International Journal of Women's Health

When a pregnancy is unintended or no longer viable, the decisions that follow are heavy and upsetting. Ensuring that abortions are equally accessible globally is one aspect of abortion that can make the decision easier. This Thematic Series will investigate how modern healthcare approaches abortion and the external factors influencing the accessibility and safety of these services. Health economic impacts, incidence rates in nations where it is legal and those where it is not, accessibility of different types of abortion and related laws will be assessed in relation to an individual’s health.

However, the story does not end once there is access to abortion services. This series will also explore the safety of current prescriptions, the likelihood of complications, psychological responses and the very real dangers of illegal or self-managed abortions. In a time where these services have become contentious once more, the need to assess abortion-related mortality to guarantee optimum safety is crucial. Researching or reviewing the management or treatment of these consequences has an important role in improving services.

Recent years have also seen abortion services witness change, with the rise of telemedicine and virtual appointments. The series will leave no stone unturned as the efficacy of telehealth in this context will be assessed. Moreover, the specific implementation of virtual abortions will also be explored. Following the conclusions made by the virtual series, it is hoped that a clearer picture on abortion services post-COVID will be sought to provide safe, accessible services to all.

The journal is seeking original submissions and review articles on the following topics related to abortion:
• Accessibility of abortions globally and nationally
• Impacts of abortion services on health economics
• Incidence rates of medical or surgical procedures dependent on legality
• Biological law on abortion rights and barriers to accessibility
• Safety and efficacy of medical abortions and current medications
• Risk factors affecting the likelihood of complications
• Psychological responses to abortion and subsequent treatment
• Dangers of illegal and self-managed abortions
• Improving the rates of illegal or self-managed procedures with advanced family planning
• Abortion-related mortality
• Telemedicine appointments for abortion services
• Value of digital health resources (e.g., Electronic Health Records) for virtual abortions
• Societal attitudes and outcomes through virtual abortion services
• Future directions for abortion services post-COVID

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 July 2023.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code ROEVK to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

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Modern healthcare initiatives have provided a wealth of new healthcare technologies to obstetricians and gynecologists. In particular, the use of amniotic fluid volume to assess postnatal outcomes for both parent and child has risen in recent times. This Thematic Series intends to assess the use of amniotic fluid volume, best practices within this technology, comparisons to other methods and gaps in the technology to be improved upon. In turn, providing further benefit to clinicians and their patients during pregnancy.

This series is not limited to postnatal outcomes of the neonate alone, as amniotic fluid volume is also important in maternal conditions, such as gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia. Research has highlighted the benefit of volume readings to clarify the efficacy and safety of treatment for these maternal conditions. Moreover, measurements of amniotic fluid volume allow for cross comparisons between volume, maternal health and postnatal outcomes.

It is crucial for the neonate, however, that amniotic fluid volumes are sufficient or otherwise controlled for. It is hoped that the series will explore the differences in amniotic fluid volume on postnatal outcomes in singleton and multifetal pregnancies, as well as other high-risk pregnancies. All of this information can feed into neonate outcomes, both prior to birth with a biophysical profile, as well as after birth, including conditions such as low birth weight or pulmonary hypoplasia. This vital methodology can ensure parents and their children have the best start in life, beginning during their development over the course of pregnancy.

The journal is seeking original submissions and review articles on the following topics related to amniotic fluid volume:

• Best practices in amniotic fluid volume measurements and equipment
• Comparisons between amniotic fluid volume to alternative methodologies
• Avenues for improvement in amniotic fluid volume
• Maternal conditions and their impact on amniotic fluid volume
• The effect of treatments on amniotic fluid volume and efficacy assessments
• Relationships between amniotic fluid volume, maternal health and postnatal outcomes
• Amniotic fluid volume variance in singleton, multifetal, or other high-risk pregnancies
• Benefit of assessments during pregnancy to understand biophysical profile of neonates
• Links between amniotic fluid volume and neonate outcomes at birth

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 July 2023.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code REXVM to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

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Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "Pain Relief and Care for Endometriosis", organized by Guest Advisors Dr. Federica Facchin, Department of Psychology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, Dr. Laura Buggio, Gynecology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Italy, and Dr. Giussy Barbara, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan and Gynecology Unit, Italy in the International Journal of Women's Health.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent, inflammatory disorder that is associated with pelvic pain symptoms and affects approximately 5% of reproductive-aged women. Symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia, dysuria, dyschezia, and fatigue. Hormonal treatments include first-line medications (i.e. estrogen-progestins and progestins) and second-line medications (I.e. GnRH agonists and antagonists plus add-back therapy).

The tremendous negative consequences of pelvic pain on people’s psychological health and sexuality have been highlighted in a huge body of research. In the endometriosis population, chronic pain is associated with impaired quality of life, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Dyspareunia (either deep or introital) is a major clinical problem that may lead to psychological suffering, including poor self-esteem, and relationship difficulties.

It is of critical importance to expand our new therapeutic approaches for the disease: medical, surgical, and alternative approaches. Knowing more about the subjective, lived experience of endometriosis-related pain, focusing not only on psychological health, but also on sexuality and intimate relationships, may improve the quality of treatment and raise awareness of the complex nature of the disease, which requires a targeted multidisciplinary, body-mind treatment approach.

In this Article Collection, we invite original articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing new insights, challenges, and available knowledge on treatment of symptomatic endometriosis. In addition, qualitative and quantitative research articles focused on the subjective experience of endometriosis-related pain and its care (from a psychological and a sexological perspective) are also welcome, along with literature reviews focused on the psychological factors that might shape this experience. Overall, this article collection aims to cover a wide range of approaches to assessing and treating endometriosis-related pain.

The deadline for submissions is 1 September 2023.

Please submit your manuscript, quoting the promo code GYCRP to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

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Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "The Prevention, Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Cancer" in the International Journal of Women's Health.

The morbidity and mortality of cervical cancer are fourth ranked in global female malignant tumors. It can be reduced significantly by implementing cytology and HPV testing effectively. The use of the HPV vaccine has also significantly reduced the incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related diseases. Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to preventing cervical cancer, and can definitely reduce the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease, and HPV is a necessary but not sufficient cause of cervical cancer. Over the past few decades, the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer have decreased in most countries and regions, especially in developed countries. However, in developing countries and regions, cervical cancer morbidity and mortality remain high, which is closely related to the human development index, poverty rate, the coverage rate of cervical cancer screening, the sensitivity of cervical cytological testing, the accessibility of HPV vaccine, sexual lifestyle, and HPV virus transmission. In 2018, to reduce the global burden of cervical cancer, the WHO Director-General called for the elimination of cervical cancer worldwide (≤4 per 100,000 women worldwide). With the increasing coverage of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccine, more and more HPV-independent cervical cancer is being identified. The questions of how to effectively achieve the goal of eliminating cervical cancer, how to effectively implement vaccination, early diagnosis and treatment, as well as the difficulties and challenges existing in practice, have been the concern of governments and medical institutions globally.

We are calling for papers on cervical cancer (HPV dependent and HPV-independent) prevention, early diagnosis and treatment, including:
• HPV vaccination
• epidemiology of cervical cancer
• risk factors
• disparities and challenges
• screening methods of cervical cancer
• screening frequency and interval
• screening outcomes and follow-up
• screening in special populations
• cost-effectiveness and implementation
• the role of colposcopy in cervical cancer prevention and treatment
• the treatment of cervical precancer.
• innovative approaches to cervical cancer screening and prevention
• clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of cervical precancer and cancer

Submission types include research articles, clinical studies, reviews, case reports, technology reports, opinion and commentary.

Keywords:
• Screening tests
• HPV vaccine
• HPV-independent cervical cancer
• Prevention
• Diagnosis
• Treatment

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer-review as part of our standard editorial process. Guest Advisors for this collection will not be involved in peer-reviewing manuscripts unless they are an existing member of the Editorial Board. Please review the journal Aims and Scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30 November 2023.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code ADVEH to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Jianliu Wang, Peking University People’s Hospital, China

[email protected]

Dr. Wang is the professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Vice-Dean of Peking University People’s Hospital. He is Editor-in-Chief of Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinical Medicine.

Jae-Weon Kim, Seoul National University and Seoul National University Hospital, South Korea

[email protected]

Dr. Kim is the current President of the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology and the Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology. He has been a Board Executive of the Gynecologic Cancer InterGroup.

Aikou Okamoto, Jikei University School of Medicine, Japan

[email protected]

Jae-Yun Song, Korea University College of Medicine, South Korea

[email protected]

Masataka Takenaka, Jikei University School of Medicine, Japan

[email protected]

Junya Tabata, Jikei University School of Medicine, Japan

[email protected]

 

 

 

 

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Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "The Vulvodynia Frontier: Where do we go from here?" in the International Journal of Women's Health.

Vulvodynia, defined as chronic vulvar pain for at least three months, is highly prevalent globally. Localized provoked vulvodynia, or vestibulodynia (VBD), is the most common presentation of this pain disorder characterized by pain with palpation of the vulvar vestibule and/or attempted vaginal penetration. Vulvodynia has been shown to significantly impact patients' quality of life.

The pathogenesis of VBD is complex, with contributors to the heterogenous clinical presentation including microbial, immunological, hormonal, and genetic factors. On exam, inflammation and hyperesthesia is often noted within well-defined areas of the vestibule. Peripheral nerve sensitization, a pain mechanism described in VBD, is considered a contributor to pain symptoms. At present, there is no consensus on treatment algorithms for vulvodynia. Topical lidocaine is often used as first-line treatment in addition to addressing responsive pelvic dysfunction and psychosexual health dysfunction. While treatments ranging from medication to surgical intervention have shown some promise, the methods of both treating and assessing pain associated with vulvodynia are variable in their reported efficacy.

Although pain is the primary characteristic of vulvodynia, the effect of the disorder is far-reaching, associated with reduced sexual desire, arousal, sexual frequency and sexual satisfaction. With the disease state affecting multiple facets, it directly damages intimate relationships. Despite the high prevalence and catastrophic effect, data from population- based studies have suggested that formal diagnosis is rarely a reality for women who seek treatment for vulvodynia. Diagnosis is directly linked to access to treatment, therefore the quality of care available to these women and their partners is often suboptimal.

This Article Collection invites original research, review articles, and commentaries focused on vulvodynia, ranging from basic science, epidemiology, medical (topicals, medicines, physical therapy) and surgical components. The Article Collection serves as a deep dive in the epidemiology and mechanisms driving pathophysiology to allow for identification of opportunities for growth and innovation in the treatment of vulvodynia.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer-review as part of our standard editorial process. Guest Advisors for this collection will not be involved in peer-reviewing manuscripts unless they are an existing member of the Editorial Board. Please review the journal Aims and Scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 12 October 2023.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code HEPNQ to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Guest Advisor

Erin Carey, University of North Carolina

[email protected]

Dr. Carey is a clinician scientist with a long-standing interest in identifying therapeutic treatments for chronic pelvic pain syndromes in women. She is board certified in OBGYN with sub-specialty fellowship training in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery and pain management. Women with pelvic and vulvar pain constitute over half of Dr. Carey's clinical practice and controlling pain symptoms and restoring patients’ quality of life is her primary focus. Common themes in her research include exploring peripheral and central pain mechanisms and phenotyping patients with pain syndromes, with the objective of identifying novel treatment strategies for different subgroups. Dr. Carey's long-term goal is to incorporate these effective treatments for chronic pelvic and sexual pain into clinical practice.

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Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "Prediction and prevention of preterm birth" in the International Journal of Women's Health.

Preterm birth is defined as live birth occurring before 37 completed weeks of gestation, which affects 5-18% of pregnancies and accounts for around 15 million newborns worldwide annually. It is a complex syndrome resulting from the interplay of multiple pathologic processes, as well as a major cause of neonatal and childhood morbidity and mortality. The earlier the gestation at delivery, the higher the risk of neonatal death.

Preterm-born survivors are at risk of a range of short-term and long-term complications due to the immaturity of multiple organ systems. The economic burden for families and society is also heavy in terms of the need for neonatal intensive care and frequent health services for complex complications. Despite advances in obstetric care, the incidence of preterm birth remains high. In addition, the underlying pathophysiology of preterm birth is largely unknown, and the growing evidence base is often conflicting. Therefore, the development of an effective screening tool to identify women at risk of preterm birth is of great importance, thus allowing prophylactic interventions to reduce the risk of these pregnancy complications and improve neonatal outcomes.

In this Article Collection, we invite original articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing new insights, challenges, and available knowledge on prediction and prevention of preterm birth, a crucial issue in maternal and child health.

Papers on this topic may cover a range of areas, including but not limited to:
• risk factors for preterm birth
• novel predictive models
• interventions to reduce the risk of preterm birth
• the impact of preterm birth on maternal and child health outcomes

We welcome submissions from researchers, clinicians, and other professionals in this field, and look forward to the sharing of new insights and approaches to address this important public health issue.

Keywords:
• Preterm birth
• Prediction
• Prevention
• Pathophysiology
• Consequence

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo desk assessment and peer-review as part of our standard editorial process. Guest Advisors for this collection will not be involved in peer-reviewing manuscripts unless they are an existing member of the Editorial Board. Please review the journal Aims and Scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30 November 2023.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code QHUWD to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Shangrong Fan, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, China

[email protected]

Prof. Fan has received his doctor of medicine diploma from Peking University. He is the editorial board member of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and BMC Women Health. His research interests are maternal fetal medicine and female genital infectious diseases. He specializes in research and management of perinatal infections such as syphilis, group B streptococcal (GBS) infection and sepsis. He has published more than thirty research papers and reviews.

Chunyan Shi, Peking University First Hospital, China

[email protected]

Prof. Shi is a Chief Physician at Peking University First Hospital. She is a renowned expert in the field of maternal fetal medicine, with extensive clinical and research experience in perinatal care, preterm birth and cervical disfunction, obstetric ultrasound, prenatal diagnosis and perinatal infection. She is also the editorial board member of numerous national medical institutions and top-tier medical journals, and she has published more than 60 research articles.

Dunjin Chen, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China

[email protected]

Prof. Chen is the Dean of Obstetrics in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University. He is an expert in maternal fetal medicine, with a focus on the prediction and prevention of preterm birth and preeclampsia, as well as maternal critical care. He has published extensively in prestigious medical journals, and he is highly regarded for his contributions to medical education and research. He is the chairman of Maternal and Fetal Medicine Committee in the Chinese Obstetricians and Gynecologists Association, and he is also the chief editor of the Chinese Journal of Obstetric Emergency (Electronic Edition).

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Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "Strengths-based approaches to optimizing perinatal mental health and wellbeing" in the International Journal of Women's Health.

Positive perinatal mental health is likely to result from a combination of internal and external resources that foster the ability to cope well despite severe and long-lasting stressors. Individuals who are able to acquire and maintain resources are better situated to cope with the demands associated with the transition to motherhood. Internal and external resources often aggregate and interact during the perinatal period to collectively influence prenatal, birth and postpartum outcomes. Several studies have found that internal resources, including optimism and religiosity, may mitigate perinatal mood disorders and enhance maternal mental health. External resources, including informal and formal supports as well as aspects of the neighborhood environment and community connections may further promote positive perinatal well-being.

Unfortunately, individuals facing low socioeconomic status and minority individuals experience disproportionately high rates of poor perinatal mental health, have fewer material resources and have a decreased ability to replenish resources over time due to social inequities. Multi-level supports may attenuate these associations leading to positive health outcomes. Additionally, much of the research investigating perinatal mental health focuses on risk factors associated with perinatal mood disorders. Resource capacity frameworks emphasize the importance of strengths-based strategies and interventions to prevent poor perinatal mental health outcomes.

This Article Collection invites exploratory and intervention studies, as well as secondary data analyses, that apply strengths-based approaches to investigate resources associated with well-being during pregnancy and/or through the first year postpartum. Papers that focus on internal and/or external resources and associations with perinatal mental health and well-being, particularly among low-resourced communities, will be considered. Original research and review articles are accepted.

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal Aims and Scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is December 4, 2023.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code NTQSL to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Charlotte Farewell, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus

[email protected]

Dr. Charlotte Farewell is an Assistant Professor with the Rocky Mountain Prevention Research Center and director of the Population Mental Health and Well-being program at the Colorado School of Public Health. Dr. Farewell is a Principal Investigator on numerous intervention projects which focus on promoting the mental health and well-being of low-resourced populations (e.g., pregnant and postpartum individuals). Her research is centered around three overarching goals: (1) to build expertise related to the analysis of developmental research questions, with specific focus on mental health (depression, stress, and anxiety) during the prenatal and postpartum periods, (2) to investigate non-pharmacological methods that can be targeted and/or mobilized to optimize population mental health and resilience in multi-ethnic and low-resourced communities, and (3) to advance research in the field of dissemination science to identify core constructs that are most critical to enhance the uptake of evidence-based behavioral interventions.

Jenn Leiferman, University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus

[email protected]

Dr. Jenn Leiferman has spent the last 20 years working in the area of mental health. Her research focuses on developing and testing prevention and treatment strategies for perinatal and child mental health. Recently, her work has also focused on improving access to care for perinatal mood disorders. She is the director of the Rocky Mountain Prevention Research Center, the founding director of the Population Mental Health & Wellbeing Program, and the Chair of the Community and Behavioral Health Department at the Colorado School of Public Health.

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