Caring for Women Who Have Experienced Female Genital Cutting.

Female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/M) is a procedure that involves physically altering a woman's/girl's genitals for no health benefits. This is a practice that is deeply rooted in culture, religion, and social tradition primarily in some African and Middle East countries. It is performed by a midwife, barber, traditional healer with no surgical training, or a physician.

Nursing considerations in the case of multifetal pregnancy reduction.

This article concerns the issue of multifetal reduction performed in some cases of higher order multiple gestation in order to decrease the possibility of adverse pregnancy outcomes and increase the chances of survival in the remaining fetuses. If multifetal pregnancy reduction is considered as a treatment option, it is usually performed in the first or early second trimester. The decision to reduce one or more fetuses is extremely complicated, and numerous factors must be considered, since the procedure has risks, such as loss of the entire pregnancy or preterm labor and birth of the remaining fetuses.

One consequence of infertility treatment: multifetal pregnancy.

This article discusses the issue of multifetal pregnancy as a result of fertility treatments. Pregnancies with multiple gestations are associated with serious infant and maternal health risks as well as psychological distress and significant financial consequences, and are a far too common consequence of infertility treatments such as assisted reproductive technology (ART) and ovulation induction drugs. Women with multifetal pregnancies are at a higher risk for multiple pregnancy complications and maternal morbidity/mortality as well as stress, depression, and anxiety disorders, especially when there is the threat of a loss of one or more fetuses.

Neonatal genetic testing is more than screening.

Newborn screening practices have changed since breakthroughs have occurred in genetics and mapping of the human genome. Although newborn screening has been in existence since the 1960s, today's newborn screening practices are subsumed primarily under the umbrella of genetic testing. Inclusion of the family history tool is another dimension of neonatal assessment.

Ludwig's angina.

Ludwig's angina is a serious, often fatal infectious disease process that requires prompt intervention of life-saving therapies. The critical care nurses caring for a patient with Ludwig's angina must be able to recognize subtle changes in the patient's status and intervene quickly to prevent death by airway edema or profound sepsis.

Female genital circumcision: medical and cultural considerations.

Female circumcision (FC), also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), is a procedure that involves partial or complete removal of external female genitalia. The definition given by the World Health Organization (WHO) states that female circumcision "comprise all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons" (WHO, 1998, p.5).