Faculty Bibliography

This survey-based study gathered information on health professionals' attitudes and behaviors regarding victims of sexual assault, focusing on the applicability and utility of best practices put forth by the World Health Organization and the United Nations. This cross-sectional study involved a self-administered, 84-question survey to health care professionals affiliated with Mulago National Referral and Kayunga Hospitals in Uganda. The survey included demographic questions as well as questions about participants' attitudes toward sexual violence and the role of HPs in addressing sexual violence. The remainder of the survey transformed two sets of international guidelines into a series of statements with which participants could agree or disagree using a Likert-type scale. In total, 75 partially or fully completed surveys were collected, 45 from Mulago, and 30 from Kayunga. A minority of participants indicated that the guidelines were unrealistic (4.1%) or culturally inappropriate (14.1%). Most HPs agreed (91.8%) with the key components of recommended care. However, many respondents highlighted the need for additional training (68%). Nearly half of participants were uncertain or disagreed that there was a clear protocol for care of survivors of sexual violence (48%). Targets for improvement identified by participants included enhanced support of staff, access to resources, and relationships with community partners. Ugandan HPs have been receptive to the World Health Organization and United Nations guidelines. The majority of participants felt that the guidelines were realistic and culturally appropriate. Furthermore, many of these guidelines have been implemented. However, additional steps identified by Ugandan health workers could be undertaken to further improve the care received by survivors of sexual violence.

OBJECTIVE:Previous studies have shown that risk of cesarean section increases among multiparous women as interbirth interval increases. One possibility is that progress of labor may vary with interbirth interval, such that with longer intervals, labor curves of multiparas more closely resemble those of nulliparas. We sought to define labor curves among a cohort of multiparas with varying interbirth intervals. STUDY DESIGN:-tests for individual effects. Length of second stage was compared using a Wilcoxon's rank-sum test. RESULTS: = 0.003). CONCLUSION:Prolonged interbirth interval is not associated with slower active phase of labor.

OBJECTIVES:Obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) are associated with severe short and long-term morbidities, although little is known about the long-term sexual function or satisfaction of women and partners of women with history of OASIS. The objective of this study was to describe the long-term sexual function and satisfaction of women who previously sustained OASIS and to assess sexual satisfaction among their male partners. METHODS:This was a follow-up study of participants enrolled in the For Optimal Recovery: Care After Severe Tears (FORCAST) prospective cohort study of women with a history of OASIS after delivery of a full-term singleton infant between 2011 and 2013. A total of 47 women and 25 male partners at a mean of 45 months ± 8 months after incident delivery completed online validated questionnaires assessing current sexual functioning and satisfaction. The Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) was completed by female participants, whereas the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS) was completed by both female participants and their male partners. RESULTS:Nearly half (47%) of women met the criteria for female sexual dysfunction according to the Female Sexual Functioning Index. One-third of women (34%) had an overall GRISS score of 5 or greater, indicating sexual dysfunction. Sixty-two percent of women had a subsequent delivery. Seven male partners (28%) met the criteria for sexual dysfunction according to the GRISS. The most problematic GRISS subscale reported by both men and women was that of infrequency of intercourse. CONCLUSIONS:Even 3 years after sustaining OASIS, up to half of women and many male partners meet the criteria for sexual dysfunction. Future studies including women without history of OASIS are needed to further investigate the role OASIS may play in the development of long-term sexual dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE:Female sterilization is one of the most prevalent methods of contraception in the United States. Prior studies have shown that nearly half of postpartum tubal ligation (PPTL) requests go unfulfilled. This study seeks to establish whether obstetric or medical risk status influences patients' request for or subsequent completion of PPTL. METHODS:This study was a retrospective cohort study of women delivering at a university hospital in 2009-2010 who received prenatal care in the faculty and resident clinics. High-risk status was defined by Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine guidelines. Documentation of contraceptive plan and administration of contraceptive methods was abstracted from patient records. Subsequent pregnancies through March 1, 2013, were abstracted. RESULTS:Of 3063 participants (2048 low risk and 1015 high risk), 231 requested PPTL (7.5%). This was more likely among high-risk patients than low-risk patients (10.0% vs. 6.3%, p<.001), those with public insurance (13.8% vs. 3.2%, p<.001) and those with an unintended index pregnancy (13.8% vs. 4.1%, p<.001). Of the patients requesting PPTL, 118 (51.1%) underwent the procedure immediately postpartum. Completion was not associated with high-risk status (54.0%), or with race, insurance status or parity. Among 113 women with an unfulfilled PPTL request, there were 17 subsequent pregnancies (15.0%) during the 27 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:Though women with high-risk pregnancies were more likely to request PPTL, they were not more likely to complete the procedure. Over one third of high-risk patients' requests were unfulfilled, indicating that significant barriers may remain. IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:Though women with high-risk pregnancies were more likely to request PPTL, they were not more likely to complete the procedure. Providers should consider these procedures urgent, especially in high-risk women, and advocate for their patients' access to this procedure.