Recently, QOL has become an important consideration when giving medical treatment. The development of treatments for urinary incontinence, a condition which greatly affects QOL, however, has been late in coming, because there are few critical symptoms. We experienced three cases of urinary incontinence successfully treated with ryokyojutsukanto. Case 1 was a 63-year-old woman. She had developed stress urinary incontinence (SUI) from about 30 years of age. As she came to be aware of lumbago and numbness of legs, she sought Kampo treatment. Tokishakuyakusangoninjinto was ineffective, but her all symptoms were improved with ryokyojutsukanto. Case 2 was a 46-year-old woman. She had become aware of incontinence after delivery of her first child (at 27 years of age), and she received Kampo treatment for lumbago and her incontinence. Tokishakuyakusankabushi was slightly effective for her lumbago, but ineffective for her incontinence. These symptoms were improved after a change to ryokyojutsukanto. Case 3 was a 70-year-old woman. She developed a bladder/bowel disturbance, and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) caused by conus syndrome with a compression fracture of Th12 vertebral body. With ryokyojutsukanto, her fecal incontinence disappeared, and her lumbago and urinary incontinence showed a tendency toward improvement.
Urinary Incontinence ; Low Back Pain ; symptoms <1> ; Human Females ; therapeutic aspects

We studied the thyroid dysfunction occurrence in the adult people who went through health examinations in Kutchan Kosei General Hospital between April 2, 2007 and March 31, 2008.Enrolled in this study were 1,647 adult men and 1,104 adult women. However, 17 men and 51 women were excluded from the study because they had histories of thyroid diseases.Serum FT3 and FT4 values were lower in women than in men. Likewise, serum TSH values for women were higher than those for men.Hypothyroidism (low serum FT3 and FT4 levels) occurred more frequently in women than in men. More women than men showed serum TSH values over 49.1μU/ml.
Human Females ; Male population group ; Adult ; Serum ; Desiccated thyroid

Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA) requires admission to hospital, i.v. antibiotics and, possibly, aspiration or surgery. A 35-year-old woman who was G2P1 was brought into the emergency department because of acute abdomen. A transvaginal ultrasonography demonstrated bilateral cystic adnexal tumors and a moderate amount of ascites suspected to be puss. Laparoscopic examination revealed that the left and right adnexa each formed an inflammatory mass. The left and right tubo-ovarian abscesses both formed masses, and the ovaries were indistinguishable from the tubes and other inflammatory tissues. Laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was indispensable. Bacterial culture showed no bacterial growth. Performance of laparoscopic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was indispensable due to bilateral tubo-ovarian abscesses in this patient.
Right and left ; Laparoscopic ; Young ; Ovarian ; Human adult females

The Patient was a 30-year-old woman. Four years previously, the woman had undergone ileectomy for thrombotic ileal erosion. After being discharged, she received regular medical treatment for thrombotic renal hypertension at our Department of Internal Medicine, and eventually her case was diagnosed as a collagen disease. She was dosed up with depressors and aspirins. Two years later, she got married. Next year, she became pregnant, but miscarried. A causal link between collagen disease and miscarriage was suspected. In the same year, she became pregnant for the second time. The administration of low molecular weight heparins was initiated in addtion to doses of aspirin. In the last trimester of pregnancy (In the latter half of pregnancy?), pregnancy-induced hypertension developed. The woman was immediately hospitalized and placed at bed rest. The dose of low molecular weight heparin was increased. She gave birth to a healthy child. This experience taught us that working in closer collaboration between doctors of internal medicine and obstetricians is of vital importance for the health and safety of pregnant women with a collagen disease and successful childbirth.
Pregnancy ; Human Females ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; Collagen ; Aspirin

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is an increasing concern in the South Pacific. We estimate, based on reported figures, that the prevalence of HIV infection in women attending antenatal clinics in Fiji in 2003 was 0.04%. The number of children born to HIV-positive mothers is small, though perinatal transmission appears to be high. Fiji's preliminary strategies for prevention of perinatal transmission have been significant, but require ongoing support and implementation.
Fiji ; Prevalence aspects ; Human Females ; HIV Infections ; HIV

Besides young children, pregnant women are at high risk of malaria in highly endemic countries. This paper reviews evidence from studies conducted in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the last 20 years on the burden and prevention of malaria in pregnancy and highlights gaps in our knowledge of malaria in pregnancy in PNG. Overall, primigravidae were found to be at higher risk than multigravidae, with up to 40% of primigravidae but only 10-25% of multigravidae infected with Plasmodium falciparum at delivery. Such infections were found to be associated with a 128-145 g decrease in birthweight. Mean birthweights reported between 1980 and 2003 range from 2.58 to 2.72 kg in primigravidae and 2.84 to 3.09 kg in multigravidae, with 21% to 48% and 9% to 19% of babies born to primigravidae and multigravidae, respectively, of low birthweight (<2500 g). The negative impact of malaria in pregnancy is compounded by relatively low rates of antenatal coverage. The current PNG national treatment policy which prescribes a treatment course of first-line antimalarial treatment (currently chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine) at first antenatal clinic contact, followed by weekly chloroquine prophylaxis and iron and folate supplementation, may no longer be effective given the high levels of resistance to chloroquine in PNG and poor compliance. In order to reduce the burden of malaria in pregnancy in PNG, alternative methods of control such as insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), as well as improved modes of delivery of maternal health interventions, are urgently needed.
Malaria ; Pregnancy ; therapeutic aspects ; Review [Publication Type] ; Human Females

From a point of stress, the competitive sports are totally different from exercises for the health promotion. It would be even harmful especially for middle-distance or long-distance women runner. It brings them paramenia, defatigation and other orthopedic troubles which makes them unable to exercise further more.We have investigated the possibility of the preventive use of Kampo Medicine for those athletes and found that it is useful. The nine women who belong to the Tohoku-Region women team of long-distance relay road race had received Kampo medical treatment for 7 months. Serum CPK and AST were elevated with training exercise. In the cases whose CPK level was above 500 IU/l, most of them suffered from fatigue, leg pain, low back pain, and lower abdominal pain, which is very important for Kampo diagnosis. Because these symptoms unable athletes to exercise as planned, we understand that for the improvement of physical capacity, it is important to prevent those symptoms. For the treatment and prevention of the symptoms, we prescribed Keishibukuryogan, Rikkunshito, and Shimotsuto. We defined preventive medication period as “Mibyou” and continued to use Kampo medicine for 7 months. During the period, they were free from any troubles that would make them unable to exercise. These medicines enabled them to improve their records drastically. This study shows that preventive use of Kampo Medicine is extremely effective for any athletes to maintain their good conditions.
Medicine, Kampo ; athlete ; Exercise ; symptoms <1> ; Human Females

Over the years many approaches have been used in communication for behavioral changes in nutrition. The overall aim of this study was to provide practical insights into how participatory, audience-centered communication activities can be effectively used for imparting information and for behavioral change promotion on the topic of dietary diversity and micronutrient nutrition, among reproductive-age women in Vietnam. The communication initiatives for improving nutrition knowledge and practices of the women in two selected communes (Dongky and Donglac) in Bacgiang province were carried out from January, 2003 to December, 2005. The Dongky commune was selected as the intervention commune, while the Donglac commune served as the control. In the intervention commune of Dongky the problems and strategies of nutrition communication and education were defined, IEC materials and some seeds of iron-rich vegetables and fruits were provided. Besides that, a contest on nutrition knowledge at a primary school and a competition between nutrition collaborators were held. The results of the study showed that food consumption of the women in both communes improved compared to levels at the baseline survey, especially in the intervention commune. The total knowledge scores and the nutrition practices of the women in the Dongky commune significantly improved compared to the data at baseline and were higher compared to that of the control commune.
commune ; Nutritional status ; Human Females ; Communication ; seconds

Certain human papillomavirus (HPV) types are strongly associated with cervical cancer. Recently-described effective vaccines against these HPV types represent a great medical breakthrough in preventing cervical cancer. In Malaysia, the vaccine has just received regulatory approval. We are likely to face similar barriers to implementing HPV vaccination as reported by countries where vaccination has been introduced. Most women have poor understanding of HPV and its link to cervical cancer. Physicians who will be recommending HPV vaccines may not have extensive knowledge or experience with HPV-related disease. Furthermore, a vaccine against a sexually-transmitted infection may elicit negative reactions from potential recipients or their cares, particularly in a conservative society. Given the high cost of the vaccine, reaching the most vulnerable women is a concern. To foster broad acceptance of HPV vaccine, education must be provided to health care providers, parents and young women about the risks of HPV infection and the benefits of vaccination.
Papillomavirus, Human ; Vaccines ; Human Females ; Vaccination ; Malaysia

Two duplex PCR assays were established for the detection of C. trachomatis (Ct), N. gonorrhoeae (GC), M. hominis (Mh), and U. urealyticum (Uu). These assays were used on clinical specimens obtained from women with Premature Rupture of Membrane or Post Partum Fever, from preterm infants, as well as from women with uneventful pregnancies and their babies delivered vaginally at term. The analytical sensitivity of the duplex PCR assays with internal controls incorporated is 7.0, 19.0, 5x10(3) and 7x10(2) genome copies per reaction for Ct, GC, Mh and Uu respectively. Specificity was demonstrated by the amplification of only target DNA in the presence of other organisms. Among 40 women with normal, at term, deliveries, there were 6 positives for Ct, 2 for GC and 1 for Uu. None of these women had signs of genital tract infection. The Mh/Uu PCR was positive in 11 of 40 PROM cases, with 7 women positive for Uu, 2 for Mh and 2 others for both organisms. Of 40 blood cultures taken from post-partum maternal infections, 6 were positive for Ct and 1 for Mh. Respiratory secretions from 30 premature neonates yielded 5 positives for Uu and one each for Mh and Ct. In contrast, there was only 1 positive result (for Mh) in 30 mature neonates. With 1 exception, all mycoplasma and ureaplasma positives were confirmed by culture and the concordance between paired tracheal aspirates and nasopharyngeal swabs from neonates was 96.7%. These results show the potential use of the duplex PCR assays for the diagnosis of maternal and neonatal disease caused by the four urogenital pathogens.
Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Human Females ; seconds ; Neisseria gonorrhoeae ; Infant, Newborn