Woman's Reproductive Life Research Articles

Overview: research on the psychology of women. II. Women in families, work, and psychotherapy.

In the first part of this overview the author reviewed research on gender differences in behavior and women's sexual and reproductive lives, and discussed the social and intellectual context of the recent knowledge explosion in women's studies. In this second part she reviews recent research on selected aspects of the social psychology of women's lives. Highlighted themes include women in relationship to family structure and child rearing, work and achievement motivation, and implications for the psychiatric treatment of women that can be drawn from the psychotherapy research literature. She briefly assesses the possible impact of research in these areas on psychiatric theory and practice.

Overview: research on the psychology of women. I. Gender differences and sexual and reproductive life.

There has been a recent and rapid increase in research literature pertaining to women; this revolution in women's studies may be currently unequaled in any other field related to psychiatry. In this first part of a two-part article the author briefly discusses the social and intellectual contexts of research in this area. She reviews recent research on gender differences in behavior and on women's sexual and reproductive lives, including various aspects of the menstrual cycle, menopause, diseases of the reproductive organs, coitus, rape, childbirth, lactation, and fertility control. The second part will cover research on women in families, communities, work, and psychotherapy; and it will attempt to assess limitations of present knowledge and the anticipated directions and impact of future research.

An aetiological study of premenstrual asthma

A growing body of clinical and experimental evidence indicates that female sex hormones, particularly estrogen, have significant effects on normal airway function as well as on respiratory disorders, such as asthma. These effects are very complex and are exerted at several levels, directly on airway reactivity or indirectly through regulation of the immune and inflammatory responses in the lung. They can have relevant clinical implications not only according to the phases of the reproductive life in women, but also in relation to the therapeutical administration of estrogen, as in the case of menopausal hormone therapy. Clinical evidence suggests that administration of estrogen to menopausal women is associated with increased rates of newly diagnosed asthma. Conversely, functional studies show that estrogen can improve objective indexes of respiratory functionality.

Significance of tubal pregnancy in the reproductive life of women

T w E L v E hundred and seven cases of extrauterine pregnancy were operated on in the Gynaecological Clinic of the University of Zagreb from 1940 to 1958. This gave a relative frequency of one extrauterine pregnancy in 45 term deliveries (2.2 per cent) or one in ll miscarriages (8.9 per cent) . Thus, there has been one extrauterine pregnancy in every 64 obstetrical cases ( 1.6 per cent). One ectopic pregnancy occurred in each 90 patients of all treated in the Obstetrical and Gynaecological Department during the last 19 years. Each seventh laparotomy during this time was for extrauterine pregnancy. In more than 99 per cent of the extrauterine pregnancies, we were concerned with tubal pregnancy, hence our analysis is concerned almost entirely with this condition. Sterility is known to be common following the radical treatment of tubal pregnancy.1-4• 11• 12• 16• ~('22 The radical treatment of tubal pregnancy is understood to mean salpingectomy as well as more extensive operations. The percentage of sterility following such treatment has been reported to range from 54 to 88 per cent, according to the records of the world literature. • 4 • • 1 · 22 According to Lecene, 1'1 the average figure for sterility after the surgical management of ectopic pregnancies is 70 per cent. Questionnaires were sent to 300 women under the age of 35 operated upon in our

MIGRAINE AND OVARIAN DEFICIENCY

In approaching the study of such a complex subject as migraine, one encounters little exact data as to its cause, mechanism or treatment; however, recently three outstanding contributions approaching from different aspects seem to point the way to a better understanding of this disorder. Draper et al. (1) reported significant observations on the emotional and psychological states of a group of migraine patients and concluded that the migraine seizure is a syndrome analagous to any other neurosis. Lennox and his co-workers (2) reported their encouraging experience with the use of ergotamine tartrate in aborting attacks of migraine headaches. Yet more promising is the work of Riley, Brickner and Kurzrok (3) who demonstrated new evidence of an endocrine imbalance in the production of headaches. Their cases revealed an abnormal ratio of secreted ovarian and pituitary sex hormones, as measured by their excretion in the urine. They showed that the migraine seizure was preceded by an increased prolan output, and they were able actually to induce headaches by the injection of prolan in these individuals. This report presents further observations on these hormonal relationships. Objective evidence, such as that of Riley et al., strengthens the concept that the endocrines play a decisive rôole in migraine. It might be argued that a headache which is so frequently associated with the reproductive life of women should be given an endocrine classification; however, until the evidence is more conclusive, it will be safer to classify any paroxysmal headache recurring regularly with the monthly cycle, as menstrual migraine. Until a more exact definition for migraine in general is established, any intense recurring headache associated with the usual concomitant symptomatology, whether menstrual or otherwise, should rightly fall into the general category of migraine.

The Increase of General Paralysis in England and Wales: Its Carnation and Significance

No Disproportionate Increase of Insanity.The increase of the total living insane in England and Wales during the intercensal period 1881–91 was 15·24 per cent., while the corresponding increase of population was only 11·7.SummaryI.—There is no evidence of increasing liability to insanity on the part of the English race.II.—There is evidence of an increasing tendency to general paralysis.III.—This is most pronounced among males, in whom the increase is nineteen times what it is in women.IV.—Among males the increase in private patients is more than twice that in pauper patients; in the former it is steadily progressive, in the latter it is a diminishing increase. Among females the increase in paupers is slight. In private female patients there is a steadily maintained diminution.V.—The age at which the increase of general paralysis attains its maximum is the decade 35 to 44; in other forms of insanity the increase occurs at ages over 45 and is greatest at ages over 55.VI.—The increase is greatest among married men, being five times that which occurs in unmarried men, and sixty times that in married women.VII.—The greatest increase is found in large urban centres, most so in sea-ports and in particular coal-exporting towns; the next greatest in coal-mining counties and manufacturing towns, while in agricultural counties there is a decrease. A close parallel, as regards geographical distribution, is to be traced between the increase of general paralysis and the occurrence of the offence of drunkenness.VIII.—The etiological factors most responsible for the increase are alcoholic intemperance, sexual excess, and venereal disease. The causes connected with the reproductive life of women are diminishing as factors in the production of general paralysis. The increase finds its origin in causes related to the self-regarding, not the altruistic, instinct.IX.—The increasing prevalence of general paralysis indicates a change in the type of insanity, a reversion to a lower form of brain disease, increasing moral and physical decadence, lessening power of resistance and diminishing vitality, and increasing tendency to premature and rapid racial decay.X.—The affection being absolutely fatal, and the causes being to a very large extent controllable, the only direction in which the remedy is to be sought is in that of prevention.