Women, Vol. 4, Pages 144-156: Evaluation of Midwifery Practices among Registered Midwives in Selected Hospitals in Limpopo Province, South Africa Women doi: 10.3390/women4020011 Authors: Kgatsere Sarah Maleta Mpho Gift Tau Mamare Adelaide Bopape Midwifery practices are defined as the level of midwifery care in which midwives use their expertise, management, and clinical leadership to provide personalized, evidence-based care to women independently and autonomously. Midwifery care includes antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care, which are defined by the WHO as the care provided by skilled ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 130-143: Effects of Physical Activity on Quality of Life of Pregnant Women with Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review Women doi: 10.3390/women4020010 Authors: Diana Bernardo Diana Rebelo Sousa Ivo Henriques Ferreira Carolina Bobadilla Agouborde Francisco Soto-Rodriguez Paula Clara Santos There is evidence that the quality of life and mental health of pregnant women change during pregnancy. To evaluate the impact of physical activity on the quality of life and mental health of pregnant women with obesity or overweight, a systematic review was performed using six electr ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 116-129: Endogenous Hormones and Cognitive Decline in Women: Unveiling the Complex Interplay Women doi: 10.3390/women4020009 Authors: Anna Targonskaya Karolina Wieczorek Katherine Maslowski This narrative review delves into the area of endogenous hormones and their impact on cognitive function, with a focus on women transitioning through perimenopause. While artificial intelligence technologies have revolutionized cognitive research, the inclusion of hormonal biomarkers remains sparse. The review synthesizes findings from diverse studies exploring the relationships between ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 105-115: The Benefits and Barriers of Providing Non-Pharmacological Pain Relief to Women in Labour during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study of Midwives in South Africa Women doi: 10.3390/women4010008 Authors: Limakatso Elizabeth Parkies Daphne Murray Uchenna Benedine Okafor Pregnancy is an exceptional event in a woman’s life. As a result of the intense pain associated with childbirth, women require encouragement and support during this crucial phase. Midwives play a crucial role in the maternal care paradigm, managing labour pain alongside ensuring the mother and ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 86-104: An Increase in Prominent Probiotics Represents the Major Change in the Gut Microbiota in Morbidly Obese Female Patients upon Bariatric Surgery Women doi: 10.3390/women4010007 Authors: Ann-Kathrin Kissmann Frederike Paß Hans-Maximilian Ruzicka Isabel Dorst Kai R. Stieger Tanja Weil Adrian Gihring Leonard Elad Uwe Knippschild Frank Rosenau The global increase in obesity carries inherent health implications, with an increased BMI being a known risk factor for diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, or different cancer types. The long-term effectiven ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 73-85: Exploring Perceptions of Cesarean Sections among Postpartum Women in Nigeria: A Qualitative Study Women doi: 10.3390/women4010006 Authors: Turnwait Otu Michael Richard Dele Agbana Kammila Naidoo Cesarean sections have become increasingly common globally, including in Nigeria. This qualitative study explores the perceptions and experiences of postpartum women who underwent cesarean sections within the distinct contexts of Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 24 postpartum women in selected health facilities ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 53-72: Support Mechanisms for Women during Menopause: Perspectives from Social and Professional Structures Women doi: 10.3390/women4010005 Authors: Alexandra Cristina Cowell Adam Gilmour Daniel Atkinson Approximately one billion women globally have undergone menopause, occurring at an age of around 51 years and typically between ages 45 and 54. As life expectancy increases, women are projected to spend at least one-third of their lives in postmenopause, emphasising the growing importance of menopause as a critical public health issue. In this context, this paper aims to of ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 42-52: History of Human Papilloma Virus Vaccination with a Focus on Italy Women doi: 10.3390/women4010004 Authors: Giovanni Gabutti Matilde Ogliastro The Italian National Immunization Plan (NIP) states that public health today aims at immunizing adolescents of both sexes for maximum protection against all HPV-related vaccine-preventable diseases. Nowadays, the vaccination offer to primary cohorts is reaffirmed with continued free vaccination up to at least 26 years of age for females and up to at least 18 years of age for males. The Italian NIP 2023–2025 reco ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 22-41: Navigating the Maze: Facilitators and Barriers to Substance Use Treatment for Pregnant and Parenting Women in Mississippi Women doi: 10.3390/women4010003 Authors: Katherine Klee John P. Bartkowski Caroline Newkirk Jan Dawson Jonathan Hubanks There are significant hurdles to placing pregnant and parenting women (PPW) with a substance use disorder into treatment programs. This study uses qualitative analysis of case notes collected by a linkage to care expert (patient navigator) from over 50 Mississippi PPW client cases. The analysis identified facilitators and barrie ..read more

Women, Vol. 4, Pages 13-21: Safety and Effectiveness of Naproxen 220 mg + Paracetamol 300 mg + Pamabrom 25 mg Fixed Dose Combination in Women with Premenstrual Syndrome: A Post-Marketing, Open-Label, Uncontrolled, Prospective, Multicenter, Observational Study Women doi: 10.3390/women4010002 Authors: Álvaro E. Peña-Jiménez Omar Benitez-Aguilar Jesús E. Villegas Mario González-de la-Parra Livan Delgado-Roche Premenstrual syndrome is characterized by pain and related symptoms that negatively affect women’s quality of life. Our aim was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a sp ..read more