Introduction  The number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record high in 2023 and is still increasing. Many foreign residents are in their 20s and 30s and of reproductive age. The study aim was to clarify the present nursing practices and challenges for foreign pregnant and postpartum women at perinatal medical centers in Osaka, which contains many foreign residents.Methods  A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted from October 1 to December 31, 2023. Questionnaires were sent to one representative of the obstetrics departments of 23 perinatal medical centers in Osaka that agreed to participate in the study.Results  A total of eight facilities (34.8%) returned questionnaires. Regarding the current status of nursing care for foreign pregnant and postpartum women, medical interpreters were frequently used during pregnancy to explain about abnormalities and precautions (87.5%); during delivery to explain about emergency cesarean section (62.5%); and during the postpartum/newborn period to explain about maternal abnormalities and precautions after delivery and discharge (75.0%) and about neonatal abnormalities and precautions after discharge (75.0%). Interpreters such as family members and friends were most frequently used during hospitalization for delivery (87.5%). More than half of facilities used various types of multilingual materials, such as cards with explanatory illustrations, communication cards, and childcare support information.Conclusions  Family and friends helped women to interpret medical information, and telephone interpretation and multilingual translation equipment were also used. Various multilingual materials were used to address linguistic issues, and cultural and religious considerations were implemented at all facilities. However, there is a lack of medical interpreters, particularly during the delivery period, and free multilingual resources are not being fully used.

Objectives: The long treatment duration of glaucoma and multiple drug use have decreased patient adherence to anti-glaucoma drugs. This has prompted the recent marketing of a combination drug, Xalacom ® Combination Eye Drops (hereinafter referred to as the original drug), and its generic drugs (3 generics). In this study, we compared these eye drops from a pharmaceutical viewpoint,conducted research on usability, and evaluated the selection criteria for generics.Methods: The viscosity and pH of the original drug and its generics were measured. The total number of drops per container, mean mass per drop, and the squeeze force needed for one drop of individual eye drops were measured using a digital force gauge. In addition, a questionnaire survey on the usability of each eye drop was conducted in patients.Results: The total number of drops in the contain of the original drug and generics tested almost the same. The mean mass per drop of generics from two companies was significantly lower than that of the original drug, and the squeeze force of the generic from one company was significantly lower than that of the original drug. The usability of the containers some generics was significantly higher than that of the original drug.Conclusion: No difference was observed in the total number of available drops between the original drug and generics. However,differences in squeeze force and usability were observed between the original drug and generics and among the generics. This information should preferably be described in the interview form, patient instruction manual, etc. for providing medication instructions to pharmacists. All products investigated in this study contained more than 100 drops in the containers. The expiration date of tested eye drops after opening is about one month. Reducing the volume of filling into a container may be contribute to the medical economy and avoid the risk of microbial contamination.