ABSTRACT
Spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) is a major pregnancy complication involving biological, social, behavioural and environmental mechanisms. Workload, shift and intensity may play a role in the occurrence of sPTB. This analysis is aimed addressing the effect of occupational activities on the risk for sPTB and the related outcomes. We conducted a secondary analysis of the EMIP study, a Brazilian multicentre cross-sectional study. For this analysis, we included 1,280 singleton sPTB and 1,136 singleton term birth cases. Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, clinical complications, work characteristics, and physical effort devoted to household chores. A backward multiple logistic regression analysis was applied for a model using work characteristics, controlled by cluster sampling design. On bivariate analysis, discontinuing work during pregnancy and working until the 7th month of pregnancy were risks for premature birth while working during the 8th - 9th month of pregnancy, prolonged standing during work and doing household chores appeared to be protective against sPTB during pregnancy. Previous preterm birth, polyhydramnios, vaginal bleeding, stopping work during pregnancy, or working until the 7th month of pregnancy were risk factors in the multivariate analysis. The protective effect of variables compatible with exertion during paid work may represent a reverse causality. Nevertheless, a reduced risk associated with household duties, and working until the 8th-9th month of pregnancy support the hypothesis that some sort of physical exertion may provide actual protection against sPTB.
Subject(s)
Employment , Premature Birth/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Brazil/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Educational Status , Employment/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Logistic Models , Marital Status , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Trimesters , Premature Birth/epidemiology , Risk Factors , Workload/statistics & numerical data , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Despite advances in treatments for endometriosis, some symptoms persist owing to the chronic inflammation observed in this disease. OBJECTIVE: To identify resources, methods, and/or complementary treatments to alleviate the pain symptoms of endometriosis, and to identify adverse effects of treatments. SEARCH STRATEGY: Lilacs, Scielo, PEDro, Scopus, Pubmed, CENTRAL Cochrane, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish to July 31, 2017, using the terms "physical therapy" OR "complementary treatment" AND "endometriosis". SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials relating to complementary pelvic pain treatment and adverse effects. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Eight studies were identified; two studies were included in the meta-analysis. MAIN RESULTS: The complementary interventions studied were acupuncture, exercise, electrotherapy, and yoga. All were inconclusive in affirming benefit, but demonstrated a positive trend in the treatment of symptoms of endometriosis. Meta-analysis of acupuncture showed a significant benefit in pain reduction as compared with placebo (P=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Numerous complementary treatments have been used to alleviate the symptoms of endometriosis, but only acupuncture has demonstrated a significant improvement in outcomes. Nevertheless, other approaches demonstrated positive trends toward improving symptoms; this should encourage investigators to design controlled studies to support their applicability.
