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Objective: To evaluate the association between different types of physical activity and quality of life in a sample of women aged 60 or over., Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out, interviewing 271 women. Of these, 141 were recruited in a menopause outpatient clinic and 130 were recruited in a social leisure center, in Brazil. The instruments used were the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) version 8 and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire specific for this age group (WHOQOL-OLD). Each IPAQ section was evaluated by multiple linear regression analysis, considering independent and confounding variables. The significance level was set at 5% and the software used was SAS version 9.1.3., Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.4 ± 5.3 years. The mean time devoted to physical activity was 2802.7 ± 1154.9 minutes per week. The total WHOQOL-OLD score was 66.9 ± 11.7. The past, present and future actvities (estimated β = 0.021) and, social participation (estimated β = 0.03) domains had association with IPAQ transportation section. The leisure-time domain of the IPAQ had an inverse and significant relationship with the quality of life score related to present, past and future activities (estimated β = -0.0269)., Conclusion: Quality of life was negatively influenced by leisure, but time spent in this physical activity was the shortest in comparison to other types of physical activities. In this sample, only physical activity for transportation was positively associated with a better quality of life.

Objective: To identify the risk factors associated with low birth weight (< 2500 grams)., Methods: Unmatched case-control study performed in a tertiary maternity hospital in Campinas, Brazil, involving 43,499 liveborn infants delivered in the institution between 1986 and 2004. Analysis of the database containing information on deliveries of women who gave birth to infants with low (6,477 cases) and normal (37,467) birth weight were performed. Factors associated with low birth weight were identified according to the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) in the bivariate analysis and according to the adjusted OR in the multivariate analysis. Sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, previous morbidity and factors related to current prenatal care were studied., Results: Extremes of reproductive age, poor education, low maternal weight, smoking beyond the fourth month of pregnancy, previous cesarean section, interdelivery interval < or = 24 months and > or 37 months, maternal history of hypertension, cardiopathy and premature delivery, few (< or = 5) prenatal visits and beginning prenatal care late in pregnancy (after the 3rd month), premature rupture of membranes, increased blood pressure, infectious diseases and hemorrhages during current pregnancy were all associated with low birth weight. Maternal obesity and being a primipara were found to be protective factors., Conclusion: These results confirm the findings of previous studies. The detection and prenatal management of modifiable factors, counseling, pre-conception intervention, adequate prenatal care and the implementation of primary and secondary prevention of maternal morbidity should be a target for all obstetrician as a potential source for reducing the incidence of low birth weight.

Objective: This study intended to investigate the frequency of irritative bladder symptoms three years after delivery in women previously interviewed in the third trimester of pregnancy and its correlation to mode of delivery, parity, maternal age, birth weight, episiotomy and forceps., Methods: From 340 women previously evaluated at the third trimester of pregnancy, 120 were interviewed three years after delivery, between June and October 2006. Correlation of postpartum irritative bladder symptoms and mode of delivery (exclusively vaginal or c-section), parity, maternal age, birth weight, episiotomy and forceps was analyzed. Associations between irritative bladder symptoms and obstetric parameters were assessed by the Fisher's exact test and Chi-square (p< 0.05)., Results: The study group consisted of 37.5% primiparous and 62.5% multiparous women. Mode of delivery was exclusively vaginal in 53 women and exclusively c-section in 42. No statistical difference was found between irritative bladder symptoms and mode of delivery and parity. No statistical difference was found between irritative symptoms and maternal age (> 35), birth weight (>or= 4000 g), episiotomy and forceps., Conclusion: After childbirth, dysfunction of the lower urinary tract, characterized by irritative bladder symptoms, was not associated with mode of delivery, parity, maternal age, birth weight, episiotomy and forceps.

Objective: To evaluate factors associated to presence of free RNA-HIV in the vagina., Methods: Cross-sectional study with HIV-infected women, excluding those who had undergone hysterectomy, had used vaginal medication within the last 48 hours, had had unprotected sex less than 72 hours before, were pregnant, or had genital bleeding. After signing an informed consent, blood samples were obtained for T CD4 lymphocytes count and plasmatic viral load, in addition to cervico-vaginal lavage using 10 mL of sterile normal saline, later centrifuged, aliquoted and stored at - 70 degrees C to quantify free HIV-RNA. Plasmatic and vaginal viral load were measured using the kit HIV Monitor v1.5 Cobas Amplicor, Roche. Hybrid Capture test Digene was utilized for HPV (high and low risk), chlamydia trachomatis and N. gonorrhoea detection from an endocervical sample. Vaginal swab for bacterioscopy by the Gram method, evaluated according to Nugent criteria was obtained., Results: Among 200 women evaluated, 73.5% were using HAART. The RNA-HIV was detectable in the vaginal lavage of 18 (9%), but in only one of those who had undetectable plasma viral load (0.5%). The vaginal prevalence of HIV was 24 times higher among those with detectable plasmatic HIV. Plasma viral load > 1500 copies/mL, no HAART use, reduced CD4 and bacterial vaginosis had increased prevalence of vaginal HIV-RNA, but in the adjusted statistical analysis, only the former remained significant, Conclusion: Prevalence of vaginal HIV-RNA was low (9%). Plasmatic viral load > 1500 copies/mL, was the only risk factor for free vaginal HIV-RNA.

Objectives: To analyze the occurrence of adverse effects in the first 24-hour postoperative/postanesthetic period in women undergoing minor gynecologic or minor breast surgeries and to identify main associated factors., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 159 women who underwent minor gynecologic or breast surgeries. The women were admitted to the hospital one day before surgery and remained hospitalized for at least 24 hours after surgery. The anesthetic techniques performed were intercostal nerve blockade, spinal anesthesia, and general anesthesia., Results: The most frequent adverse effects were vomiting, nausea and pain that occurred in 40.3% of women. Of these effects, 60% were observed in the first four hours and 80% were observed in up to six hours after surgical intervention. Women submitted to intercostal blockade received earlier postanesthetic release. Spinal anesthesia was most frequently associated with postoperative pain, although with a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting when compared to general anesthesia and intercostal blockade. The incidence of pain was higher in women who smoked., Conclusions: A six-hour period of postoperative observation appeared to be adequate for assessment of most complications and adverse effects occurring in women who undergo minor gynecologic or minor breast surgeries.

Background: To evaluate the prevalence of habitual physical activity and cardiovascular risk in postmenopausal women., Methods: A cross-sectional study was made of 162 women, aged 40-65 years, amenorrheic for at least 12 months, receiving care at the menopause clinic of CAISM/UNICAMP. The women verbally answered the International Physical Activity Questionnaire for assessment of physical activity levels. This instrument evaluates the frequency and duration of activities performed during transportation, at work, at home or in leisure- over the course of a normal week. Women were classified as sedentary, insufficiently active, active or very active. Laboratory tests were carried out to measure total serum cholesterol, high density lipoproteins and fasting glucose. Systolic and diastolic pressure was measured., Results: The mean age of women in this study was 56.5 years and mean age at menopause was 46 years. Prevalence of physical activity was 83.3% of which 80.8% were classified as active, 2.5% as very active and 16.7% as insufficiently active. Principal activities were performed during transportation and while carrying out household chores. Only 38.3% of women had leisure-time physical activities. In the population, 87.7% of the women presented a Framingham score <10, considered of low cardiovascular risk., Conclusions: Postmenopausal women show a high prevalence of habitual physical activity and low adherence to physical exercise. Cardiovascular risk was low in the population studied. It is important to encourage these women to practice physical activity compatible with their physical condition, to orient and stimulate them to practice not only their habitual physical activity but also physical exercise.