Association between infertility and incident onset of systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease after childbirth: a population-based cohort study.

Study Question: What is the association between infertility with or without fertility treatment and incident onset of systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) among women who give birth?

Summary Answer: Women who experienced infertility but did not use fertility treatment had a higher incidence of SARD up to 9 years after delivery than those who did not experience infertility, even after accounting for their higher rates of preeclampsia, spontaneous preterm birth, and stillbirth.

What Is Known Already: Infertility is increasingly common and is an under-appreciated risk marker for chronic diseases in women. Despite several studies documenting abnormal immune activity in women with infertility, little is known about the association between infertility and incidence of autoimmune diseases such as SARD which disproportionately develops in reproductive-aged women.

Hysterectomy versus uterine preservation for pelvic organ prolapse surgery: a prospective cohort study.

Background: One in 5 females will have surgery to treat pelvic organ prolapse in their lifetime. Uterine-preserving surgery involving suspension of the uterus is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional use of hysterectomy with vaginal vault suspension to treat pelvic organ prolapse; however, comparative evidence with native tissue repairs remains limited in scope and quality.

Objective: To compare 1-year outcomes between hysterectomy-based and uterine-preserving native tissue prolapse surgeries performed through minimally invasive approaches.

Unilateral Oophorectomy and Age at Natural Menopause: A Longitudinal Community-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: To determine the association between unilateral oophorectomy (UO) and age at natural menopause.

Design: Secondary analysis of survey data from Alberta's Tomorrow Project (2000-2022).

Setting: Prospective cohort study in Alberta, Canada.

Education level is associated with the occurrence and timing of hysterectomy: A cohort study of Canadian women.

Introduction: Hysterectomy is a common surgery with discernible practice variations that could be influenced by socioeconomic factors. We examined the association between level of educational attainment and the occurrence and timing of hysterectomy in Canadian women.

Material And Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 30 496 females in the Alberta's Tomorrow Project (2000-2015) followed approximately every 4 years using self-report questionnaires.

Association of parity with the timing and type of menopause: A longitudinal cohort study.

We investigated the time-varying association between parity and timing of natural menopause, surgical menopause, and premenopausal hysterectomy among 23,728 women aged 40-65 years at enrollment in the Alberta's Tomorrow Project cohort study (2000-2022), using flexible parametric survival analysis. Overall, natural menopause was most common by study end (57.2%), followed by premenopausal hysterectomy (11.

Pregnancy complications and new-onset maternal autoimmune disease.

Background: Autoimmune diseases disproportionately impact women and female-specific aspects of reproduction are thought to play a role. We investigated the time-varying association between pregnancy complications and new-onset autoimmune disease in females during the reproductive and midlife years.

Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study of 1 704 553 singleton births to 1 072 445 females in Ontario, Canada (2002-17) with no pre-existing autoimmune disease.

The association between reproductive history and abdominal adipose tissue among postmenopausal women: results from the Women's Health Initiative.

Study Question: What is the association between reproductive health history (e.g. age at menarche, menopause, reproductive lifespan) with abdominal adiposity in postmenopausal women?

Summary Answer: Higher visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) tissue levels were observed among women with earlier menarche, earlier menopause, and greater parity.

Association of Human Milk Fatty Acid Composition with Maternal Cardiometabolic Diseases: An Exploratory Prospective Cohort Study.

Human milk fatty acids derive from maternal diet, body stores, and mammary synthesis and may reflect women's underlying cardiometabolic health. We explored whether human milk fatty acid composition was associated with maternal cardiometabolic disease (CMD) during pregnancy and up to 5 years postpartum. We analyzed data from the prospective CHILD Cohort Study on 1,018 women with no preexisting CMD who provided breast milk samples at 3-4 months postpartum.

Maternal disability and initiation and duration of breastfeeding: analysis of a Canadian cross-sectional survey.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding as the best method for infant feeding. Known risk factors for breastfeeding non-initiation and early cessation of breastfeeding are diverse and include low breastfeeding self-efficacy, poverty, smoking, obesity, and chronic illness. Although women with disabilities experience elevated rates of these risk factors, few studies have examined their breastfeeding outcomes.

Age and postoperative opioid use in women undergoing pelvic organ prolapse surgery.

Introduction: Our objective was to explore the relation between patient age and postoperative opioid use up to 24 hours following pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery.

Material And Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study following 335 women ranging in age from 26 to 82 years who underwent surgery for multi-compartment POP at a tertiary center in Alberta, Canada. Patient characteristics were measured using baseline questionnaires.

Small for gestational age preterm infants and later adiposity and height: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Overweight and obesity and their consequent morbidities are important worldwide health problems. Some research suggests excess adiposity origins may begin in fetal life, but unknown is whether this applies to infants born preterm.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the association between small for gestational age (SGA) birth and later adiposity and height among those born preterm.

Bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the time of benign hysterectomy among females with disabilities: a population-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Up to 40% of patients aged ≤55 years undergo concomitant bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the time of benign hysterectomy, with practice variation in bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy occurring along the lines of patient health and social factors. Disability is common in premenopausal women and is an important determinant of reproductive health more broadly; however, studies on bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy rates among women with disabilities are lacking.

Objective: This study aimed to examine whether the use of concomitant bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy at the time of benign hysterectomy differs by preexisting disability status in adult females aged ≤55 years.

Comparison of Emergency Department Use Between Pregnant People With and Without Disabilities in Ontario, Canada.

Importance: Emergency department (ED) use in pregnancy is common and occurs for a variety of reasons, including obstetrical complications, exacerbated underlying conditions, and inadequate outpatient health care access. People with disabilities have elevated rates of certain medical, psychiatric, and obstetrical conditions as well as inadequate access to prenatal care; their risk of ED use in pregnancy is not known, however.

Objective: To compare the risk of ED use in pregnancy among people with physical, sensory, and intellectual or developmental disabilities with those without disabilities.

Association of infertility with type and timing of menopause: a prospective cohort study.

Study Question: What is the association between past infertility and the type and timing of menopause in midlife women?

Summary Answer: Women with a history of infertility were more likely to experience surgical menopause overall and had elevated risk of earlier surgical menopause until age 43 years but experienced no differences in the timing of natural menopause.

What Is Known Already: Infertility is experienced by 12-25% of women and is thought to reveal a propensity for poor health outcomes, such as chronic illness, later in life. However, little is known about whether infertility is linked with characteristics of the menopausal transition as women age, despite possible shared underlying pathways involving ovarian function and gynecologic disease.

Association of illness perceptions and exclusive breastfeeding intentions among pregnant women with chronic conditions: A community-based pregnancy cohort study.

Objective: We examined whether changes in illness perceptions from preconception to pregnancy were associated with intentions to exclusively breastfeed to 6 months postpartum among women with chronic physical health conditions.

Methods: We analyzed self-reported cross-sectional questionnaire data collected in the third trimester from 361 women with chronic conditions enrolled in a community-based cohort study (Alberta, Canada). For individual and total illness perceptions, measured with the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, women were classified using change scores (preconception minus pregnancy) into one of the following groups: "worsening," "improving," or "stable" in pregnancy.

Factors affecting women's decision between uterine-preserving versus hysterectomy-based surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

Background: Given the prevalence of women seeking surgical treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), there is a need to understand women's decision-making regarding uterine-preserving versus hysterectomy-based surgeries. Historically, hysterectomy-based surgeries have been the preferred treatment for pelvic organ prolapse; however, contemporary evidence supports uterine-preserving surgeries as equivalent. At present, the lack of information available to the general public and limited options presented at surgical consultation for pelvic organ prolapse may hinder women's autonomy as they navigate surgical treatment.

Exclusion of pregnant and lactating persons from breast cancer clinical trials: a review of active trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Introduction: Treatment of pregnancy-associated breast cancer is complex, as providers try to balance risks to the pregnant person and the developing fetus. Given increased case fatality and increasing incidence, there is a pressing need understand the efficacy and safety of different treatment regimens in this population; however, pregnant and lactating people have traditionally been excluded from participating in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Given recent efforts to expand the inclusion criteria for oncology RCTs, this study aimed to review the inclusion/exclusion criteria of current breast cancer RCTs to assess what proportion of trials permitted enrollment of pregnant and lactating persons.

Breastfeeding difficulties in the first 6 weeks postpartum among mothers with chronic conditions: a latent class analysis.

Background: Breastfeeding difficulties frequently exacerbate one another and are common reasons for curtailed breastfeeding. Women with chronic conditions are at high risk of early breastfeeding cessation, yet limited evidence exists on the breastfeeding difficulties that co-occur in these mothers. The objective of this study was to explore clusters of breastfeeding difficulties experienced up to 6 weeks postpartum among mothers with chronic conditions and to examine associations between chronic condition types and breastfeeding difficulty clusters.

Association of postpartum medication practices with early breastfeeding cessation among mothers with chronic conditions: A prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Use of medications is a common concern for breastfeeding women, particularly when they are strongly needed or unavoidable to manage maternal chronic conditions. Yet the influence of medication usage patterns on breastfeeding duration in mothers with chronic conditions is unclear. The objective of this study was to examine whether postpartum medication practices were associated with shorter breastfeeding duration or earlier than planned breastfeeding cessation among mothers with chronic conditions.

Small for date preterm infants and risk of higher blood pressure in later life: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Historical reports suggest that infants born small for gestational age (SGA) are at increased risk for high blood pressure (BP) at older ages after adjustment for later age body size. Such adjustment may be inappropriate since adiposity is a known cause of cardiovascular and metabolic disease.

Objectives: To assess the association between SGA births and later BP among preterm births, considering potential background confounders and over-adjustment for later body size.

Second trimester cytokine profiles associated with gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Healthy pregnancy requires a coordinated immune response, yet complications can arise, putting both the mother's and child's health at risk. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are pregnancy-related complications that account for most maternal morbidity and mortality. Cytokines are proteins released as part of the immune response to disease or infection and regulate inflammation.

Recurrent pregnancy loss and incident arthritis in midlife: an exploratory longitudinal analysis of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Purpose: To explore the association between recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and incident arthritis in midlife women.

Methods: We analyzed the U.S.

A qualitative study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women seeking pelvic organ prolapse surgery in Alberta, Canada.

In addition to altering public infrastructure and social patterning, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed many pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgeries. POP-related stigma, symptomology and the experience of waiting for POP surgery can negatively impact women's quality of life and mental health. The experience of preoperative POP patients during the pandemic thus entails a new intersection of gendered, stigmatic and medical realities.