Background: The effect of maternal weight on pregnancy and birth outcomes is of great public health concern. For example, overweight and obesity among pregnant women is associated with adverse reproductive health outcomes including gestational diabetes, birth defects, macrosomia and infant mortality.Objectives: To understand the knowledge, perceptions and experiences during pregnancy among overweight and obese women in Singapore.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study which employed qualitative techniques. The inclusion criteria is as follows: (1) Women who were overweight or obese before or during first trimester of pregnancy, (2) are able to report their specific pre-pregnancy or first trimester Body Mass Index (BMI), or weight and height, (3) had singleton pregnancy when overweight, are post-delivery for the pregnancy in which they were overweight, and (4) are 21 to 55 years old. Fifteen interviews were voice-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Then, two researchers independently performed the thematic analysis of the transcripts.Results: The findings revealed that women had gaps in knowledge on the adverse effects of maternal overweight and obesity during pregnancy, and various misconceptions on diet and weight management during pregnancy were prevalent. Conflicting data was obtained for perceptions on the importance, difficulty and levels of motivation for weight management during pregnancy.Conclusion: There is a pressing need to address knowledge gaps and misconceptions of pregnant women who are overweight or obese. The importance of weight management during pregnancy should be emphasized, and enabling factors put in place.

Background: Organ shortage is still a world-wide problem, resulting in long waiting lists for kidney, liver, and heart transplant candidates across many transplant centers globally. This has resulted in the move toward presumed consent to increase deceased organ donation rates. However, there remains a paucity of literature on public attitude and barriers regarding the opt-out system, with existing studies limited to Western nations. Therefore, this study aimed to understand public sentiment and different barriers toward organ donation from the perspective of Singapore, a highly diverse and multiethnic Asian society.Methods: A cross-sectional community semi-structured interview was conducted in a public housing estate in Singapore. Pilot test was undertaken before participants were interviewed face-to-face by trained personnel. All statistical evaluations were conducted using Stata. The χ2-test compared subgroups based on patient characteristics while multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of willingness to donate/ assent. Effect estimates were quantified using odds ratio (OR).Findings: Out of 799 individuals, 85% were agreeable to organ donation after death and 81% were willing to assent to donations of family members' organs, which declined by 16% (p < 0.001) after a clinical scenario was presented. Demographic factors including ethnicity, education, marital, and employment status affected willingness to donate and assent. Knowledge correlated significantly with willingness to donate and assent. In particular, knowledge regarding brain death irreversibility had the strongest correlation (AOR 2.15; 95% CI 1.60–2.89).Conclusions: Organ donation rates remain low albeit presumed consent legislation, due to patient-level barriers, including but not limited to knowledge gaps, cultural values, religious backgrounds, and emotional impact at relatives' death. To effectively boost donor rates, it is crucial for policy makers to invest in public education and improve transplant provisions and family protocols.

Measuring the maturity of integrated care in Singapore with the SCIROCCO Exchange tool.