Group Of Italian Women Research Articles

Perinatal depression during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in a single prenatal clinic in Southern Italy: The role of loneliness, anxiety, and maternal support.

The current study aimed at assessing the levels of perinatal depression (i.e., both antenatal and postnatal) during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in a group of Italian women, as well as to evaluate the role of loneliness, anxiety, and lack of maternal support in cumulatively predicting perinatal depression. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 Italian women recruited during a peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy (i.e., from September to December 2021) from a single prenatal clinic in Southern Italy. A non-parametric binomial test was conducted to assess whether the perinatal depression frequencies of the current sample differed from those found in a pre-Covid reference group. Additionally, hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses assessing whether loneliness, anxiety, and maternal support affected women's perinatal depression were also conducted. The general prevalence of perinatal depression was significantly higher in participants recruited during the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-Covid reference group (29% vs. 9.2%). However, results showed that, contrary to postnatal depression (18.2% vs. 19.9%), only the prevalence of antenatal depression was significantly higher compared to the pre-Covid reference group (39.6% vs. 6.4%). Furthermore, loneliness and anxiety, but not maternal support, were associated with higher levels of PD. Limitations concerned the cross-sectional nature of the study and the relatively small sample size. This study sheds light on the need to address perinatal mental health of women during major stressful events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Obstetric violence in a group of Italian women: socio-demographic predictors and effects on mental health

This study had two aims: (1) to explore the types and incidence of obstetric violence (OV) in a group of Italian women, as well as associated socio-demographic factors; and (2) to assess whether OV affects women’s mental health (e.g. psychological distress and post-traumatic stress). A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted with 282 Italian women. Women answered questions on socio-demographic factors, childbirth characteristics, OV and mental health. Multiple linear regression analyses assessing the predictive role of socio-demographic and childbirth characteristics on OV were conducted. Additionally, hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses assessing whether OV affected women’s mental health were also carried out. More than three quarters of the sample (78.4%) had experienced at least one type of OV (55.5% of non-consented care and 66.4% of abuse and violence). The factors most associated with OV were younger age, low educational level, not having attended a prenatal childbirth preparedness course, and having given birth naturally. The form of OV that most affected women’s mental health was that linked to abuse and violence rather than non-consented care. Study findings shed light into addressing OV from a multidimensional perspective.

Mediterranean diet adherence and dietary calcium intake in a group of pregnant women: Results of an Italian survey.

Pregnancy is a delicate phase in woman's life that could become a risk factor for osteoporosis in pregnant women who do not meet recommended nutrient standards, especially for calcium and vitamin D. Mediterranean diet (MD) has been demonstrated to be beneficial for adequate nutrient intake. This article aims to evaluate the MD adherence and dietary calcium intake in a group of pregnant Italian women and to investigate how these are linked to each other and to fast glycemia at first trimester of pregnancy. Two hundred and seventy‐nine pregnant women were recruited at the gynecology units of two hospitals in Florence. Socio‐demographic, clinical information, and results of the first trimester blood sample analysis were collected. Two questionnaires, validated for evaluation of MD adherence and calcium intake, were administered to the pregnant women. Approximately 60% of the women had a high level of MD adherence, with a mean dietary calcium intake of 870.3 ± 335.3. In women with higher MD adherence level, fast glycemia resulted lower. Calcium intake was lower than Population Rate Intake for the Italian population (1,200 mg/daily) and was positively correlated to MD adherence score. The MD proved to be nutritious, as it was related to a higher calcium intake in this group of Italian women.

Maternal Well-Being during Pregnancy after One and Three Months from Delivery

Introduction: Post-delivery depression damages neo-mothers, children and families alike. The specifically organized perinatal interventions are still few. Objective: Evaluating the maternal well-being inside an Innovative Training during Pregnancy and Post-Delivery, and comparing EPDS and PHQ9 tests among Italian women. Materials and Methods: An innovative training was experimented upon a randomized, controlled group of Italian women between 2011-2013. The results were measured with structured interviews, clinical folders, tests: SF36, EPDS, PHQ9. Results: SF36 gives out significant domains. EPDS and PHQ9 are relevant within 3 months in the Training group and in the comparison among Italian women. Clinical analysis underlines convenient differences between the two groups. Conclusions: The Training had a positive influence on the Post-Delivery Depression, suggesting new aid mods.

Codon 72 polymorphism of p53 and HPV type 16 E6 variants as risk factors for patients with squamous epithelial lesion of the uterine cervix

The Arg/Arg genotype versus Arg/Pro or Pro/Pro at codon 72 of the p53 gene in association with human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 variants has been implicated as a risk marker in cervical neoplasia. However, research on this topic has produced controversial results. The association of p53 codon 72 polymorphism alone and in combination with specific HPV 16 E6 variants with risk of developing squamous intraepithelial cervical lesion has been investigated in low and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and in HPV-negative controls from an Italian population. The data obtained showed statistically significant different distribution of p53 genotypes between healthy controls and precursor lesions, with the p53 arginine homozygous increased in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions. The T350G HPV 16 variant was the most frequent variant observed in the analyzed group of Italian women, showing a slight decreasing with the severity of the lesion. At the same time, the number of the prototype T350 slightly increased with the severity of the cytological lesions. In conclusion, p53 arginine homozygous was found to be increased in high-grade lesions, supporting the results of previous investigations indicating that HPV-positive patients with p53 Arg/Arg have an increased risk of developing pre-cancerous lesions. In addition, T350G HPV 16 variant was over-represented in p53 Arg homozygous women with cervical lesions. When p53 genotype and HPV 16 variants are considered together, no difference emerges between cases and controls so is not possible to assess that the oncogenic effect of HPV 16 T350G variant may be influenced by the p53 genotype.

Breastfeeding: validation of a reduced Breastfeeding Assessment Score in a group of Italian women

To assess the accuracy of a reduced Breastfeeding Assessment Score in a group of Italian women; the reduced Breastfeeding Assessment Score considers only five of the eight original Breastfeeding Assessment Score items studied, those not indicating a pathology. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life because of its many benefits. A prognostic approach that identifies mothers at increased risk of early breastfeeding cessation is needed to provide preventive support. The Breastfeeding Assessment Score is useful to this approach. This is a descriptive, prospective study. This study involves two Italian hospitals. We included healthy Italian mothers who gave birth from 7 July 2008-15 January 2009. The exclusion criteria on the convenience sample were: non-Italian nationality, birth under 36 weeks and twin birth. The authors calculated a reduced Breastfeeding Assessment Score ('reduced' because the original eight items studied by Hall, were reduced to five) 48 hours after birth. After 4 weeks a structured follow-up telephone interview was carried out: the primary outcome was breastfeeding cessation. We recruited 386 women, with six lost during follow-up. Out of 380 women, 127 (33·4%) stopped breastfeeding. With a cut off point of 8, the reduced Breastfeeding Assessment Score sensitivity was 52·0%, which increased to 77·9% by using a cut-off point of 9. We also calculated a modified Breastfeeding Assessment Score with different age categories, which is adequate based on the Italian situation: in this case sensitivity was 70·1%. This study suggests that a reduced Breastfeeding Assessment Score with a different cut-off point or modified with a different age classification is useful in identifying Italian mothers who will discontinue breastfeeding, as in both cases sensitivity does increase. Italian midwives could use this modified Breastfeeding Assessment Score to identify mothers at increased risk of early breastfeeding cessation.

Preface

SUMMARY The head of a federal department quite recently begged a settlement to transform into readable matter a certain mass of material which had been carefully collected into tables and statistics. He hoped to make a connection between the information concerning diet and sanitary conditions, and the tenement house people who sadly needed this information. The head of the bureau said quite simply that he hoped that the settlements could accomplish this, not realizing that to put information into readable form is not nearly enough. It is to confuse a simple statement of knowledge with its application. Permit me to illustrate from a group of Italian women who bring their underdeveloped children several times a week to Hull House for sanitary treatment, under the direction of a physician. It has been possible to teach some of these women to feed their children oatmeal instead of tea-soaked bread, but it has been done, not by statement at all but by a series of gay little Sunday morning breakfasts given to a group of them in the Hull House nursery. A nutritious diet was then substituted for an inferior one by a social method.

Time to pregnancy and occupation in a group of Italian women.

It is estimated that 10-15% of all couples have experienced an infertility problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of occupation on the time interval between when a couple starts unprotected intercourse and a clinically recognizable pregnancy time to pregnancy (TTP). Data from 622 women who successfully delivered in the week preceding the interview were analysed using the Cox proportional hazards regression. Thirty independent variables were included in the full model. Eleven per cent of women had to wait more than one year before conceiving (mean TTP = 6.7 months). The regression analysis showed that the most important determinants of TTP are the age of the woman (rate ratio = 0.44 for age 35+) and her parity (rate ratio = 1.39). TTP also increased significantly with maternal smoking (rate ratio = 0.77), and decreased with coital frequency (rate ratio = 1.24 for > or = 6 per month) and consumption of coffee (rate ratio = 1.29). None of the female occupational exposures has been found to have an independent statistically significant effect, while male occupation in industry and exposure to welding fumes were associated with an increase of TTP (rate ratio = 0.73 and 0.78, respectively). Female occupational exposures seem to have only a small effect on TTP compared with biological and lifestyle factors. The present data also suggest that work-related factors may have a bigger influence on male fecundity.