Knowledge, practices and beliefs of women regarding hormonal replacement therapy [HRT] during perimenopausal period

Hormonal Replacement Therapy [HRT] has an established role in improving menopausal symptoms reducing cardiovascular risk and preventing osteoporosis. Therefore, an exploratory descriptive study was carried out to identify women's knowledge, practices and beliefs regarding HRT during perimenopausal period. A questionnaire sheet was designed, validated and utilized by the researchers to collect the necessary data from a convenient sample of 100 perimenopausal employee women. A scoring system was adopted for women's knowledge, practices and beliefs regarding HRT. The results revealed that a sizeable proportion of perimenopausal women had lack of knowledge about HRT Sources of perimenopausal women's knowledge about HRT were mainly from mass media [63.8%]. In relation to practices of HRT, the results clarified that only 13% of perimenopausal women used HRT. Although most of HRT users [92.3%] used it to relieve their perimenopausal symptoms, yet, 76.9% of them reported that it didn't affect their perimenopausal symptoms. Perimenopausal women's practices of HRT were affected by their age, marital status and education, while their beliefs were affected by education and menstruation. A negative correlation was found between knowledge and practices [r =- 0.152], while a moderate positive correlation was found between knowledge and beliefs [r. = 0.416]. On the other hand, no correlation was found between practices and beliefs [r= 0.000]. Therefore, there is a need to incorporate the health care of perimenopausal women within the reproductive health care system

effect of early initiation of breast feeding on the amount of vaginal blood loss during the fourth stage of Labor

Post partum hemorrhage is a major problem that jeopardizes maternal health. Its prevention can save mothers' life postnatal, through early initiation of breastfeeding. So, the study aimed to explore the effect of early initiation of breast feeding on the amount of vaginal blood loss during the fourth stage of labor. A convenient sample of one hundred primiparae was selected from the delivery unit and post partum unit of El-Shatby Maternity University Hospital in Alexandria. The study subjects were divided equally into experimental group [early breast feeding group] and control group [late breast feeding group]. Two tools were developed and used for data collection. A specially designed interview questionnaire was used during early first stage of labor to collect data about general characteristics of the study subjects. An observational checklist was used during the fourth stage of labor to collect data about uterine characteristics, number of feeds and the amount of blood loss. The early breast-feeding group started feeding immediately after placental delivery, while late breast feeding group started breast- feeding after the first two hours postnatally. The amounts of blood loss for both groups were calculated. The findings of the study revealed that early initiation and increased frequency of breast-feeding could decrease the amount of blood loss during the fourth stage of labor. Therefore, maternity and pediatric nurses have to encourage mothers to start breast-feeding early. They have to explain how breast-feeding is beneficial for both mother and child

Assessment and upgrading of Alexandria University nursing students' knowledge and attitudes about genetic counseling

The aim of this work was to study the effect of a teaching unit on upgrading the university-nursing students' knowledge and attitudes about genetic counseling. The study used pretest, post-test with no control group design. All nursing students [100] who accepted to participate in the study and enrolled in the maternity and gynecological-nursing course, during the second semester of the third academic year 1999-2000, at the Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, were involved in the study. A self-administered questionnaire sheet was used to assess the nursing students' knowledge about the genetic counseling, while a 3-point Likert-like scale was used to assess their attitudes towards it. The content of six hours' teaching unit about genetic counseling was taught to students by the researchers based on their needs. The study revealed a general lack of knowledge among nursing students regarding basic information about genetic counseling, where poor total score of knowledge was obtained by all of them in the pretest. In addition, the pretest revealed that a negative attitude was found in about half of the nursing students. The teaching unit had an obvious effect on the nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding genetic counseling, as the total score of their knowledge and attitudes had improved after the implementation of the teaching unit. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between the nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards genetic counseling before and after the implementation of the teaching unit

Sources of women's fear and anxiety during parturition

This is an exploratory descriptive study that aimed to identify the sources of women's fear and anxiety during parturition. A specially designed interview schedule was used to collect data from 300 primiparas. This tool was administered during the second day of postpartum period. The results revealed that the common sources of fear and anxiety among primiparae during parturition were labor pains [74.7%], maternal death [62.3%], invasive procedures like pelvic examination [59%], newborn death [51.3%], maternal exposure [43%], labor and delivery room temperature [38.7%], type of delivery [38%], unwanted baby sex [35.3%] and congenital anomalies [34%]. Loss of control [32.7%], disturbances by other parturients as screams [32%], noisy environment [31%], catheterisation [30.7%], inadequate instructions from attendants [30.7%], duration of childbirth [30.3%], unidentifiable sources [28%], early rupture of membranes [25.7% and loneliness in the sense of lack of emotional support were also common sources of fear and anxiety among primiparae during parturition. This indicates that fear and anxiety over childbirth is related fundamental human feelings, which should be considered by the maternity nurse to help laboring women to feel in control