This meta-analysis systematically evaluated the effects of probiotic supplementation on vaginal microbiota and inflammatory factors in women. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang were searched from inception to January 2026 for randomized and controlled studies. Outcomes included vaginal pH, Nugent score, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α). Fifteen studies were included. Compared with controls, probiotics did not significantly reduce IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, or TNFα levels, nor did they significantly improve Nugent score. However, probiotic supplementation significantly reduced vaginal pH (OR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.15-0.89; P = 0.03), indicating improved maintenance of a weakly acidic vaginal environment. Sensitivity analyses showed generally stable results, although heterogeneity remained substantial for several outcomes. Overall, probiotics appear effective in modulating vaginal acid-base balance but show limited evidence for improving inflammatory cytokine profiles or restoring vaginal microbiota structure. Current data are insufficient to support routine probiotic use for optimizing vaginal microbiota and inflammatory status. Further high-quality, well-designed randomized controlled trials are required to clarify their clinical benefits.

This study presents an investment case for reducing unmet need for family planning and improving maternal health outcomes in Gabon between 2025 and 2030. Using the Spectrum software suite and a bottom-up costing approach, four scenarios were modelled to estimate financial requirements, health impacts, and socioeconomic returns from scaling up family planning, periconceptual, and maternal health interventions. Results show that scaling up services generates substantial health and economic gains while reducing overall system costs through lower demand for emergency obstetric care. Under the most ambitious scenario, scale-up could avert more than 15,000 unintended pregnancies, over 340 maternal deaths, and more than 2,100 child deaths, generating USD 793 million in socioeconomic benefits and a benefit-cost ratio of 63:1. Failure to scale up could result in losses of up to USD 780 million. Although short-term financing gaps remain, domestic revenue mobilisation, efficiency gains, and innovative financing mechanisms could support sustainable implementation and strengthen long-term human capital development.

Chad faces some of the world's highest fertility and maternal mortality rates, alongside persistently low contraceptive use, especially among adolescents. To address these challenges, the Government of Chad and the UNFPA developed a family planning investment case to assess financing gaps and model the health and economic impacts of scaling up services. Using demographic projections, costing tools, and cost-benefit analyses across multiple contraceptive uptake scenarios, the study finds that expanded family planning could avert approximately 186,000 maternal deaths, prevent 23 million cases of stunting, and generate up to CFA 100 trillion (USD 180 billion) in health savings and productivity gains by 2050. Each dollar invested is projected to return more than 300 dollars, reflecting exceptional economic value. In contrast, inaction would lead to massive health losses and long-term economic costs amounting to as much as 25% of GDP. Family planning therefore emerges as both a public health imperative and a strategic investment for sustainable development in Chad.

This article presents an investment case for advancing Ghana's reproductive health agenda, using nationally representative data and cost-benefit modelling to estimate the investments required and the expected health and economic returns from 2024 to 2030. The analysis identifies a substantial financing gap of USD 430 million under the ambitious scenario, while demonstrating the potential gains from scaling up evidence-based interventions. Expanded access to reproductive health services is projected to avert about 8 million unintended pregnancies and prevent 8,000 maternal deaths, yielding benefit-cost ratios of roughly 23:1 for family planning and 7:1 for maternal health. These returns represent an estimated twenty-fold gain on investment. Conversely, failure to invest risks forfeiting up to 1.6% of GDP in lost productivity. Overall, the findings show that investing in reproductive health is both a moral imperative and a sound economic strategy for sustainable development and gender equity in Ghana.

This descriptive and cross-sectional study aimed to determine parents' sense of security after spontaneous vaginal delivery and cesarean section. The study included 384 couples interviewed: 192 women who had spontaneous vaginal delivery and 192 women and their husbands who had cesarean sections. The study sample comprised a total of 768 individuals. Personal information forms and 'Mothers' Postnatal Sense of Security Scale and 'Fathers' Postnatal Sense of Security Scale were used for data collection. Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation coefficient, and independent sample t-test were used for data analysis. In the study, it was determined that the mean scores of mothers who had spontaneous vaginal delivery and cesarean section on the postnatal security sense scale were 56.05±8.86 and 55.21±9.89, respectively. The mean scores of the fathers whose spouses had spontaneous vaginal delivery and cesarean section on the parents' postnatal sense of security scale were 29.78±10.59 and 28.98±10.32, respectively. Postnatal sense of security scale scores were found to be no different between mothers and fathers who gave delivery in both types of delivery (p>0.05). Therefore, it is recommended that midwives/nurses take an active role in providing counseling and support services to enhance the sense of security of parents after childbirth.

This study aimed to comparatively reveal the effects of laughter therapy versus walking on prenatal attachment and mental well-being of pregnant women. The sample was identified through snowball sampling among eligible pregnant women and subsequently randomized into the laughter therapy and walking groups using random.org. This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with 78 pregnant women (40 received laughter therapy, 38 walked regularly) in their 20-30th weeks of pregnancy. The study was conducted between April 25th, 2024, and June 25th, 2024. The pregnant women in the laughter therapy group received 20-30-minute laughter therapy sessions once a week for 8 weeks. The pregnant women in the walking group were given a walking program to follow for 8 weeks. In the laughter therapy group, the post-test Prenatal Attachment scores and the mean Mental Well-Being scores were found to be statistically significantly higher than in the walking group (Cohen d=0.59 ≈ 0.50; Cohen d=0.94 ≈ 1.0, respectively). We concluded that pregnant women who received laughter therapy had higher levels of prenatal attachment and mental well-being than those who walked.

This study explores how music education enhances happiness among Chinese elderly women. Focusing on their lived experiences, the research involved 120 women aged 60-70 from twelve senior universities in nine Chinese cities. Data was collected via in-depth interviews and analyzed using grounded theory methodology through open, axial, and selective coding. This process yielded nine core categories and a theoretical model centered on "happiness construction." The findings reveal three primary pathways through which music education boosts well-being: First, it improves physical and mental states via emotional regulation and health promotion. Second, it shapes the external environment through social belonging, family influence, and economic conditions. Third, it stimulates intrinsic motivation through self-identity, cognitive stimulation, learning drive, and teaching feedback, thereby rebuilding self-worth and fostering a sense of achievement. This study confirms the role of social activities in elderly well-being and highlights the unique capacity of music education to integrate emotional, cognitive, social, and cultural functions.

For more than two decades, maternal health policy in sub-Saharan Africa has been guided by a powerful and intuitive idea: if women can physically reach a health facility, maternal deaths will fall. This logic has driven billions of dollars in investment toward building clinics, training health workers, subsidising care, and expanding coverage. On paper, the strategy has worked. Skilled birth attendance in sub-Saharan Africa rose from just 38% in 2000 to approximately 74% by 2023.1 Facility density has increased; user fees have been reduced or abolished in many countries; and maternal health has remained central to global development agendas. Yet maternal mortality remains catastrophically high. Sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for nearly 70% of all maternal deaths globally, with an estimated 182,000 maternal deaths recorded in 2023 alone.2 The region's maternal mortality ratio, 454 deaths per 100,000 live births, is more than 150 times higher than that of high-income countries.

Self-managed abortion poses risks and challenges, and the current healthcare system fails to adequately address post-abortion issues. This study aimed to examine self-managed abortion practices, post-abortion care experiences, and the difficulties in accessing abortion drugs in Southwest Nigeria, among women in their reproductive ages. Qualitative research methods were employed. Between February and April 2023, fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted with women aged 15 to 49 years. Self-managed abortions were associated with both satisfying and disappointing outcomes. Women used various drugs such as misoprostol, mifepristone, Mifestad, Cytotec, white quinine, and a combination of 'alabukun' and lime to induce abortion. Accessing abortion drugs presented several challenges. In conclusion, self-managed abortion poses challenges related to accessing safe drugs and resorting to the use of alternative remedies to prescription-based drugs. At least as a harm reduction strategy, it is crucial to ensure the availability of safe abortion medications to discourage women from choosing risky self-managed abortion methods as alternatives.