CONCLUSION The majority of states have published telemedicine policies, but few specify policy language for perinatal risk-appropriate care. By ensuring that language specific to the perinatal population is included in telemedicine policies, access to maternal and neonatal care can be increased in rural, remote, and resource

  9. Coping with losses, grief, and mourning in prostate cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittmann, Daniela

    2015-01-01

    Prostate cancer is a highly prevalent disease with a high likelihood of survival. If treated, survivors live with significant and lasting treatment-related side effects. Surgical treatment is associated with urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, and radiation leads to urinary and bowel irritability as well as erectile dysfunction. Patients who undergo hormonal treatment cope with sexual dysfunction, bone density loss, hot flashes, mood symptoms, and cardiac and metabolic disorders. Functional losses have a significant impact on patients and their partners' quality of life and are associated with distress and psychosocial morbidity. Psychosocial treatment is largely unavailable in usual care, but has been shown to reduce distress, to increase positive reappraisal of the illness, and to contribute to the recovery of sexual intimacy. Treatment for grief and mourning, typical reactions to loss, has not been introduced into psychosocial interventions but is increasingly recognized as a path toward a 'new normal' after prostate cancer treatment. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  10. Neurodevelopmental retardation, as assessed clinically and with magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography, associated with perinatal dioxin exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ten Tusscher, G W; Leijs, M M; de Boer, L C C; Legler, J; Olie, K; Spekreijse, H; van Dijk, B W; Vulsma, T; Briët, J; Ilsen, A; Koppe, J G

    2014-09-01

    In 1980s Western Europe, human perinatal exposure to background levels of dioxins was rather high. We therefore evaluated the neurodevelopment of our cohort during the prepubertal period and in adolescence. At prepubertal age (7-12 years) 41 children were tested. Both neuromotor functioning and psychological testing were performed (Dutch version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R) and the Dutch version of the Child Behavior Checklist for ages 4-18 years (CBCL 4-18) and the Teacher Report Form (TRF)). Neurophysiological tests were performed using magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography. In adolescence (14-18 years) the behavior of 33 children was studied again (CBCL and TRF). And the levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) were measured in serum. At prepubertal age no association was found between perinatal dioxin exposure and verbal, performal and total IQ or with the Touwen's test for neuromotor development. There were behavioral problems associated with both prenatal and postnatal dioxin exposure. In adolescence there were problems associated with the current dioxin levels and dioxin-like-PCBs. Neurophysiological tests revealed clear negative dysfunction. An increase in latency time after a motion stimulus (N2b) of 13 ms (= a delay of 10%) is associated with the higher prenatal dioxin exposure. A similar delay was measured in testing cognitive ability by analyzing the odd ball measurements, N200 and P300, together with an amplitude decrease of 12 %. The delay is indicative of a defective myelinisation and the decrease in amplitude of a loss of neurons. We found effects on behavior in association with the perinatal dioxin exposure and in adolescence in association with the current dioxin levels. Neurophysiological testing is instrumental in the detection of effects of perinatal background levels of chemicals on brain development in normal, healthy children. The clinical, neurological and psychological tests commonly used are

  11. The Perinatal Risk Index: Early Risks Experienced by Domestic Adoptees in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marceau, Kristine; De Araujo-Greecher, Marielena; Miller, Emily S; Massey, Suena H; Mayes, Linda C; Ganiban, Jody M; Reiss, David; Shaw, Daniel S; Leve, Leslie D; Neiderhiser, Jenae M

    2016-01-01

    We aimed to assess comprehensively the prevalence of perinatal risks experienced by a potentially high-risk yet understudied population of children domestically adopted in the United States. Data are from participant report and medical records from mothers (n = 580) who completed a domestic adoption placement with nonrelatives at or near birth (Mean placement age = 7 days). We describe a comprehensive measure of perinatal risks, including divergences from previous assessment tools and the incorporation of multiple reporters, and report the prevalence of various types of perinatal risks. The prevalence of each specific risk factor was generally low, although several risks were more prevalent in this sample than estimates from nationally representative publicly available data. Nearly the entire sample (99%) experienced some type of risk exposure. Birth mothers who placed their children for adoption domestically in the US experience higher levels of perinatal risks than the national average, but not for all specific types of risk. Thus, the developmental trajectories of children adopted domestically may systematically differ from the general population to the extent that these specific perinatal risks impact development.

  12. Motor Testing at 1 Year Improves the Prediction of Motor and Mental Outcome at 2 Years after Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischaemic Encephalopathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Schie, Petra Em; Becher, Jules G.; Dallmeijer, Annet J.; Barkhof, Frederik; van Weissenbruch, Mirjam M.; Vermeulen, R. Jeroen

    2010-01-01

    Aim: To investigate the predictive value of motor testing at 1 year for motor and mental outcome at 2 years after perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) in term neonates. Method: Motor and mental outcome at 2 years was assessed with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, 2nd edition (BSID-II) in 32 surviving children (20 males, 12…

  13. Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes among Eclamptic Patients ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    , pulmonary oedema (10.5%), maternal stroke (8.8%), HELLP syndrome (50.9%), and Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy (3.5%). Perinatal deaths were caused by prematurity (42.9%) and birth asphyxia (57.1%). Forty-eight babies had ...

  14. "Dulling the Edges": Young Men's Use of Alcohol to Deal With Grief Following the Death of a Male Friend

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creighton, Genevieve; Oliffe, John; Matthews, Jennifer; Saewyc, Elizabeth

    2016-01-01

    Background: The death of a male friend can be challenging for men because expressions of grief can be governed and restrained by dominant ideals of masculinity. It is common for young men to engage in health risk practices, such as alcohol overuse, to deal with feelings of sadness. Objective: This qualitative study investigated the ways that young…

  15. Pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal health outcomes in eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linna, Milla S; Raevuori, Anu; Haukka, Jari; Suvisaari, Jaana M; Suokas, Jaana T; Gissler, Mika

    2014-10-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal health outcomes and complications in women with lifetime eating disorders. Female patients (n = 2257) who were treated at the Eating Disorder Clinic of Helsinki University Central Hospital from 1995-2010 were compared with unexposed women from the population (n = 9028). Register-based information on pregnancy, obstetric, and perinatal health outcomes and complications were acquired for all singleton births during the follow-up period among women with broad anorexia nervosa (AN; n = 302 births), broad bulimia nervosa (BN; n = 724), binge eating disorder (BED; n = 52), and unexposed women (n = 6319). Women with AN and BN gave birth to babies with lower birthweight compared with unexposed women, but the opposite was observed in women with BED. Maternal AN was related to anemia, slow fetal growth, premature contractions, short duration of the first stage of labor, very premature birth, small for gestational age, low birthweight, and perinatal death. Increased odds of premature contractions, resuscitation of the neonate, and very low Apgar score at 1 minute were observed in mothers with BN. BED was associated positively with maternal hypertension, long duration of the first and second stage of labor, and birth of large-for-gestational-age infants. Eating disorders appear to be associated with several adverse perinatal outcomes, particularly in offspring. We recommend close monitoring of pregnant women with either a past or current eating disorder. Attention should be paid to children who are born to these mothers. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  16. Teaching in Grief: Critical Reflections, Redefining Justice, and a Reorientation to Teaching

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather Cherie Moore

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Since the creation of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, many scholars from historically underrepresented communities have revisited discourse on social movements. Many supporters of the #BlackLivesMatter movement are outsiders participating in solidarity with organizers across the globe.  But what happens when questions of police brutality and injustice adversely impact your family and your career? Using the self-narrative method and grief framework, the author describes her teaching transformation in a pilot Multicultural Education course immediately following the death of her cousin in police custody. The author describes how the terms injustice, action, and pedagogy changed over time and took on new meanings during an extended grieving period.

  17. Training traditional birth attendants on the WHO Essential Newborn Care reduces perinatal mortality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcés, Ana; McClure, Elizabeth M; Hambidge, Michael; Krebs, Nancy F; Mazariegos, Manolo; Wright, Linda L; Moore, Janet; Carlo, Waldemar A

    2012-05-01

    To evaluate the impact of birth attendant training using the World Health Organization Essential Newborn Care (ENC) course among traditional birth attendants, with a particular emphasis on the effect of acquisition of skills on perinatal outcomes. Population-based, prospective, interventional pre-post design study. 11 rural clusters in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Health care providers. This study analyzed the effect of training and implementation of the ENC health care provider training course between September 2005 and December 2006. The primary outcome measure was the rate of death from all causes in the first seven days after birth in fetuses/infants ≥1500g. Secondary outcome measures were overall rate of stillbirth, rate of perinatal death, which included stillbirths plus neonatal deaths in the first seven days in fetuses/infants ≥1500g. Perinatal mortality decreased from 39.5/1000 pre-ENC to 26.4 post-ENC (RR 0.72; 95%CI 0.54-0.97). This reduction was attributable almost entirely to a decrease in the stillbirth rate of 21.4/1000 pre-Essential Newborn Care to 7.9/1000 post-ENC (RR 0.40; 95%CI 0.25-0.64). Seven-day neonatal mortality did not decrease (18.3/1000 to 18.6/1000; RR 1.05; 95%CI 0.70-1.57). Essential Newborn Care training reduced stillbirths in a population-based controlled study with deliveries conducted almost exclusively by traditional birth attendants. Scale-up of this intervention in other settings might help assess reproducibility and sustainability. © Published [2012]. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2012 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  18. Vitamin-caused faulty perinatal hormonal imprinting and its consequences in adult age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Csaba, G

    2017-09-01

    Lipid-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K) are actually hormones (exohormones), as they can be directly bound by hormone receptors or are in connection with molecules, which influence hormone receptors. Vitamin D is a transition between endo- and exohormones and the possibility of similar situation in case of other lipid-soluble hormones is discussed. The perinatal exposition with these "vitamins" can cause faulty perinatal hormonal imprinting with similar consequences as the faulty imprinting by the synthetic endohormones, members of the same hormone family or industrial, communal, or medical endocrine disruptors. The faulty imprinting leads to late (lifelong) consequences with altered hormone binding by receptors, altered sexuality, brain function, immunity, bone development, and fractures, etc. In addition, as hormonal imprinting is an epigenetic process, the effect of a single exposure by fat-soluble vitamins is inherited to the progeny generations. As vitamins are handled differently from hormones; however, perinatal treatments take place frequently and sometimes it is forced, the negative late effect of faulty perinatal vitamin-caused hormonal imprinting must be considered.

  19. Women's intentions of informal and formal help-seeking for mental health problems during the perinatal period: The role of perceived encouragement from the partner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonseca, Ana; Canavarro, Maria Cristina

    2017-07-01

    this study aimed to examine the relationship between women's intentions to seek informal help and to seek professional help and to explore the indirect effects of women's perceived encouragement to seek professional help from their male partner. Moreover, this study aimed to examine if these relationships vary as function of the presence of higher levels of perinatal distress. cross-sectional internet survey. participants were recruited through advertisements published in pamphlets and posted on social media websites (e.g., Facebook) and websites and forums that focused on pregnancy and childbirth. 231 women (pregnant/ had a baby during the last 12 months) completed the survey. participants were questioned about sociodemographic and clinical data and were assessed concerning perinatal distress (Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), intentions to seek informal and formal help (General Help-Seeking Questionnaire) and perceived encouragement from the partner to seek professional help. the women reported a significantly higher intention to seek help from their partner than to seek professional help (p help from the male partner (p = .001) and perceived less encouragement from the male partner to seek professional help (p help occurred through the women's perceived encouragement from the male partner to seek professional help. the results of this study highlight the important role of the male partner's encouragement in women's professional help-seeking for mental health problems. awareness campaigns about perinatal distress and about professional treatment benefits may be directed universally to all women in the perinatal period and should include women's significant others, such as their partners. Health professionals should recognize and support the prominent role of the women's partners in the help-seeking process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. La mortalidad perinatal según 2 fuentes de información Perinatal mortality according to 2 information sources

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Freitas Ramírez

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar la diferencia en muertes perinatales (MP ocurridas en Cataluña y su evolución según 2 fuentes de información sanitaria. Métodos: Los datos proceden de la estadística de mortalidad (Departament de Salut e Institut d'Estadística de Catalunya y del Conjunto Mínimo Básico de Datos de Altas Hospitalarias (CMBDAH del Servei Català de la Salut del período 2000-2003. Se describen las frecuencias totales de MP según si cumplen o no criterio legal de declaración. Resultados: La estadística de mortalidad registró un 27,2% menos de MP, un 44,77% menos de muertes fetales y un 13,5% más de muertes neonatales precoces que el CMBDAH. Estos porcentajes son menores considerando sólo los casos con criterios legales de declaración. Conclusión: Las diferencias de casos entre ambas fuentes están relacionadas con características del recién nacido: bajo peso al nacer, prematuridad y lugar en que se produjo. Los datos hospitalarios podrían mejorar la estadística de mortalidad perinatal.Objective: To evaluate differences in the number of cases of perinatal mortality in Catalonia (Spain recorded in 2 health information systems, as well as trends in this phenomenon. Methods: Data were obtained from the mortality statistics (Health Department and the Catalan Institute of Statistics and the minimum data set (MDS for hospital discharges of the Catalan Health Service from 2000-2003. The frequencies are given for the cases reported and for cases following the legal criteria for reporting. Results: The mortality statistics registered 27.2% fewer perinatal deaths, 44.77% fewer fetal deaths and 13.5% more early neonatal deaths than the MDS. These percentages were lower when only the cases following the legal criteria for reporting were considered. Conclusion: The differences between the two sources were related to low birth weight, prematurity, and the place of occurrence. Use of hospital data might improve the quality of perinatal

  1. Evaluation of perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with preterm premature rupture of membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alex Sandro Rolland Souza

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available SUMMARY Objective: To determine the association between amniotic fluid index (AFI and perinatal outcomes in preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2008 and 2012. 86 pregnant women were included, with a diagnosis of PPROM and gestational age from 24 to 35 weeks. Women who presented hypertensive disorders, diabetes, fetuses with birth defects and infection at admission were excluded. To determine the association between AFI and perinatal outcomes, chi-square and Fisher’s exact test were used if necessary, as well as risk ratio (RR and 95% confidence intervals (95CI. Correlation between AFI and perinatal outcomes was determined by using simple linear regression, and AFI progression during pregnancy was analyzed by Z-test. Results: When comparing newborns presenting ultrasound with AFI5cm, there was a higher frequency of perinatal mortality when the AFI was lower than 5 cm. However, when the oligohydramnios was diagnosed as severe (AFI3cm. There was a positive correlation between AFI and gestational age at delivery, birth weight and Apgar scores at minutes 1 and 5. There was also a decrease in amniotic fluid volume with increased gestational age. Conclusion: The presence of severe oligohydramnios after PPROM contributed to a higher frequency of perinatal complications and death.

  2. Obstetrical and perinatal outcomes in patients with or without obstetric analgesia during labor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piedrahíta-Gutiérrez, Dany Leandro

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To describe and compare the obstetric and perinatal outcomes in patients with or without obstetric analgesia during labor, and to determine whether such analgesia is associated with adverse maternal or perinatal outcomes. Methodology: Comparative, retrospective, descriptive study, between January and November 2014, that included 502 healthy patients with normal pregnancies, out of which 250 received obstetric analgesia. The groups were compared as to maternal and perinatal outcomes. Results: Young, single and nulliparous mothers predominated; delivery was vaginal in 86 % of the cases, and by caesarean section in 14 %. Obstetric analgesia was associated with longer duration of the second stage of labor, instrumental delivery and cesarean section due to arrest of dilatation or fetal bradycardia; however, it was not related with higher incidence of postpartum hemorrhage or adverse perinatal outcomes such as meconium-stained amniotic fluid, Apgar under 5 at one minute or under 7 at 5 minutes, the need for neonatal resuscitation or for admission to NICU. Conclusion: Obstetric analgesia increases the duration of the second stage of labor and can increase the rate of caesarean sections and instrumental delivery, but it is not associated with adverse maternal or perinatal outcomes. Therefore, its use in labor is justified.

  3. Using action research to develop midwives' skills to support women with perinatal mental health needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madden, Deirdre; Sliney, Annmarie; O'Friel, Aoife; McMackin, Barbara; O'Callaghan, Bernie; Casey, Kate; Courtney, Lisa; Fleming, Valerie; Brady, Vivienne

    2018-02-01

    The aim of the research was to identify and develop midwives' skills to support women with mental health needs during pregnancy, using an action research approach. A review of perinatal mental health services in a large Dublin maternity unit revealed a high number of referred women who 'did not attend' the perinatal mental health service with few guidelines in place to support midwives in identifying and referring women for specialist help. Action research using cooperative inquiry involved a mental health nurse specialist and a team of midwives, who were drawn to each other in mutual concern about an area of practice. Data were gathered from three Cooperative Inquiry meetings, which incorporated one main Action Research Cycle of constructing, planning, taking and evaluating action. Data were analysed using a thematic content analysis framework. Participants experienced varying levels of uncertainty about how to support women with perinatal mental health needs. Cooperative inquiry supported participants in making sense of how they understood perinatal mental health and how they managed challenges experienced when caring for women with perinatal mental health issues. Participants developed a referral pathway, highlighted the significance of education to support women with perinatal mental health issues and identified the value of using open questions to promote conversation with pregnant women about mental health. Midwives value education and support to identify and refer women at risk of perinatal mental health issues. Cooperative inquiry, with a focus on action and shared reflection, facilitated the drawing together of two professional groups with diverse knowledge bases to work together to develop practice in an area of mutual concern. Perinatal mental health is a significant public health issue and midwives need support to make psychosocial assessments and to negotiate access to specialist services where available and when required. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons

  4. Perinatal brain injury, visual motor function and poor school outcome of regional low birth weight survivors at age nine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jun; Mahoney, Ashley Darcy; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer A

    2013-08-01

    To explore the relationship between perinatal brain injury, visual motor function (VMF) and poor school outcome. Little is known about the status and underlying mechanism of poor school outcome as experienced by low birth weight survivors. This is a secondary data analysis. The parental study recruited 1104 low birth weight (LBW) infants weighing ≤ 2000 g from three medical centres of Central New Jersey between 1984 and 1987. Seven hundred and seventy-seven infants survived the neonatal period, and their developmental outcomes had been following up regularly until now. The development data of the survivors were used to achieve the research aims. Initial school outcome assessment was carried out in 9-year-old, using the Woodcock-Johnson Academic Achievement Scale. The severity and range of perinatal brain injury was determined by repeated neonatal cranial ultrasound results obtained at 4 hours, 24 hours and 7 days of life. Seventeen and a half per cent of the sample experienced poor school performance at age 9 as defined by lower than one standard deviation (SD) of average performance score. Children with the most severe injury, PL/VE, had the lowest mathematics (F = 14·54, p = 0·000) and reading (anova results: F = 11·56, p = 0·000) performances. Visual motor function had a significant effect on children's overall school performance (Hotelling's trace value was 0·028, F = 3·414, p = 0·018), as well as subtest scores for reading (p = 0·006) and mathematics (p = 0·036). However, visual motor function was not a mediator in the association of perinatal brain injury and school outcome. Perinatal brain injury had a significant long-term effect on school outcome. Low birth weight infants with history of perinatal brain injury need be closely monitored to substantially reduce the rates of poor school outcome and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Perinatal Mortality And Pregnancy Wastage In Ten Punjab Villages During 1991-1996 - A Population Based Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sachar R.K

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Research question: What is the extent of perinatal mortality and pregnancy wastage in rural Punjab and what are risk factors for the same. Objective: To quantify the perinatal; wastage and risk factors including the prevalence of these factors to determine the loss attributable to these factors in ten Punjab villages during the period 1991-1996. Study Design: Case control. Sample Size: 2519 pregnant women with Known outcome of pregnancy. Study Variables: Cause, timing and factors affecting perinatal mortality and pregnancy wastage (viz Wt.<40kg; Ht, <152cm,BMI, <20 illiteracy, birth to conception interval <100wks, Prematurity (Gestation <37 wks. Registered in IIIrd trimester, Registered in IInd Trimester, Home delivery. Outcome variables: Contribution of these factors in perinatal loss and pregnancy wastage. Analysis; Percentages, Odds ratio, confidence interval and population attributable risk%. Results: The perinatal mortality rate was 34.57/1000 and pregnancy wastage was 7.23%. Prematurity was the leading cause of perinatal loss. 31.25% of perinatal deaths took place within 24 hours and 87.5% within 96 hours. In case of perinatal mortality the odds ration were significant (p<0.05 for the following risk factors: weight, height, body mass index, illiteracy, birth to conception interval <1000 weeks, prematurity, registration of pregnancy in IInd trimester, registration of pregnancy in IIIrd trimester, home delivery. In case of pregnancy wastage the odds ratio were significant for the following risk factors: weight, height, body mass index, illiteracy, birth to conception interval <100weeks, prematurity, past history of abortion and low socio-economic status.

  6. BLOOD BIOMARKERS FOR EVALUATION OF PERINATAL ENCEPHALOPATHY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernest Marshall Graham

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Recent research in identification of brain injury after trauma shows many possible blood biomarkers that may help identify the fetus and neonate with encephalopathy. Traumatic brain injury shares many common features with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Trauma has a hypoxic component, and one of the 1st physiologic consequences of moderate-severe traumatic brain injury is apnea. Trauma and hypoxia-ischemia initiate an excitotoxic cascade and free radical injury followed by the inflammatory cascade, producing injury in neurons, glial cells and white matter. Increased excitatory amino acids, lipid peroxidation products and alteration in microRNAs and inflammatory markers are common to both traumatic brain injury and perinatal encephalopathy. The blood-brain barrier is disrupted in both leading to egress of substances normally only found in the central nervous system. Brain exosomes may represent ideal biomarker containers, as RNA and protein transported within the vesicles are protected from enzymatic degradation. Evaluation of fetal or neonatal brain derived exosomes that cross the blood-brain barrier and circulate peripherally has been referred to as the liquid brain biopsy. A multiplex of serum biomarkers could improve upon the current imprecise methods of identifying fetal and neonatal brain injury such as fetal heart rate abnormalities, meconium, cord gases at delivery, and Apgar scores. Quantitative biomarker measurements of perinatal brain injury and recovery could lead to operative delivery only in the presence of significant fetal risk, triage to appropriate therapy after birth and measure the effectiveness of treatment.

  7. Globalization and perinatal medicine--how do we respond?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurjak, Asim; Di Renzo, Gian Carlo; Stanojevic, Milan

    2010-04-01

    Globalization is both inevitable and usually desirable and contains advantageous and disadvantageous issues. It is a source of both hope and of apprehension and is an accelerating process in flow of information, technology, goods and services, and production means. Globalization has a complex influence on perinatal health. The bonds that link perinatologists together transcend geographic, political, religious, and lingual differences, resulting in a globalization that optimizes perinatal care. In this review, we will discuss some of the global problems facing modern perinatologists. Close to 1.5 billion people in the world, live in extreme poverty, a situation which is particularly stark in the developing world, where 80% of them live. Poor people have little or no access to qualified health services and education, and do not participate in the decisions critical to their day-to-day lives. Poverty cannot be defined solely in terms of lack of income. A person, a family, even a nation is not deemed poor only because of low economic resources. Little or no access to health services, lack of access to safe water and adequate nutrition, illiteracy or low educational level, and a distorted perception of rights and needs are also essential components of poverty. Expression of poverty in perinatal health care in developing countries are high maternal death and morbidity rates, huge perinatal and childhood losses, and high birth rates. There are good reasons to define it as a global tragedy in our time. Although the mankind has come quite far because the development of civilization and more advances in the health care were made during the past 100 years than in all previous human history, some inhabitants of our planet are not able to experience it. According to some data, every 3 s a newborn dies, and every minute a pregnant woman dies in the globalized world. All together over 10 million deaths every year, which indicates that health security is not strong enough. It is

  8. Perinatal transmission of human papilomavirus DNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Serafini Eduardo P

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The purpose was to study the perinatal transmission of human papillomavirus DNA (HPV-DNA in 63 mother-newborn pairs, besides looking at the epidemiological factors involved in the viral DNA transmission. The following sampling methods were used: (1 in the pregnant woman, when was recruited, in cervix and clinical lesions of the vagina, vulva and perineal region; (2 in the newborn, (a buccal, axillary and inguinal regions; (b nasopharyngeal aspirate, and (c cord blood; (3 in the children, buccal was repeated in the 4th week and 6th and 12th month of life. HPV-DNA was identified using two methodologies: multiplex PCR (PGMY09 and MY11 primers and nested-PCR (genotypes 6/11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 42, 52 and 58. Perinatal transmission was considered when concordance was found in type-specific HPV between mother/newborn or mother/child. HPV-DNA genital was detected in 49 pregnant women submitted to delivery. Eleven newborns (22.4%, n = 11/49 were HPV-DNA positive. In 8 cases (16.3%, n = 8/49 there was type specific HPV concordance between mother/newborn samples. At the end of the first month of life three children (6.1%, n = 3/49 became HPV-DNA positive, while two remained positive from birth. In 3 cases (100%, n = 3/3 there was type specific HPV concordance between mother/newborn samples. In the 6th month, a child (2%, n = 1/49 had become HPV-DNA positive between the 1st and 6th month of life, and there was type specific HPV concordance of mother/newborn samples. All the HPV-DNA positive children (22.4%, n = 11/49 at birth and at the end first month of life (6.1%, n = 3/49 became HPV-DNA negative at the age of 6 months. The HPV-DNA positive child (2%, n = 1/49 from 1st to the 6th month of life became HPV-DNA negative between the 6th and 12th month of life and one child had anogenital warts. In the twelfth month all (100%, n = 49/49 the children studied were HPV-DNA negative. A positive and significant correlation was observed between perinatal

  9. Prenatal and perinatal striatal injury: a hypothetical cause of attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toft, P.B.

    1999-01-01

    , in children who have suffered perinatal adverse events. Evidence is presented to demonstrate that the composition of metabolites in the striatum is altered, primarily in the form of an elevated level of lactate, in human neonates who have suffered various perinatal disorders, such as germinal matrix...

  10. A parsimonious explanation for intersecting perinatal mortality curves: understanding the effects of race and of maternal smoking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph K S

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Neonatal mortality rates among black infants are lower than neonatal mortality rates among white infants at birth weights Methods We used data on births in the United States in 1997 after excluding those with a birth weight Results Perinatal mortality rates (calculated per convention were lower among blacks than whites at lower birth weights and at preterm gestational ages, while blacks had higher mortality rates at higher birth weights and later gestational ages. With the fetuses-at-risk approach, mortality curves did not intersect; blacks had higher mortality rates at all gestational ages. Increases in birth rates and (especially growth-restriction rates presaged gestational age-dependent increases in perinatal mortality. Similar findings were obtained in comparisons of smokers versus nonsmokers. Conclusions Formulating perinatal risk based on the fetuses-at-risk approach solves the intersecting perinatal mortality curves paradox; blacks have higher perinatal mortality rates than whites and smokers have higher perinatal mortality rates than nonsmokers at all gestational ages and birth weights.

  11. Shifting paradigm of maternal and perinatal death review system in Bangladesh: A real time approach to address sustainable developmental goal 3 by 2030 [version 1; referees: 2 approved

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    Animesh Biswas

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Recently, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in reducing maternal and neonatal morality, even though the millennium developmental goal to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality was not achieved. Sustainable Developmental Goal (SDG 3 has already been set for a new target to reduce maternal and neonatal deaths by 2030. The country takes this timely initiative to introduce a maternal and perinatal death review system. This review will discuss the shifting paradigm of the maternal and perinatal death review system in Bangladesh and its challenges in reaching the SDG on time. This review uses existing literature on the maternal and perinatal death review system in Bangladesh, and other systems in similar settings, as well as reports, case studies, news, government letters and meeting minutes. Bangladesh introduced the maternal and perinatal death review system in 2010. Prior to this there was no such comprehensive death review system practiced in Bangladesh. The system was established within the government health system and has brought about positive effects and outcomes. Therefore, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh gradually scaled up the maternal and perinatal death review system nationwide in 2016 within the government health system. The present death review system highlighted real-time data use, using the district health information software(DHIS-2. Health mangers are able to take remedial action plans and implement strategies based on findings in DHIS-2. Therefore, effective utilization of data can play a pivotal role in the reduction of maternal and perinatal deaths in Bangladesh. Overall, the maternal and perinatal death review system provides a great opportunity to achieve the SDG 3 on time. However, the system needs continuous monitoring at different levels to ensure its quality and validity of information, as well as effective utilization of findings for planning and implementation under a measureable

  12. Is screening for depression in the perinatal period enough? The co-occurrence of depression, substance abuse, and intimate partner violence in culturally diverse pregnant women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connelly, Cynthia D; Hazen, Andrea L; Baker-Ericzén, Mary J; Landsverk, John; Horwitz, Sarah McCue

    2013-10-01

    The perinatal period provides unique opportunities to identify and intervene with the co-occurrence of perinatal depression, intimate partner violence (IPV), and substance use problems. Psychosocial screening recommended for women seen in maternal child health settings tends to target single rather than multiple risk factors; there is limited research examining the co-occurrence of these issues especially in racially and ethnically diverse women across the perinatal period. These analyses explore the relationships of sociodemographic, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics in a large, diverse sample of women. Women receiving perinatal services at routinely scheduled visits, including the 6-week postpartum visit, were recruited from 10 community obstetric/gynecologic clinics. Data were collected on perinatal depression, IPV, maternal substance use, and sociodemographic characteristics by bilingual, bicultural research assistants. A total of 1868 women were screened, 1526 (82%) Latina, 1099 (58.8%) interviewed in Spanish; 20.4% (n=382) screened positive for depressive symptoms based on an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score of 10 or above, 20.9% reported harmful drinking, 4.3% reported drug use, 23% reported substance use problems, and 3.5% reported current or recent IPV. Women who were Black, Asian, Pacific Islander, or other race/ethnicity had greater odds for depressive symptoms relative to women who were Hispanic or Latino (odds ratio [OR]=1.81, p=0.005). Women reporting substance use problems (OR=2.37, p<0.0001) and IPV (OR=3.98, p<0.0001) had higher odds for depressive symptoms. In a predominately Latina sample, 1 in 5 mothers (20.4%) screened positive for depressive symptoms and over one third (36.7%) reported one or more psychosocial issues during the perinatal period. Screening for multiple risk factors rather than just one can help clinicians tailor interventions for the successful management of psychosocial issues.

  13. Evolutionizing Grief: Viewing Photographs of the Deceased Predicts the Misattribution of Ambiguous Stimuli by the Bereaved

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    Claire White

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available We propose a cognitive-evolutionary model of grief where the function of grief is to reunite a person with an absent partner where this is possible, and where it is not, to disengage and reorientate the individual from the lost agent. The present study investigates the potential factors that affect reunion-promoting symptoms by focusing on the misattribution of external stimuli to the deceased by the bereaved - which we term ‘false recognitions’. We propose three factors that relate to false recognitions: First, we propose that strong attachment to the deceased predisposes one to false recognitions; second, we predict that viewing photographs of the deceased (that were taken when the individual was alive perpetuates false recognitions; and third, we propose that time elapsing since the death diminishes the frequency of false recognitions. In a survey of 164 recently bereaved (<25 months pet owners in the U.S. and U.K., predictions concerning the association of the predictor and outcome variables were confirmed. The strongest predictor was the frequency of viewing photographic images of the deceased, a pattern consonant with our premise that, being evolutionarily novel, realistic photographs are treated as reliable cues that the agent remains a viable relationship partner. This research demonstrates the potential of evolutionary theory to inform mainstream bereavement research.

  14. Maternal and perinatal outcomes of dengue in PortSudan, Eastern Sudan

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    Elbashir Hagir M

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Aim To investigate maternal and perinatal outcomes (maternal death, preterm delivery, low birth weight and perinatal mortality of dengue at PortSudan and Elmawani hospitals in the eastern Sudan. Method This was a retrospective Cohort study where medical files of women with dengue were reviewed. Results There were 10820 deliveries and 78 (0.7% pregnant women with confirmed dengue IgM serology at the mean (SD gestational age of 29.4(8.2 weeks. While the majority of these women had dengue fever (46, 58.9%, hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome were the presentations in 18 (23.0% and 12, (15.3% of these women, respectively. There were 17(21.7% maternal deaths. Fourteen (17.9% of these 78 women had preterm deliveries and 19 (24.3% neonates were admitted to neonatal intensive care unit. Nineteen (24.3% women gave birth to low birth weight babies. There were seven (8.9% perinatal deaths. Eight (10.2% patients delivered by caesarean section due to various obstetrical indications. Conclusion Thus dengue has poor maternal and perinatal outcomes in this setting. Preventive measures against dengue should be employed in the region, and more research on dengue during pregnancy is needed.

  15. Prenatal and Perinatal Morbidity in Children with Tic Disorders: A Mainstream School-based Population Study in Central Spain

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    Esther Cubo

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: While current research suggests that genetic factors confer the greatest risk for the development of tic disorders, studies of environmental factors are relatively few, with a lack of consistent risk factors across studies. Our aim is to analyze the association of tic disorders with exposure to prenatal and perinatal morbidity. Methods: This was a nested case–control study design. Cases and controls were selected and identified from a mainstream, school-based sample. The diagnosis of tic disorders was assigned by a movement disorder neurologist using ‘Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, text revision’ criteria, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities were screened using the Spanish computerized version of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Predictive Scale. Information regarding the exposure to pre-perinatal risk factors was collected by a retrospective review of the birth certificates. Logistic regression analyses were then performed to test the association of tic disorders with pre-perinatal risk factors.Results: Out of 407 participants, complete pre-perinatal data were available in 153 children (64 with tics and 89 without tics;. After adjusting for family history of tics, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, body mass index, prenatal infection, and coexisting comorbid neuropsychiatric disturbances, tic disorders were associated with prenatal exposure to tobacco (odds ratio [OR] = 3.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24–7.60, p = 0.007, and cesarean section (OR = 5.78, 95% CI 1.60–20.91, p = 0.01.Discussion: This nested case–control study of children with tic disorders demonstrates higher adjusted odds for tics in children with exposure to cesarean delivery and maternal smoking. Longitudinal, population-based samples are required to confirm these results.

  16. Immunity peculiarities of neonates in case of perinatal pathology

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    О. S. Godovanets

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The immune system as one of the regulating systems of the body determined peculiarities of child adaptation after birth stipulating physiology of adaptation or perinatal pathology formation. Objective: to study peculiarities of immunological indices in case of neonates’ perinatal pathology to detect their role in pathogenesis and formation of diseases severity. Materials and methods. The group of term infants with clinical signs of perinatal pathology (173 individuals was examined. They were divided into two groups: group A included those with diagnosed severe forms of diseases (121 individuals, and group B included 52 infants with general moderate severity of perinatal pathology. The group of comparison included 82 newborns without substantial adaptive deviations after birth. IL1 and IL6 levels were examined by means of immunofluorescence method “Clonospectr” using the reagents produced by “ProCon”. Absolute and relative amount of СD2+-associated Т and NK-lymphocytes, СD14+-associated monocytes, СD15+-associated neutrophils, СD19+-associated В-lymphocytes and СD54+-associated ІСАМ-1 cells were determined by means of immunofluorescence method “Status” using the set of monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies produced by “Sorbent”. The data obtained were statistically processed with the application of applied programs package used for medical-biological studies “Statgraphics Centurion XVI.I” [2011] on the personal computer Pentium MMX CPU. Results. The results obtained were indicative of considerable changes in the immune system indices in newborns under conditions of birth stress and hypoxia. It has been found that a term newborn has a special different from that of adults biologically mediated state of immune system, that can determine both the development of physiological adaptation and under certain circumstances excessive reactions of systemic inflammation, autoimmune processes and destruction of tissues. One

  17. OA57 The digitalisation of dying, loss and grief on social media channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taubert, Mark; Norris, James

    2015-04-01

    The internet and birth of social media channels have changed the way in which we deal with death, loss and grief forever. Our photo albums are now saved digitally and shared on Facebook. Our private thoughts are now relayed on Twitter. Each year we spend more of our lives online, this workshop will address what happens as we approach death and when we switch off. After building a relationship digitally they recently presented together at the Macmillan Primary Care Conference on the subject 'Can we Palliate Social media'. The outcome of the workshop can be viewed below: 'Can we Palliate Social Media' workshop (about) - http://deadsocial.org/blog/222-macmillan-primary-care-conference BMJ review/results of workshop - http://blogs.bmj.com/spcare/2014/12/04/palliating-social-media-a-seminar-workshop-at-the-macmillan-professionals-conference-in-london/ We will highlight how the digital landscape has changed to help evoke thought and discussion around the subject of digitising death. They will explore the ethical and moral questions regarding end of life within the digital context. The role of the HCP will be examined in relation to social media and patient practice. All attendees will be provided with a number of simple tasks to carryout online. This will again provide a better understanding around the conversations that are occurring online and the digitisation of death. An interactive 40 min workshop will be directed by us. This will conclude with a 20-minute discussion. Leaflets containing relevant tasks for HCPs to carryout online can be carried out after the workshop. Understanding of the main social and digital channels that we (in the UK) use today. Understanding of how online channels have changed how we communicate and behave. The different ways grieving, remembering and mourning occurs online How death, grief and loss is different online Examination of how social media is breaking down the notion of death Reflect on how could/should HCPs and EOL professionals

  18. Cognitive-behavioral group treatment for perinatal anxiety: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Sheryl M; Haber, Erika; Frey, Benicio N; McCabe, Randi E

    2015-08-01

    Along with physical and biological changes, a tremendous amount of upheaval and adjustment accompany the pregnancy and postpartum period of a woman's life that together can often result in what is commonly known as postpartum depression. However, anxiety disorders have been found to be more frequent than depression during pregnancy and at least as common, if not more so, during the postpartum period, e.g., Brockington et al., (Archieves Women's Ment Health 9:253-263, 2006; Wenzel et al. (J Anxiety Disord, 19:295-311, 2005). Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a well-established psychological treatment of choice for anxiety; however, few studies have specifically examined a cognitive-behavioral intervention targeting perinatal anxiety. This pilot study examined the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral group treatment (CBGT) program specifically tailored to address perinatal anxiety in 10 women who were either pregnant or within 12 months postpartum. Participants were recruited from a women's clinic at an academic hospital setting, with anxiety identified as their principal focus of distress. Following a diagnostic interview confirming a primary anxiety disorder and completion of assessment measures, participants completed a 6-week CBGT program. There was a statistically significant reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms following the CBGT program (all p anxiety. These findings suggest that CBGT for perinatal anxiety is a promising treatment for both anxiety and depressive symptoms experienced during the perinatal period. Further studies are needed to evaluate the treatment efficacy through larger controlled trials.

  19. Using perinatal morbidity scoring tools as a primary study outcome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutcheon, Jennifer A; Bodnar, Lisa M; Platt, Robert W

    2017-11-01

    Perinatal morbidity scores are tools that score or weight different adverse events according to their relative severity. Perinatal morbidity scores are appealing for maternal-infant health researchers because they provide a way to capture a broad range of adverse events to mother and newborn while recognising that some events are considered more serious than others. However, they have proved difficult to implement as a primary outcome in applied research studies because of challenges in testing if the scores are significantly different between two or more study groups. We outline these challenges and describe a solution, based on Poisson regression, that allows differences in perinatal morbidity scores to be formally evaluated. The approach is illustrated using an existing maternal-neonatal scoring tool, the Adverse Outcome Index, to evaluate the safety of labour and delivery before and after the closure of obstetrical services in small rural communities. Applying the proposed Poisson regression to the case study showed a protective risk ratio for adverse outcome following closures as compared with the original analysis, where no difference was found. This approach opens the door for considerably broader use of perinatal morbidity scoring tools as a primary outcome in applied population and clinical maternal-infant health research studies. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. Perinatal asphyxia: CNS development and deficits with delayed onset

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    Mario eHerrera-Marschitz

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Perinatal asphyxia constitutes a prototype of obstetric complications occurring when pulmonary oxygenation is delayed or interrupted. The primary insult relates to the duration of the period lacking oxygenation, leading to death if not re-established. Re-oxygenation leads to a secondary insult, related to a cascade of biochemical events required for restoring proper function. Perinatal asphyxia interferes with neonatal development, resulting in long-term deficits associated to mental and neurological diseases with delayed clinical onset, by mechanisms not yet clarified.In the experimental scenario, the effects observed long after perinatal asphyxia have been explained by over expression of sentinel proteins, such as poly(ADP-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1, competing for NAD+ during re-oxygenation, leading to the idea that sentinel protein inhibition constitutes a suitable therapeutic strategy. Asphyxia induces transcriptional activation of pro-inflammatory factors, in tandem with PARP-1 overactivation, and pharmacologically induced PARP-1 inhibition also down-regulates the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Nicotinamide has been proposed as a suitable PARP-1 inhibitor. Its effect has been studied in an experimental model of global hypoxia in rats. In that model, the insult is induced by immersing rat foetuses into a water bath for various periods of time. Following asphyxia, the pups are delivered, treated, and nursed by surrogate dams, pending further experiments. Nicotinamide rapidly distributes into the brain following systemic administration, reaching steady state concentrations sufficient to inhibit PARP-1 activity for several hours, preventing several of the long-term consequences of perinatal asphyxia, supporting the idea that it constitutes a lead for exploring compounds with similar or better pharmacological profiles.

  1. Tei index in neonatal respiratory distress and perinatal asphyxia

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    Ahmed Anwer Attia Khattab

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Cardiovascular compromise is a common complication of neonatal respiratory distress and perinatal asphyxia. Tei index is a Doppler-derived index for the assessment of overall left ventricular function that combines systolic and diastolic time intervals. Aim: Assess the role of MPI versus cardiac troponin I as early indicator of hypoxic cardiac damage in neonates with respiratory distress or perinatal asphyxia. The present work was conducted on forty neonates, 15 with neonatal respiratory distress (group I, 15 with perinatal asphyxia (group II, and 10 apparently healthy neonates as a control (group III. All have: Detailed history-thorough clinical examination-Plain X-ray-ECG-Two dimensional, M-mode and Doppler echocardiographic examination with the measurement of both myocardial performance index (MPI of the right and left ventricle-Serum cardiac troponin I. Results: There was statistically significant increase in serum cardiac troponin I in groups I and II than group III. Left and right ventricular myocardial performance index (MPI were increased in group I and II than the control group. No correlation between Tei index and each of postnatal age, apgar score at 5-min, heart rate, serum cardiac troponin I, ejection fraction and fractional shortening, but there was direct relationship between MPI and LVEDD and inverse relationship between MPI and each of EF% and FS%. But there was significant correlation between L.V. MPI and gestational age. Conclusion: Tei index was higher in neonates with respiratory distress and neonates with perinatal asphyxia than in normal neonates despite normal or even increased ejection fraction which indicates that these patients may have subclinical ventricular dysfunction which should be followed up carefully.

  2. Del dolor al duelo: límites al anhelo frente a la desaparición forzada. // From the bereavement to the grief: limits to the yearning faced with the frorced dissapearance.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria Eugenia Diaz.

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available This article develops the research question about the logic of the grief process when a subject lost is caused by forced disappearance of a loved one. Even though the study of the sources allows to state that the common response to this event is a suspended bereavement, research results allow to propose that there are collective -justice and ritual and individual –grief act- mechanisms which can contribute for a subject to overcome the obstacles and to begin grief resolution. In order to come to this conclusion, the concepts of grief work, reality test, bereavement, and act are discussed to be able to state that the grief for the disappearance does not depend on the reunion with the lost object, nor on the find of a corpse, but on a change of the subject/object relationship where this latter is psychically assumed as radically lost. // El artículo desarrolla la pregunta de investigación en torno a la lógica del proceso de duelo cuando la pérdida de un sujeto es causada por la desaparición forzada de un ser amado. Si bien el estudio de las fuentes permite afirmar que la respuesta común a este evento es la de un dolor suspendido, los resultados de la investigación permiten proponer que existen mecanismo colectivos —la justicia y el ritual— y particulares —el acto de duelo— que pueden contribuir a que un sujeto movilice los obstáculos e inicie la elaboración de su duelo. Se discuten, para llegar a esta conclusión, las nociones de trabajo de duelo, de prueba de realidad, de dolor y de acto, para llegar a afirmar que el duelo por la desaparición no depende del reencuentro con el objeto perdido, ni siquiera bajo la forma de hallazgo del cadáver, sino de un cambio en la relación del sujeto con el objeto donde se instaure psíquicamente este último como radicalmente perdido.

  3. Neuroimmunological Disturbance Features in Premature Infants with Perinatal Infections

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    Nailya J. Rahimova

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Infectious diseases in newborns are commonly intrauterine infections which affect greatly on the morbidity and mortality rates in neonates.Background: The purpose of this study was to analyse the neurological status, taking into account the neuroimmunological indicators (neuron-specific enolase (NSE, interleukin-1β (IL1β, Interleukin-6 (IL6 in the serum of neonates with perinatal infections.Metods: We conducted a complex clinical, laboratory, and instrumental examination of 433 infants with perinatal infections with a gestation period of 27–37 weeks. Determination of the level of NSE, IL1β, IL6 was performed with the standard method of the immune-enzyme analysis.Results. Hypoxic ischemic, hemorrhagic, infectious lesion of the central nervous system (CNS were more common in newborns with mixed infection and sepsis. High levels of NSE, IL6, IL1β in the serum of the examined newborns reflect a combined, deeper character of the CNS damage.Conclusion: Significant diagnostic value of neuroimmunological indicators in the blood serum of newborns with perinatal infections makes it possible to use them as a markers for assessing the severity of the CNS lesions.

  4. Trends in Socioeconomic Differences in Finnish Perinatal Health 1991-2006

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gissler, Mika; Rahkonen, Ossi; Arntzen, Annett

    2009-01-01

    singletons recorded between 1991 and 2006 in the Finnish Medical Birth Register. Information on socioeconomic position was based on maternal occupation. Perinatal health was measured with six different indicators. RESULTS: The proportions of preterm, low-birth weight and SGA (small-for-gestational......-age) births remained stable during the study period, but decreased for LGA (large-for-gestational-age) births and perinatal death. After adjustment for maternal background variables, the socioeconomic differences in preterm and low-birth weight births decreased in the late 1990s and remained low thereafter...

  5. Long-term sequelae of perinatal asphyxia in the aging rat

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weitzdoerfer, R; Gerstl, N; Hoeger, H

    2002-01-01

    Information on the consequences of perinatal asphyxia (PA) on brain morphology and function in the aging rat is missing although several groups have hypothesized that PA may be responsible for neurological and psychiatric deficits in the adult. We therefore decided to study the effects of PA...... the platform of the MWM was moved to a new location, were observed in asphyxiated rats. We showed that deteriorated cognitive functions accompanied by aberrant expression of hippocampal SERT and impaired relearning are long-term sequelae of perinatal asphyxia, a finding that may form the basis...

  6. Perinatal Depression Algorithm: A Home Visitor Step-by-Step Guide for Advanced Management of Perinatal Depressive Symptoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laszewski, Audrey; Wichman, Christina L.; Doering, Jennifer J.; Maletta, Kristyn; Hammel, Jennifer

    2016-01-01

    Early childhood professionals do many things to support young families. This is true now more than ever, as researchers continue to discover the long-term benefits of early, healthy, nurturing relationships. This article provides an overview of the development of an advanced practice perinatal depression algorithm created as a step-by-step guide…

  7. Potential Utility of Melatonin in Preeclampsia, Intrauterine Fetal Growth Retardation, and Perinatal Asphyxia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marseglia, Lucia; D'Angelo, Gabriella; Manti, Sara; Reiter, Russel J; Gitto, Eloisa

    2016-08-01

    Reactive oxygen species play an important role in the pathogenesis of several diseases during gestation and the perinatal period. During pregnancy, increased oxygen demand augments the rate of production of free radicals. Oxidative stress is involved in pregnancy disorders including preeclampsia and intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR). Moreover, increased levels of oxidative stress and reduced antioxidative capacities may contribute to the pathogenesis of perinatal asphyxia. Melatonin, an efficient antioxidant agent, diffuses through biological membranes easily and exerts pleiotropic actions on every cell and appears to be essential for successful gestation. This narrative review summarizes current knowledge concerning the role of melatonin in reducing complications during human pregnancy and in the perinatal period. Melatonin levels are altered in women with abnormally functioning placentae during preeclampsia and IUGR. Short-term melatonin therapy is highly effective and safe in reducing complications during pregnancy and in the perinatal period. Because melatonin has been shown to be safe for both mother and fetus, it could be an attractive therapy in pregnancy and is considered a promising neuroprotective agent in perinatal asphyxia. We believe that the use of melatonin treatment during the late fetal and early neonatal period might result in a wide range of health benefits, improved quality of life, and may help limit complications during the critical periods prior to, and shortly after, delivery. © The Author(s) 2015.

  8. [Maternal hemoglobin in Peru: regional differences and its association with adverse perinatal outcomes].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzales, Gustavo F; Tapia, Vilma; Gasco, Manuel; Carrillo, Carlos

    2011-01-01

    To evaluate hemoglobin (Hb) levels in pregnant women from different geographical regions from Peru; to establish anemia and erythrocytocis rates and to establish the role of Hb on adverse perinatal outcomes using the Perinatal Information System (PIS) database of Peruvian Ministry of Health. Data were obtained from 379,816 births of 43 maternity care units between 2000 and 2010. Anemia and erythrocytocis rates were determined in each geographical region as well as rates of adverse perinatal outcomes. To analyze data the STATA program (versión 10.0,Texas, USA) was used. The results were considered significant at panemia rate was higher in the coast (25.8%) and low forest (26.2%). Moderate/severe anemia rate in low forest was 2.6% and at the coast was 1.0%. In the highland, the highest rate of moderate/severe anemia was in the southern highlands (0.6%). The highest rate of erythrocytocis was found in the central highland (23.7%), 11.9% in the southern highland and 9.5% in the north highland. Severe anemia and erythrocytocis were associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. There are differences by Peruvian geographical region in anemia rates. In the central highlands were found the highest rates of erythrocytocis due to hypoxia effect in the high altitudes; however in the southern highlands, erythrocytocis was lower. Severe anemia and erythrocytosis were associated with increased adverse perinatal outcomes.

  9. Comparison of cigarette smoking knowledge, attitudes, and practices among staff in perinatal and other substance abuse treatment settings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller-Thomas, Tonya; Leoutsakos, Jeannie-Marie S; Terplan, Mishka; Brigham, Emily P; Chisolm, Margaret S

    2014-01-01

    Despite the high prevalence and known morbidity and mortality caused by cigarette smoking, 60% to 70% of substance abuse treatment programs lack smoking cessation counseling or fail to offer pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, including those programs designed to meet the needs of drug-dependent pregnant patients. Previous studies of staff knowledge, attitudes, and practices (S-KAP) at general substance abuse/HIV treatment programs have suggested that staff may contribute to the deficiency in smoking cessation treatment in these settings. It is not known whether similar deficiencies exist at perinatal substance abuse treatment programs. This study compared cigarette S-KAP in perinatal substance abuse (n = 41) and general substance abuse/HIV treatment (Veterans Affairs [VA] medical center, hospital-, and community-based) workforce samples (n = 335). Significant differences were seen between the 2 groups on all measures, but perinatal staff compared favorably to general staff only on measures of barriers to smoking cessation services. Perinatal staff compared unfavorably on all other measures: knowledge, beliefs/attitudes, self-efficacy, and smoking cessation practices. Pair-wise comparisons of knowledge and beliefs/attitudes revealed a significant difference between perinatal and VA staff; of self-efficacy, between perinatal and staff at all other settings; and of smoking cessation practices, between perinatal and VA and community-based staff. These results-showing deficiencies of perinatal staff on most S-KAP measures-are concerning and suggest that identifying gaps in and improving S-KAP in perinatal substance abuse programs is urgently needed, for which the VA may provide an efficacious model.

  10. Avaliação ultra-sonográfica da hidrocefalia fetal: associação com mortalidade perinatal Ultrasonographic evaluation of fetal hydrocephalus: association with perinatal mortality

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    Ana Paula Brito Hortêncio

    2001-07-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: avaliar os parâmetros ultra-sonográficos associados ao incremento da mortalidade perinatal em casos de hidrocefalia fetal. Métodos: foram avaliados 45 casos de hidrocefalia acompanhados entre janeiro/1996 e dezembro/1999. A hidrocefalia foi diagnosticada quando a relação entre a mensuração dos ventrículos laterais e os hemisférios cerebrais correspondentes foi superior a 0,35 ou quando a medida do átrio dos ventrículos laterais foi superior a 10 mm. Em todos os exames definiu-se o tipo, gravidade, simetria, evolução e época do diagnóstico da hidrocefalia. As pacientes foram submetidas a ultra-som morfológico na busca de outras alterações anatômicas. O índice de líquido amniótico e os óbitos fetais foram registrados. Os principais achados ultra-sonográficos foram correlacionados à mortalidade perinatal. Utilizaram-se, para análise estatística, o teste do chi² e o teste exato de Fisher. O valor de pPurpose: to evaluate the ultrasonographic parameters associated with perinatal mortality increase in cases of fetal hydrocephalus. Method: 45 cases of fetal hydrocephalus were followed-up between January 1996 and December 1999. Fetal hydrocephalus was diagnosed when the ratio of lateral ventricles and the corresponding cerebral hemispheres was above 0.35 or when the measurement of the atrium of the lateral ventricles was above 10 mm. In all examinations the type of hydrocephalus, severity, symmetry, evolution and time of diagnosis were defined. The patients were submitted to morphologic ultrasound in the search of other anatomical abnormalities. The amniotic fluid index and fetal deaths were registered. The main ultrasonographic findings were correlated with perinatal mortality. For statistical analysis, chi² test and exact Fisher test were used. The value of p<0,05 was considered to be significant. Results: a total of 20 deaths were observed (44.4%, 6 occurred intra-uterus and 14 in the neonatal period. The

  11. Obstetric and perinatal outcome of teenage pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suwal, A

    2012-01-01

    Adolescents are at higher risk during childbirth than women between 20 to 25 years. Adolescent childbearing initiates a syndrome of failure: failure to complete one's education; failure in limiting family size; failure to establish a vocation and become independent. This study was done to find out the obstetric and perinatal outcome of teenage pregnancy along with factors contributing to teenage pregnancy. A prospective, cross sectional study was carried out in College of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (CMSTH), Bharatpur during the period for two years from September 2008 to August 2010. Pregnant girls ≤19 years admitted to labour ward were taken for the study. Cases planned for abortion and MTP were also taken. One hundred cases of pregnant teenagers were admitted in CMSTH during a period of two years. Incidence was 6.85%. In our study, most of the teenagers were unbooked, from low socioeconomic status and with no or inadequate education. They had little knowledge about contraception and less number of teenagers used temporary means of contraception. Because of our social custom of early marriage, most of the teenage mothers were married. All these factors were correlated with teenage pregnancy in present study. This study failed to show any statistically significant difference in the incidence of anaemia, LBW babies, preterm delivery, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, mode of delivery in different ages of teenage mothers. However, there was significant difference in the incidence of perinatal death in different ages of teenage mothers indicating that perinatal deaths were more in younger teenagers.

  12. Trends and correlates of good perinatal outcomes in assisted reproductive technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Nikhil; Kissin, Dmitry; Anderson, John E; Session, Donna; Macaluso, Maurizio; Jamieson, Denise J

    2012-10-01

    To estimate trends in good perinatal outcomes (singleton live births at term with birthweight more than 2,500 g) among live births after assisted reproductive technology in the United States from 2000 to 2008, and associated factors among singletons in 2008. Using retrospective cohort data from the National Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance System from 2000 to 2008, we calculated relative change and χ tests for trend in the proportion of good perinatal outcomes among assisted reproductive technology live births (n=444,909) and liveborn singletons (n=222,500). We conducted univariable analyses followed by multiple logistic regression to estimate the effects of various characteristics on the outcome among singletons born in 2008 after fresh, nondonor assisted reproductive technology cycles (n=20,780). The proportion of good perinatal outcomes among all liveborn neonates increased from 38.6% in 2000 to 42.5% in 2008, whereas it declined marginally among singletons from 83.6% to 83.4%. One previous birth, transfer of fewer than three embryos, and the presence of fewer than three fetal hearts on 6-week ultrasound examination were associated with good perinatal outcome among singletons. Non-Hispanic black race, tubal factor infertility, uterine factor infertility, ovulatory disorder, and 5-day embryo culture were associated with reduced odds for a good outcome. The strongest association was the presence of one fetal heart compared with more than two (adjusted odds ratio 2.43, 95% confidence interval 1.73-3.42). From 2000 to 2008, good perinatal outcomes increased among assisted reproductive technology live births. Among singleton live births, odds for good outcome were greatest with the presence of a single fetal heart and lowest in women of non-Hispanic black race. II.

  13. Self-Efficacy and Postpartum Depression Teaching Behaviors of Hospital-Based Perinatal Nurses

    OpenAIRE

    Logsdon, M. Cynthia; Foltz, Melissa Pinto; Scheetz, James; Myers, John A.

    2010-01-01

    Based upon the Self-Efficacy Theory, this study examined the relationship between self-efficacy, self-efficacy-related variables, and postpartum depression teaching behaviors of hospital-based perinatal nurses. Findings revealed that teaching new mothers about postpartum depression is related to a perinatal nurse's self-efficacy in postpartum-depression teaching, self-esteem, and the following self-efficacy-related variables: social persuasion (supervisor's expectations for teaching); mastery...

  14. Factores asociados a asfixia perinatal en un hospital de Callao, Perú

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    F. Romero

    2016-06-01

    Conclusiones: En el hospital nacional estudiado, los principales factores de riesgo para la asfixia perinatal fueron el desprendimiento prematuro de placenta, el trabajo de parto prolongado, la corioamnionitis, la preeclampsia, la restricción de crecimiento intrauterino y recién nacido pretérmino. Los factores protectores para la asfixia perinatal fueron el grado de instrucción superior y el control prenatal adecuado.

  15. Developing and validating a perinatal depression screening tool in Kenya blending Western criteria with local idioms: A mixed methods study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Eric P; Tuli, Hawa; Kwobah, Edith; Menya, D; Chesire, Irene; Schmidt, Christina

    2018-03-01

    Routine screening for perinatal depression is not common in most primary health care settings. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force only recently updated their recommendation on depression screening to specifically recommend screening during the pre- and postpartum periods. While practitioners in high-income countries can respond to this new recommendation by implementing one of several existing depression screening tools developed in Western contexts, such as the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) or the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), these tools lack strong evidence of cross-cultural equivalence, validity for case finding, and precision in measuring response to treatment in developing countries. Thus, there is a critical need to develop and validate new screening tools for perinatal depression that can be used by lay health workers, primary health care personnel, and patients. Working in rural Kenya, we used free listing, card sorting, and item analysis methods to develop a locally-relevant screening tool that blended Western psychiatric concepts with local idioms of distress. We conducted a validation study with a random sample of 193 pregnant women and new mothers to test the diagnostic accuracy of this scale along with the EPDS and PHQ-9. The sensitivity/specificity of the EPDS and PHQ-9 was estimated to be 0.70/0.72 and 0.70/0.73, respectively. This compared to sensitivity/specificity of 0.90/0.90 for a new 9-item locally-developed tool called the Perinatal Depression Screening (PDEPS). Across these three tools, internal consistency reliability ranged from 0.77 to 0.81 and test-retest reliability ranged from 0.57 to 0.67. The prevalence of depression ranges from 5.2% to 6.2% depending on the clinical reference standard. The EPDS and PHQ-9 are valid and reliable screening tools for perinatal depression in rural Western Kenya, the PDEPS may be a more useful alternative. At less than 10%, the prevalence of depression in this region appears

  16. A thematic analysis of factors influencing recruitment to maternal and perinatal trials

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    Middleton Philippa F

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Recruitment of eligible participants remains one of the biggest challenges to successful completion of randomised controlled trials (RCTs. Only one third of trials recruit on time, often requiring a lengthy extension to the recruitment period. We identified factors influencing recruitment success and potentially effective recruitment strategies. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE from 1966 to December Week 2, 2006, the Cochrane Library Methodology Register in December 2006, and hand searched reference lists for studies of any design which focused on recruitment to maternal/perinatal trials, or if no studies of maternal or perinatal research could be identified, other areas of healthcare. Studies of nurses' and midwives' attitudes to research were included as none specifically about trials were located. We synthesised the data narratively, using a basic thematic analysis, with themes derived from the literature and after discussion between the authors. Results Around half of the included papers (29/53 were specific to maternal and perinatal healthcare. Only one study was identified which focused on factors for maternal and perinatal clinicians and only seven studies considered recruitment strategies specific to perinatal research. Themes included: participant assessment of risk; recruitment process; participant understanding of research; patient characteristics; clinician attitudes to research and trials; protocol issues; and institutional or organisational issues. While no reliable evidence base for strategies to enhance recruitment was identified in any of the review studies, four maternal/perinatal primary studies suggest that specialised recruitment staff, mass mailings, physician referrals and strategies targeting minority women may increase recruitment. However these findings may only be applicable to the particular trials and settings studied. Conclusion Although factors reported by both participants and clinicians

  17. Towards Better Understanding of the Pathogenesis of Neuronal Respiratory Network in Sudden Perinatal Death

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    Riffat Mehboob

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Sudden perinatal death that includes the victims of sudden infant death syndrome, sudden intrauterine death syndrome, and stillbirth are heartbreaking events in the life of parents. Most of the studies about sudden perinatal death were reported from Italy, highlighting two main etiological factors: prone sleeping position and smoking. Other probable contributory factors are prematurity, male gender, lack of breastfeeding, respiratory tract infections, use of pacifiers, infant botulism, extensive use of pesticides and insecticides, etc. However, extensive studies across the world are required to establish the role of these factors in a different subset of populations. Previous studies confirmed the widely accepted hypothesis that neuropathology of the brainstem is one of the main cause of sudden perinatal death. This study is an effort to summarize the neuropathological evaluation of the brainstems and their association to sudden perinatal death. Brainstem nuclei in vulnerable infants undergo certain changes that may alter the sleep arousal cycle, cardiorespiratory control, and ultimately culminate in death. This review focuses on the roles of different brainstem nuclei, their pathologies, and the established facts in this regard in terms of it’s link to such deaths. This study will also help to understand the role of brainstem nuclei in controlling the cardiorespiratory cycles in sudden perinatal death and may provide a better understanding to resolve the mystery of these deaths in future. It is also found that a global initiative to deal with perinatal death is required to facilitate the diagnosis and prevention in developed and as well as developing countries.

  18. Perinatal stress and food allergy: a preliminary study on maternal reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polloni, L; Ferruzza, E; Ronconi, L; Lazzarotto, F; Toniolo, A; Bonaguro, R; Muraro, A

    2015-01-01

    Maternal stress in fetal and early life has been associated with the development of respiratory allergies, but no studies exist about food allergy. Stressful events and the quality of caregiving provided, as they affect the emotional and physiologic regulation of the infant, could alter the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and immune system, facilitating an increased allergic response. This study aimed to investigate the influence of perinatal stress, as perceived by mothers, on developing food allergy in childhood. A survey on pregnancy and the first three months after giving birth was submitted to 59 Italian mothers of at least one child suffering from severe food allergy and one completely healthy child, for a total of 118 children examined. The presence of stressful events and the quality of perinatal period for each child were assessed retrospectively. The food allergic children's data were compared to siblings' data through inferential statistics. The results showed a significantly higher number of stressful events occurred during patients' perinatal period, compared to siblings, in particular bereavements in pregnancy and parenting difficulties in postpartum. Mothers reported harder pregnancies and more stressful, harder, and, in general, worse postpartum when referring to their food-allergic children, in comparison with their siblings (p stress and perinatal psychosocial factors in the pathogenesis of food allergy; further studies are necessary to understand individual psychological impact and its relations with genetic and biological factors.

  19. Keeping the Music Alive: Using the "Grief and Hope Box" with Adult Offenders with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gee, Robert; Springer, Paul; Bitar, George; Drew, Faith; Graff, Chad

    2005-01-01

    Individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder (COD) present unique challenges for counselors. When individuals are incarcerated, they suffer unique forms of losses, including the loss and grief of their family members. In addition, they often struggle with stigma and cultural stereotypes that are oppressive and…

  20. Risk factors for perinatal mortality in an urban area of Southern Brazil, 1993

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    Ana M. B. Menezes

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Although there was a considerable reduction in infant mortality in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul in the last decade, its perinatal causes were reduced only by 28%. The associated factors of these causes were analised. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All hospital births and perinatal deaths were assessed by daily visits to all the maternity hospitals in the city, throughout 1993 and including the first week of 1994. RESULTS: The perinatal mortality rate was 22.1 per thousand births. The multivariate analysis showed the following risk factors: low socioeconomic level, male sex and maternal age above 35 years . Among multigravidae women, the fetal mortality rate was significantly increased for mothers with a previously low birthweight and a previous stillbirth. For early neonatal mortality the risk was significantly increased by a smaller number of antenatal visits than 5 and low birthweight. CONCLUSIONS: Main risk factors for perinatal mortality: low socioeconomic level, maternal age above 35 years and male sex. For early neonatal mortality the risk was significantly increased by a smaller number of antenatal visits than 5 and low birthweight.

  1. Improvement in perinatal care for extremely premature infants in Denmark from 1994 to 2011

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasselager, Asbjørn Børch; Børch, Klaus; Pryds, Ole Axel

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Major advances in perinatal care over the latest decades have increased the survival rate of extremely premature infants. Centralisation of perinatal care was implemented in Denmark from 1995. This study evaluates the effect of organisational changes of perinatal care on survival......PVL) and intraventricular haemorrhage grade 3-4 (IVH 3-4). RESULTS: A total of 184, 83 and 127 infants were included from the cohorts. Delivery rates at level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hospitals increased from 69% to 87%. Transfer rates to level 3 NICU almost doubled during the period. Survival rates were...

  2. Dynamics of CD4 Lymphocytes and Viral Load at the Natural History of Perinatal HIV-infection

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    T. A. Daminov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available This article presents the analysis of indicators of CD4 lymphocyte count and viral load in the natural history (in the absence of ART in perinatally HIV-infected children. It was revealed that perinatal way of transmission is characterized by a higher rate of immunodeficiency progression. It may be associated with intrauterine infection, as well as an early defeat HIV immature immune system of the child. The concentration of virus in perinatally infected children since the beginning of the observation and in 30 months after infection is more than in parenterally infected children in 5 and 2 times, respectively, which determines a infavourable version of the disease in perinatally infected children.

  3. Impact of perinatal dioxin exposure on infant growth: a cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in dioxin-contaminated areas in Vietnam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishijo, Muneko; Tai, Pham The; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Maruzeni, Shoko; Anh, Nguyen Thi Nguyet; Luong, Hoang Van; Anh, Tran Hai; Honda, Ryumon; Morikawa, Yuko; Kido, Teruhiko; Nishijo, Hisao

    2012-01-01

    Dioxin exposure levels remain elevated in residents living around former US Air Force bases in Vietnam, indicating potential adverse impacts on infant growth. In this study, 210 mother-infant pairs in dioxin-contaminated areas in Vietnam were recruited at the infants' birth and followed up for 4 months. Perinatal dioxin exposure levels were estimated by measurement of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans toxic equivalent (PCDDs/Fs-TEQ) in breast milk. The infants' size was measured at birth and 1 and 4 months after birth, and neurodevelopment was evaluated using the Bayley Scales III at 4 months of age. Among 4 dioxin groups (language, and fine motor scores in the ≥75 percentile group were significantly lower than those in the other groups. These results suggested a considerable impact of perinatal dioxin exposure on infant growth, particularly in boys exposed to dioxins at high level of PCDDs/Fs-TEQ.

  4. Mobile phone intervention reduces perinatal mortality in zanzibar

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lund, Stine; Rasch, Vibeke; Hemed, Maryam

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Mobile phones are increasingly used in health systems in developing countries and innovative technical solutions have great potential to overcome barriers of access to reproductive and child health care. However, despite widespread support for the use of mobile health technologies......, evidence for its role in health care is sparse. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the association between a mobile phone intervention and perinatal mortality in a resource-limited setting. METHODS: This study was a pragmatic, cluster-randomized, controlled trial with primary health care facilities...... care facilities in six districts were randomized to either mobile phone intervention or standard care. The intervention consisted of a mobile phone text message and voucher component. Secondary outcome measures included stillbirth, perinatal mortality, and death of a child within 42 days after birth...

  5. Perinatal outcome of pregnancies complicated by threatened abortion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, S K; Premi, H K; Gupta, T V; Thakur, S; Gupta, K B; Randhawa, I

    1994-11-01

    One hundred and two cases of viable pregnancies with threatened abortion were studied in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Kamla Nehru Hospital, IG Medical College, Shimla between November 1987 and February 1989 and their perinatal outcome was evaluated. The pregnancies continued beyond 28 weeks in 61.7% of the cases. The incidence of prematurity was 19.0%. The incidence of low birth weight (LBW) babies was 23.8%. Apgar score was less than 7 in 22.3%. The incidence of neonatal complications was 25.3%. There was no perinatal mortality. In a control group of 50 cases, the incidence of prematurity and LBW was 8% and 4% respectively. Apgar score less than 7 was noted in 4% and neonatal complications were observed only in 4% of newborns.

  6. Factors associated with high rates of antiretroviral medication adherence among youth living with perinatal HIV in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Ezer; Delzell, Darcie A P; Chhabra, Manik; Oberdorfer, Peninnah

    2015-07-01

    Antiretroviral medication adherence behaviour among Thai youth with perinatal HIV in Thailand has received growing attention. However, few studies have examined individual predictors of antiretroviral adherence using multiple self-reports. A convenience sample of 89 Thai youth (interquartile range 14-16 years) with perinatal HIV at three paediatric programmes in Chiang Mai completed a structured questionnaire and reported their antiretroviral adherence in the past one, seven and 30 days using count-based recall and a visual analog scale. Mean self-reported adherence rates ranged from 83.5% (past 30 days) to 99.8% (yesterday) of the time. One-inflated beta regression models were used to examine the associations between antiretroviral adherence outcomes, treatment self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, social support and beliefs/attitudes about medications. Higher percentage of medications taken in the past 30 days was independently associated with higher treatment self-efficacy and fewer symptoms of depression. Adherence monitoring would benefit from focal assessment of youth depression and perceived capacity to follow their antiretroviral regimen. © The Author(s) 2014.

  7. The Effect of Childbirth Self-Efficacy on Perinatal Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilden, Ellen L.; Caughey, Aaron B.; Lee, Christopher S.; Emeis, Cathy

    2016-01-01

    Objective To synthesize and critique the quantitative literature on measuring childbirth self-efficacy and the effect of childbirth self-efficacy on perinatal outcomes. Data Sources Eligible studies were identified through searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. Study Selection Published research using a tool explicitly intended to measure childbirth self-efficacy and also examining outcomes within the perinatal period were included. All manuscripts were in English and published in peer-reviewed journals. Data Extraction First author, country, year of publication, reference and definition of childbirth self-efficacy, measurement of childbirth self-efficacy, sample recruitment and retention, sample characteristics, study design, interventions (with experimental and quasi-experimental studies), and perinatal outcomes were extracted and summarized. Data Synthesis Of 619 publications, 23 studies published between 1983 and 2015 met inclusion criteria and were critiqued and synthesized in this review. Conclusions There is overall consistency in how childbirth self-efficacy is defined and measured among studies, facilitating comparison and synthesis. Our findings suggest that increased childbirth self-efficacy is associated with a wide variety of improved perinatal outcomes. Moreover, there is evidence that childbirth self-efficacy is a psychosocial factor that can be modified through various efficacy-enhancing interventions. Future researchers will be able to build knowledge in this area through: (a) utilization of experimental and quasi-experimental design; (b) recruitment and retention of more diverse samples; (c) explicit reporting of definitions of terms (e.g. ‘high risk’); (d) investigation of interventions that increase childbirth self-efficacy during pregnancy; and, (e) investigation regarding how childbirth self-efficacy enhancing interventions might lead to decreased active labor pain and suffering. Exploratory research should

  8. Birth and perinatal outcomes and complications for babies conceived following ART

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henningsen, Anna-Karina Aaris; Pinborg, Anja

    2014-01-01

    Children born after assisted reproductive techniques (ART) have an increased risk of several adverse perinatal outcomes compared with their naturally conceived peers. This has various causes such as higher multiple birth rates, parental characteristics and higher maternal age, with more being...... nulliparous. Furthermore the in-vitro techniques, the controlled ovarian stimulation, culture media, and possibly additional freezing or vitrification procedures seem to play a role. However, when analyzing the perinatal trends over time, the differences between ART and naturally conceived children appear...

  9. Socioeconomic status affects the prevalence, but not the perinatal outcomes, of in vitro fertilization pregnancies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Räisänen, Sari; Randell, Kaisa; Nielsen, Henriette Svarre

    2013-01-01

    Does maternal socioeconomic status (SES) confound or modify the association between IVF and perinatal outcome among singleton births?......Does maternal socioeconomic status (SES) confound or modify the association between IVF and perinatal outcome among singleton births?...

  10. A STUDY OF PERINATAL OUTCOME IN TWIN GESTATION IN A TERTIARY CARE CENTER

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    Rinku Girija

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Perinatal mortality is an index of obstetric care. Twin pregnancy is a high-risk pregnancy since most often the foetus in born prematurely or retarded physically; it may turn out to be a dreaded event, especially in rare instances of simultaneous death of twins or death of one twin in mid trimester thereby worsening the prognosis of the surviving twin. The aim of the study is to study the perinatal mortality and morbidity of twin gestation and factors affecting the same in a tertiary care center. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a prospective study. 100 successive cases of multiple pregnancy beyond 28 weeks of gestation admitted during the study period were followed from the antenatal period upon their admission to the antenatal ward and the labour room. 100 cases of singleton pregnancies during the same period taken as control. Detailed obstetric history, family history of twins, intake of ovulation inducing agents, time of diagnosis of twin pregnancy confirmed by USS examination were noted. Maternal antenatal complications like anaemia, hypertension, jaundice, etc. noted. The mode of onset of labour, presentation of foetus noted and if possible confirmed by USS, routine and special investigation like PIH profile, FBS, PPBS. Doppler USS done wherever necessary. Study Setting and Design- It is a prospective observational study of 100 consecutive twin gestations of gestational age 28 weeks and above at a tertiary care hospital attached to Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, for a period of 6 months. Perinatal outcome including perinatal morbidity and mortality in relation to gestational age, mode of delivery, chorionicity, birth weight of the baby and NICU admission were analysed. RESULTS Data collected was analysed with descriptive statistics like percentage, proportion, rates, ratio and chi-square test. CONCLUSION In spite of so many advances in Obstetrics and Neonatology, the perinatal mortality and morbidity in twin

  11. Factores asociados a mortalidad perinatal en el hospital general de Chiapas, México Perinatal mortality associated factors in a general hospital of Chiapas, Mexico

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    Leonor Rivera

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: El objetivo del estudio es identificar factores socioeconómicos, gineco-obstétricos y del producto asociados a mortalidad perinatal. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles pareado. Se consideró caso a los nacidos vivos o muertos que nacieron y fallecieron entre las 28 semanas de gestación a los 7 días de vida extrauterina. y control al producto nacido vivo entre las 28 semanas de gestación y los 7 días de vida extrauterina. Los datos se obtuvieron de los expedientes clínicos hospitalarios. Se estudiaron 99 casos y 197 controles. Se hizo un análisis estadístico utilizando Stata 6.0. RESULTADOS La media de edad de la madre fue de 24.82 años y del producto de 37.78 semanas de gestación. El promedio de peso del producto fue de 2,760 gramos. Los factores asociados a mortalidad perinatal fueron: ocupación del padre agricultor (RM ajustada 3,31; IC 95% 1,26-8,66; índice de riesgo obstétrico alto (RM ajustada 10,57; IC 95% 2,82-39,66, antecedente de cesárea (RM ajustada 2,75; IC 95% 1,37-5,51; cinco y más consultas prenatales (RM ajustada 4,43; IC 95% 1.86-10,54; producto pretérmino (RM ajustada 9,20; IC 95% 4,39-19,25. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados muestran que es necesario implementar medidas de prevención y control que aseguren la identificación del riesgo en las mujeres embarazadas, con el fin de abatir la incidencia de mortalidad perinatal.OBJECTIVE: To identify socioeconomic, gynecological-obstetric and fetal factors associated with perinatal mortality. METHODS: A matched case-control study was carried out. Cases were newborns (born live or dead that were born and died between 28 weeks gestation and 7 days of life. Controls were live newborns between 28 weeks gestation and 7 days of life. A total of 99 cases and 197 controls were studied. Data were obtained from the corresponding medical charts. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 6.0 software. RESULTS: Mean maternal age was 24.82 years and

  12. Expression and Localization of microRNAs in Perinatal Rat Pancreas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Louise; Rosenstierne, Maiken Worsøe; Gaarn, Louise Winkel

    2011-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of pancreatic microRNAs (miRNAs) during the period of perinatal beta-cell expansion and maturation in rats, determine the localization of these miRNAs and perform a pathway analysis with predicted target mRNAs expressed in perinatal pancreas. RESEARCH DESIGN...... AND METHODS: RNA was extracted from whole pancreas at embryonic day 20 (E20), on the day of birth (P0) and two days after birth (P2) and hybridized to miRNA microarrays. Differentially expressed miRNAs were verified by northern blotting and their pancreatic localization determined by in situ hybridization...

  13. Perinatal Risks in "Late Motherhood" Defined Based On Parity and Preterm Birth Rate - an Analysis of the German Perinatal Survey (20th Communication).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schure, V; Voigt, M; Schild, R L; Hesse, V; Carstensen, M; Schneider, K T M; Straube, S

    2012-01-01

    Aim: "Late motherhood" is associated with greater perinatal risks but the term lacks precise definition. We present an approach to determine what "late motherhood" associated with "high risk" is, based on parity and preterm birth rate. Materials and Methods: Using data from the German Perinatal Survey of 1998-2000 we analysed preterm birth rates in women with zero, one, or two previous live births. We compared groups of "late" mothers (with high preterm birth rates) with "control" groups of younger women (with relatively low preterm birth rates). Data of 208 342 women were analysed. For women with zero (one; two) previous live births, the "control" group included women aged 22-26 (27-31; 29-33) years. Women in the "late motherhood" group were aged > 33 (> 35; > 38) years. Results: The "late motherhood" groups defined in this way were also at higher risk of adverse perinatal events other than preterm birth. For women with zero (one; two) previous live births, normal cephalic presentation occurred in 89 % (92.7 %; 93.3 %) in the "control" group, but only in 84.5 % (90 %; 90.4 %) in the "late motherhood" group. The mode of delivery was spontaneous or at most requiring manual help in 71.3 % (83.4 %; 85.8 %) in the "control" group, but only in 51.4 % (72.2 %; 76.4 %) in the "late motherhood" group. Five-minute APGAR scores were likewise worse for neonates of "late" mothers and the proportion with a birth weight ≤ 2499 g was greater. Conclusion: "Late motherhood" that is associated with greater perinatal risks can be defined based on parity and preterm birth rate.

  14. Antenatal Deworming and Materno-Perinatal Outcomes in Calabar, Nigeria

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    Ubong Bassey Akpan

    2018-05-01

    CONCLUSION: Presumptive deworming during the antenatal period can significantly reduce the incidence of peripartum anaemia. However, more studies may be needed to prove any positive perinatal outcome.

  15. Reaching Perinatal Women Online: The Healthy You, Healthy Baby Website and App

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lydia Hearn

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Overwhelming evidence reveals the close link between unwarranted weight gain among childbearing women and childhood adiposity. Yet current barriers limit the capacity of perinatal health care providers (PHCPs to offer healthy lifestyle counselling. In response, today’s Internet savvy women are turning to online resources to access health information, with the potential of revolutionising health services by enabling PHCPs to guide women to appropriate online resources. This paper presents the findings of a project designed to develop an online resource to promote healthy lifestyles during the perinatal period. The methodology involved focus groups and interviews with perinatal women and PHCPs to determine what online information was needed, in what form, and how best it should be presented. The outcome was the development of the Healthy You, Healthy Baby website and smartphone app. This clinically-endorsed, interactive online resource provides perinatal women with a personalised tool to track their weight, diet, physical activity, emotional wellbeing, and sleep patterns based on the developmental stage of their child with links to quality-assured information. One year since the launch of the online resource, data indicates it provides a low-cost intervention delivered across most geographic and socioeconomic strata without additional demands on health service staff.

  16. Gender dependent association between perinatal morbidity and estrogen receptor-alpha Pvull polymorphism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derzbach, László; Treszl, András; Balogh, Adám; Vásárhelyi, Barna; Tulassay, Tivadar; Rigó J, János

    2005-01-01

    Assuming the importance of estrogen in perinatal physiology, we tested the association of an estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha) gene Pvull pP polymorphism with perinatal morbidity in premature infants. The ER-alpha Pp genotype was determined in 69 low-birth weight (LBW) boys and 72 LBW girls, 86 term boys and 81 term girls. The association between risk factors, genotype, gender and perinatal morbidity was tested with binary logistic regression analysis. Boys carrying "p" allele were at lower risk for necrotizing enterocolitis (OR [95% Cl]: 0.24 [0.07-0.83]) and patent ductus arteriosus (OR [95% Cl]: 0.24 [0.05-0.97]). The carrier state of the "p" allele was associated with a 34-h shorter period of oxygen supplementation on average (P=0.0018). Boys with pp genotype were at greater risk for intraventricular hemorrhage (OR [95% Cl]: 4.39 [1.15-16.82]). No association between ER-alpha Pvull polymorphism and morbidity was present in girls. Since homozygocity for any Pvull alleles (i.e. having PP or pp genotype) increases the risk for at least one of the most common perinatal complications, it is likely that the heterozygous carrier state of Pvull genotypes has a protective effect, which is gender-dependent.

  17. Higher rate of serious perinatal events in non-Western women in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Marianne Brehm; Villadsen, Sarah Fredsted; Weber, Tom

    2016-01-01

    children born at Hvidovre Hospital who died perinatally and included the patient files in a series of case studies. Our data were linked to data from popu­lation-covering registries in Statistics Denmark. Timing, causes of death as well as social, medical and obstetric characteristics of the parents were...... described according to maternal country of origin. Results: This study included 125 perinatal deaths. The data indicated that intrapartum death, death caused by maternal disease, lethal malformation and preterm birth may be more frequent among non-Western than among Danish-born women. Obesity...... in Denmark. Six of 28 perinatal deaths in the non-Western group were intrapartum deaths and warrants further concern. Funding: This project was funded by the Danish Council for Strategic Research as part of the SULIM project. Trial registration: The linkage of data from patient files to data from Statistics...

  18. Higher rate of serious perinatal events in non-Western women in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brehm Christensen, Marianne; Fredsted Villadsen, Sarah; Weber, Tom

    2016-01-01

    children born at Hvidovre Hospital who died perinatally and included the patient files in a series of case studies. Our data were linked to data from population-covering registries in Statistics Denmark. Timing, causes of death as well as social, medical and obstetric characteristics of the parents were...... described according to maternal country of origin. RESULTS: This study included 125 perinatal deaths. The data indicated that intrapartum death, death caused by maternal disease, lethal malformation and preterm birth may be more frequent among non-Western than among Danish-born women. Obesity...... in Denmark. Six of 28 perinatal deaths in the non-Western group were intrapartum deaths and warrants further concern. FUNDING: This project was funded by the Danish Council for Strategic Research as part of the SULIM project. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The linkage of data from patient files to data from Statistics...

  19. Women's Preferences for Treatment of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jemimah Ride

    Full Text Available Perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA are an international healthcare priority, associated with significant short- and long-term problems for women, their children and families. Effective treatment is available but uptake is suboptimal: some women go untreated whilst others choose treatments without strong evidence of efficacy. Better understanding of women's preferences for treatment is needed to facilitate uptake of effective treatment. To address this issue, a discrete choice experiment (DCE was administered to 217 pregnant or postnatal women in Australia, who were recruited through an online research company and had similar sociodemographic characteristics to Australian data for perinatal women. The DCE investigated preferences regarding cost, treatment type, availability of childcare, modality and efficacy. Data were analysed using logit-based models accounting for preference and scale heterogeneity. Predicted probability analysis was used to explore relative attribute importance and policy change scenarios, including how these differed by women's sociodemographic characteristics. Cost and treatment type had the greatest impact on choice, such that a policy of subsidising effective treatments was predicted to double their uptake compared with the base case. There were differences in predicted uptake associated with certain sociodemographic characteristics: for example, women with higher educational attainment were more likely to choose effective treatment. The findings suggest policy directions for decision makers whose goal is to reduce the burden of PNDA on women, their children and families.

  20. Women's Preferences for Treatment of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety: A Discrete Choice Experiment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ride, Jemimah; Lancsar, Emily

    2016-01-01

    Perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) are an international healthcare priority, associated with significant short- and long-term problems for women, their children and families. Effective treatment is available but uptake is suboptimal: some women go untreated whilst others choose treatments without strong evidence of efficacy. Better understanding of women's preferences for treatment is needed to facilitate uptake of effective treatment. To address this issue, a discrete choice experiment (DCE) was administered to 217 pregnant or postnatal women in Australia, who were recruited through an online research company and had similar sociodemographic characteristics to Australian data for perinatal women. The DCE investigated preferences regarding cost, treatment type, availability of childcare, modality and efficacy. Data were analysed using logit-based models accounting for preference and scale heterogeneity. Predicted probability analysis was used to explore relative attribute importance and policy change scenarios, including how these differed by women's sociodemographic characteristics. Cost and treatment type had the greatest impact on choice, such that a policy of subsidising effective treatments was predicted to double their uptake compared with the base case. There were differences in predicted uptake associated with certain sociodemographic characteristics: for example, women with higher educational attainment were more likely to choose effective treatment. The findings suggest policy directions for decision makers whose goal is to reduce the burden of PNDA on women, their children and families.