Women with a normal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and those who meet the recommended weight gains are healthiest and have healthier children. Adequate gestational weight gain contributes to better perinatal short-and long-term health outcomes in both mothers and infants. However, many key aspects of the health of women of childbearing age have changed, including a high prepregnancy BMI and advanced age, along with a high proportion of women from diverse ethnicities. Overweight and obesity have become major problems in the world. High prepregnancy BMI, overweight and obesity, are risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and having a macrosomic infant. On the other hand, underweight is associated with a higher incidence of miscarriage, and the delivery of small for gestational age (SGA) and low birth weight (LBW) infant.Prepregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain show strong association with pregnancy outcomes. Their combined effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes, including short-and long-term health risks, are strong. Therefore, it is important that health providers help women implement lifestyle changes to achieve normal BMI levels preconception, avoid excess weight gain during pregnancy and eliminate postpartum weight retention.

This study was designed to investigate various factors affecting the intensity of memorized labour pain. The study assessed 101 primiparas' and 95 multiparas' labour pain and related factors, such as physical, psychological and living environmental factors at three periods post-delivery: (i) within 24 h; (ii) at 1 month; and (iii) in year 1-2. The rate of the high group, whose intensity of memorized labour pain was larger than mean +1SD during the three postpartum phases, was 24.0%. The rate of the low group, whose intensity of memorized labour pain was smaller than mean + 1SD, was 9.7%. In the high group, the length of labour was longer than that in the low group, the rate of pregnancy disorder was higher, the self-control score during labour and delivery was worse and the rate of women with difficult birth was higher and that for those with low birth weight was lower. The high group obtained more family support but needed a longer time to adjust to childcare. There were significant differences between the high and low groups in all the factors.

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The quality of labor pain in primiparas and multiparas was systematically assessed on 41 primiparas and 64 multiparas when the cervix was dilated 0-3cm, 4-7cm, 8-9cm and Stage II of labor by the McGill Pain Questionnaire which consists of 4 descriptions-sensory, affective, evaluative and

更年期を迎えた女性の月経に対する認識の変化 Changes in perception of menstruation in menopausal womenThe purpose of this study is to reveal changes in perception of menstruation in menopausal women. MethodsThe participants were seven women who had experienced pregnancy and childbirth but not a hysterectomy. They were interviewed in a semi-structured format about their perception of menstruation from menarche to the present. The data were analyzed by the hermeneutic phenomenology method. ResultsResults of the perception of menstruation obtained in this study were classified into five categories: "mixed feelings at the time of the acceptance of first menstruation and becoming used to it through experience", "functions and health of females perceived because they undergo menstruation", "menopause and aging", "influence of interaction with others upon the perception of menstruation", and "association between the perception of menstruation and