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Purpose To explore Ghanaian pregnant women's understanding and recognition of danger signs in pregnancy, birth preparedness and complication readiness, and their understanding of newborn care. Design An exploratory, qualitative study design was used. Methods Data were gathered through six focus group discussions with 68 pregnant women attending antenatal care at a busy urban hospital in Ghana. Qualitative and descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Health literacy was used as the guiding framework to analyze the qualitative data. Data were analyzed in the content domains of (a) understanding and recognition of danger signs in pregnancy, (b) preparedness for childbirth, (c) understanding and recognition of danger signs in the newborn, and (d) appropriate and timely referral. Findings Women in this study identified danger signs of pregnancy and in the newborn, but had difficulty interpreting and operationalizing information they received during antenatal care visits, indicating that health education did not translate to appropriate health behaviors. Cultural beliefs in alternative medicine, lack of understanding, and prior negative encounters with healthcare professionals may have led to underutilization of professional midwives for delivery and health services. Conclusions Women in this study exhibited low health literacy by incorrectly interpreting and operationalizing health education received during antenatal care. With limited health literacy, pregnant women cannot fully comprehend the scope of services that a health system can provide for them and their families. Clinical Relevance Achieving the greatest impact with limited time in antenatal care is a challenge. Since antenatal care is widely available to pregnant women in Ghana, it is vital to reexamine the way antenatal education is delivered. Pregnant women must receive health information that is accurate and easy to understand in order to make informed health choices that will improve maternal and child health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the indications for gynecologic surgery and the effect of surgery on dyspareunia and sexual intercourse frequency in menopausal women in Accra, Ghana.Method: Women who had gynecologic surgery between January 2005 and December 2007 were invited for an interview about dyspareunia and frequency of intercourse before and after surgery.Results: Of the 93 women interviewed who underwent hysterectomy, 29 (31.1%) had dyspareunia before surgery and 13 (14.0%) after (P=0.006). Of the 65 women who had benign tumors, before surgery 26 (40%) were sexually active, while after surgery 43 (66%) were sexually active (P=0.001). However, frequency of intercourse did not change for those with malignancies. The mean frequency of intercourse before surgery was 2.11 per week, compared with 2.46 per week after surgery (P=0.50).Conclusion: Gynecologic surgery reduced dyspareunia. More women became sexually active following surgery for benign but not malignant tumors, but the mean overall frequency of intercourse did not change significantly in the interviewed population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Women have been migrating at similar rates to men for the past 40 years, and comprised about half of all migrants in 2005. Women and children are most affected by displacement as a result of wars and human trafficking. In some cases, the health of female migrants is improved via integration into better health systems in the host country. More often, however, the health of female migrants is affected negatively. Women are doubly disadvantaged because they are discriminated against as women and as migrants. Female migrants are also highly vulnerable to acts of sexual abuse, rape, and violence. This is especially true for women in refugee camps, whose reproductive health needs are often overlooked. To improve the health of female migrants it is important to develop and implement policies that recognize and insist on the respect of the rights of migrants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To study the role of abdominal ultrasound in the management of complications after emergency or elective hysterectomy. Methodology: The study compared 102 women who had complications after emergency peripartum hysterectomy (study group) with 102 women who had complications after elective hysterectomy for fibroids (control group). Results: The study group had a lower mean age (31.1+/-2.1 vs 40.1+/-3.4 years) but higher parity (3.0+/-1.3 vs 2.0+/-1.2) compared with the control group. The primary complication in the study group was abdominal mass or distension (55.9%) compared with chronic abdominal pain (49.0%) in the control group. The leading sonographic abnormality in the study group was pelvic abscess (9.8%) while hydrosalpinx (6.9%) was more common in the control group. There was no statistical difference in the findings between the groups. Management of complications included ovarian cystectomy and drainage of pelvic abscesses. Conclusion: Ultrasound facilitates accurate diagnosis of complications after hysterectomy and enhances management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]