Reproductive and Urinary Physiology Commons^™

The Education Prescription: Exploring The Potential Of Patient Education To Reduce Mental Health Issues In Hormonal Contraceptive Users, Maria Abraham

Nursing | Senior Theses

The many birth control options available impact a woman’s life, as hormonal contraceptives are commonly used but often misunderstood. These contraceptives, which contain progestin only, or estrogen and progestin combined, can come in various forms such as pills, implants, IUDs, injections, the vaginal ring, and skin patches. They offer benefits such as reduced menstrual cramps and ectopic pregnancy risk. However, they may lead to adverse side effects which can include increased blood pressure, nausea, headaches, breakthrough bleeding, and a higher risk of blood clots, with research indicating a potential link between oral contraceptive use and a decline in the user’s …

Parental Instincts: The Neurological And Biological Factors Associated With Parenthood, Jared Reeder

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The following project involves a systematic review of the scientific literature on neural and biological changes of mothers and fathers in parenthood. Until very recently, little scientific research was devoted to studying how bearing children affects a man or woman’s long-term biology. Over the last twenty years, studies of neuroplastic changes in new mothers show specific neural mechanisms responsible for altering the behaviors of mothers during and after pregnancy. These changes in neuroplasticity alter behavior in such a way that led to mothers requiring less sleep and being more prone to hearing the cries of their children. In addition to …

No One Should Have To Give Birth Alone: An Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Community-Based Doula Programs Serving Ethnic Minorities In San Francisco, Maria Margaret Nelson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Adverse birth outcomes for both the parent and the child disproportionately affect people of color. Evidence demonstrates that one of the ways to mitigate these negative consequences is through the utilization of a doula, a trained birth companion that is not a medical provider but whose role it is to physically and emotionally support the patient through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Community-based doula programs, where the doula is of the same cultural background as the client, are particularly effective in improving birth outcomes in communities of color by providing culturally competent care and helping to navigate a healthcare system that …

Diabetes Risk Status And Physical Activity In Pregnant Women: U.S. Brfss 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, Bethany Rand

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: We sought to examine differences in aerobic activity (AA) and muscle-strengthening activity (MSA) by diabetes risk status (DRS) among pregnant women in the United States.

Background: Pregnant women without complications are advised to engage in physical activity (PA) to mitigate adverse outcomes. Differences may exist among pregnant women of diverging diabetes status in meeting national PA recommendations.

Methods: The sample (n=9,597) included pregnant women ages 18-44, who participated in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Levels of DRS were: no diabetes (ND), high risk for diabetes (HRD) due to self-reported gestational diabetes or …

The Role Of Non-Neuronal Acetylcholine In Urogenital Chlamydial Infection, Jessica R. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatiscauses a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia, that is often chronic and casues reproductive complications in women. We hypothesized that Chlamydia infection increases local acetylcholine (ACh) production, which regulates the host’s inflammatory response to the infection. Female mice infected with C. muridarumwere sacrificed at days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post-infection, genital tract tissues harvested, and immunohistochemistry performed to enumerate ACh-producing cells. Infection increased the number of ACh-producing cells in cervical tissue at days 3,15, and 21 post-infection (pi), uterine tissue at day 3 and 9 pi, and ovarian tissue day 3, 15, and 21 pi. These …

An In Vitro Model Of Ovarian Cancer: Studying The Effects Of Talc And Pycnogenol®, Amber Renée Buz'zard

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer and accounts for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. The American Cancer Society has suggested that poor diet, talc and industrial pollutants may increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Talc is ubiquitous and concern is raised about its safety, role as a possible carcinogen and known ability to cause irritation and inflammation. Due to the silent nature of ovarian cancer, chemoprevention is a high priority. The most useful chemopreventive compounds will inhibit, delay or reverse carcinogenesis, and can be taken for long periods of time with …

A Descriptive Study Of Women's Attitudes Towards Obtaining Or Not Obtaining Papanicolaou Smears, Linda J. Shults

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this study to identify the attitudes of a selected group of women which influenced their participation in Papanicolaou testing. These attitudes were inferred from the reasons women gave for obtaining the test. The subjects were randomly selected from the telephone book of a medium-sized town in Southern California. The 135 women who participated in the telephone interview were considered to be the respondents in the study.

A review of the literature revealed that through the annual use of the Papanicolaou smear, approximately 11,000 deaths every year from uterine and cervical cancer could be prevented, Attitudes …