ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Adults in Saudi Arabia are more likely to be obese, which has negative effects on reproductive health, especially for women. While bariatric surgery (BS) provides a sustainable approach, little is known about how it affects menstrual health and requires a study among the Saudi demographic. METHODS: The current investigation is a cross-sectional study conducted in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using an online questionnaire to assess the impact of BS on menstrual abnormalities in women. Data were cleaned in Excel and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, IBM Corp., Version 24.0, Armonk, NY). RESULTS: This study included 516 Saudi women who underwent various BS procedures, with 37.2% aged 18-30 years and 97.9% residing in Saudi Arabia. Approximately 85.9% underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG), experiencing a mean weight loss of 54.2 kg. Co-morbidities included polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (12.4%), hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism (11%), uterine fibroids (4.7%), and hormonal imbalances (2.5%). Post-surgery, 18% encountered BS complications from BS, while 8.3% used antidepressants. Moderate sports participation ranged from 12.2% (five or more days) to 36.2% (one to three days). In particular, no significant associations were found between complications and various parameters, except a marginal association with educational level (p=0.071). The number of menstruations per year did not change statistically significantly, remaining constant at 10.6±4.8 before surgery and 10.6±4.9 after surgery (p = 0.859). However, there was a mild decrease in the amount and duration of menstruation, reported by 23.3% and 27.3% of the participants preoperatively and post-operatively, respectively. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates the impact of BS on menstrual abnormalities in Saudi women. Despite a significant weight reduction, we found mild improvement in the amount and duration of menstruation with no substantial effect observed on the menstrual cycle frequency. Psychological support after surgery is crucial, considering the increased use of antidepressants.
ABSTRACT
Background and objective Choosing a medical specialty is one of the most critical career decisions medical students and interns make. However, little is known about the factors these graduates consider when choosing their specialty. Our study assessed factors that medical students and interns consider when determining their specialty. Methods This is a cross-sectional survey-based study, conducted from November to December 2022. We utilized a previously published questionnaire for 1074 participants, including 837 medical students and 237 interns from Saudi Arabian universities. Results The majority of female participants (80.4%), compared with only 19.6% of male participants, considered interest in specific procedures and techniques typical of the specialty an important factor in choosing a specialty (p = 0.036). Dissertation research experience was an important factor for 83.5% of female participants and 16.5% of male participants (p = 0.024). Additionally, good quality teaching within the study program framework was important for 81.2% of female participants and 18.8% of male participants (p = 0.033), suggesting that male and female participants viewed the importance of good quality teaching differently. Female participants accounted for 80% of those who considered the overseas experience a factor in their specialty choice. Also, 74.4% of female and 25.6% of male participants considered friends, relatives, or other connections in the healthcare field a factor that affects their choice. Furthermore, 79.6% of female and 20.4% of male participants reported having good experiences with physician role models as an impactful factor in their specialty choice. Conclusion Female participants were most interested in obstetrics and gynecology (12.1%,), internal medicine (11.8%), and family medicine (10.8%). Male participants, on the other hand, showed more interest in family medicine (12.7%,), internal medicine (11.0%), and emergency medicine (10.1%). Medical schools and healthcare institutions must provide students and interns with enough information and resources to help them explore different specialties and make well-informed decisions about their careers.
