Nam Hoang Tran

Maternal survival remains an urgent global-health priority, yet survival does not necessarily imply recovery, wellbeing, or long-term health. After childbirth, women may experience persistent physical, psychological, reproductive, cardiometabolic, nutritional, and social challenges that extend beyond conventional maternity care. Although contemporary postnatal guidance increasingly recognizes maternal wellbeing and continuity, an important operational gap remains between time-limited maternity services and longitudinal women’s healthcare. This narrative review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature, international guidance, and selected national policy evidence to examine the health-system gap between time-limited maternity services and longitudinal women’s healthcare and proposes a Postpartum Women’s Health Continuum (PWHC) to address this transition. Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Mongolia are used as purposively selected health-system exemplars to illustrate institutionalized postpartum support, community-based continuity, integration within universal health coverage, and adaptation to geographic constraint. We propose a PWHC encompassing six interconnected domains and emphasizing universal early continuity, risk-stratified follow-up, nurse- and midwife-enabled coordination, selective use of digital health, and explicit handover of unresolved or pregnancy-associated risks into continuing care. As 2030 approaches, maternal-health success should be judged not only by survival, but also by recovery and long-term health.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, particularly preeclampsia, identify women at increased risk of persistent hypertension and later cardiovascular disease, yet postpartum services often remain organized around short-term obstetric recovery. Thailand is well positioned to address this discontinuity because prospective local studies have demonstrated elevated blood pressure, hypertension, and selected cardiovascular and renal risk markers at 6 weeks and 6– 12 months after preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. The principal policy gap is therefore not the absence of warning evidence, but the lack of a standardized and auditable handover from maternity services to primary care and cardiovascular prevention. This commentary was informed by a targeted, non-systematic examination of peer-reviewed studies, international professional recommendations, World Health Organization resources, and publicly accessible national guidance available in English through June 2026. Evidence was selected to characterize longer-term cardiovascular and renal risk following hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, summarize relevant Thai postpartum findings, and identify regional health-system approaches that could inform continuity of care in Thailand. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Mongolia were purposively selected as complementary examples of community noncommunicable-disease integration, local-clinic follow-up after hypertensive pregnancy, and continuity of care across geographic distance, respectively. We propose a standardized multicenter pilot comprising documented risk communication and a named receiving provider before discharge; blood-pressure evaluation within 72 hours for women with severe hypertension and no later than 7– 10 days for other women with hypertensive disorders; structured assessment at 6– 12 weeks and 6– 12 months; permanent recording of hypertensive pregnancy history; and annual cardiovascular-risk review. National scale-up should follow evaluation of feasibility, completion, equity, and clinical outcomes. The aim is not to create a parallel specialty service, but to convert an established obstetric warning sign into accountable long-term cardiovascular and renal prevention.

Technical intern trainees (TITs) preparing to depart for Japan study Japanese within a compressed four- to six-month pre-departure period, during which they must acquire language skills for workplace communication, daily life, and social adaptation. This cross-sectional study examined Japanese-learning challenges and technology use among Vietnam’s Japan-bound TITs, with working adults studying Japanese in Vietnam included as an unmatched descriptive benchmark rather than as a matched control group. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire using snowball sampling. The study relied on self-reported data from 91 Vietnamese Japanese-language learners, including TITs (n = 44) enrolled in preparatory courses at training centers in Hanoi and working adults (n = 47) from diverse professional backgrounds. Overall, 57.1% of respondents reported high technology use, defined as using online tools for Japanese learning daily or multiple times daily. Smartphones were the dominant learning device, while YouTube, Mazii, ChatGPT, and social media were the most frequently used platforms. Technology was used mainly for vocabulary, listening, grammar, and Kanji learning. Major challenges included difficulty with Kanji, complex grammar structures, similar grammar patterns, unclear learning pathways, lack of correction or feedback, and distraction during self-study. Several learning-behavior variables showed associations with high technology use in unadjusted analyses, but these associations did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons. Exploratory regression suggested a possible relationship between perceived effectiveness and high technology use, although the estimate was imprecise. The findings suggest that technology-supported Japanese learning for TITs may benefit from moving beyond scattered use of digital tools toward mobile-friendly, structured, feedback-rich learning pathways aligned with practical workplace and daily-life communication needs in Japan.

Research on Japanese-language learning has widely examined communication skills, motivation, and general vocabulary acquisition, yet limited evidence explains how Vietnamese school-level learners experience the interconnected difficulties of vocabulary form, sound, meaning, and contextual use. This study investigates these difficulties and identifies learners’ instructional and technological support needs. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 37 Vietnamese junior and senior high school students studying Japanese. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire covering learning background, vocabulary-learning habits, perceived difficulties, desired lesson content, preferred exercise types, and expectations for vocabulary-support tools. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical and multi-select items, and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to examine associations between learner characteristics and the total number of reported difficulties. The most common challenges were remembering word meanings, distinguishing similar kanji forms, using words appropriately in context, and differentiating near-synonyms. Greater weekly study time and having a personal vocabulary-management system were associated with fewer reported difficulties. The study contributes novel exploratory evidence by integrating learners’ perceived vocabulary difficulties, study practices, and support expectations within a single school-level sample. The findings support instructional approaches that combine Vietnamese explanations, kanji support, contrastive examples, structured review, contextualized practice, and feedback. Theoretically, the study extends multidimensional models of vocabulary knowledge by showing that Japanese vocabulary difficulties among Vietnamese school students reflect an interconnected form–sound–meaning–use burden rather than isolated memorization problems.

Japanese language learning has become increasingly relevant for Vietnamese university students due to expanding academic, cultural, and career-related links between Vietnam and Japan. This study examined lifestyle, social, health-related, and motivational correlates of Japanese language study intensity among Vietnamese university students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 407 university students studying Japanese in Vietnam. Descriptive and bivariate analyses used the full sample, while the adjusted logistic regression was based on 334 participants with complete data for all model variables. High study intensity was defined as studying Japanese for 8 h or more per week. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and adjusted logistic regression were used to examine factors associated with high study intensity. Among participants, 185 students (45.5%) reported high Japanese study intensity. In bivariate analysis, high study intensity was significantly associated with higher latest GPA or academic score, career-related reasons for studying Japanese, grammar study frequency, and prioritizing reading. In the adjusted logistic regression model including 334 complete cases, higher latest GPA or academic score and career-related motivation were positively associated with high study intensity, whereas prioritizing reading was negatively associated with high study intensity. Most lifestyle and health-related variables were not significantly associated with study intensity. These findings suggest that intensive Japanese learning among Vietnamese university students may be driven more by academic engagement and perceived career value than by general lifestyle or health-related patterns.

Purpose: To describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of third-trimester preeclampsia, summarize management patterns, and identify factors associated with adverse neonatal outcomes at a single public tertiary referral obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Vietnam. Patients and Methods: This retrospective descriptive study included 154 pregnant women diagnosed with preeclampsia and delivered at a single public tertiary referral obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Vietnam between August 1, 2022 and July 31, 2023. Clinical, laboratory, treatment, delivery, and neonatal data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The composite adverse neonatal outcome was defined as the presence of one or more of the following: fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, intrauterine fetal death, low birth weight, neonatal respiratory morbidity, neonatal transfer, or perinatal death. Results: Severe preeclampsia accounted for 57.1% of cases. Maternal age ≥ 35 years was associated with severe disease (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.56– 5.85), as were primigravidity (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.03– 3.78), prior stillbirth (OR 2.94, 95% CI 1.10– 7.80), and assisted conception in the index pregnancy (OR 3.35, 95% CI 1.20– 9.36). Elevated liver enzymes, hypoalbuminemia, hyperuricemia, and elevated urea were more frequent in severe preeclampsia. All women with severe preeclampsia underwent cesarean delivery; the overall cesarean rate was 81.2%. Preterm birth occurred in 35.7% of pregnancies and fetal growth restriction in 10.4%. In multivariable analysis, adverse neonatal outcomes were associated with maternal age > 35 years (adjusted OR 2.24), gestational age < 34 weeks (adjusted OR 8.77), albumin < 35 g/L (adjusted OR 3.24), serum uric acid ≥ 400 umol/L (adjusted OR 3.93), severe hypertension (adjusted OR 2.29), and <=1 day of medical management before delivery (adjusted OR 9.34). Conclusion: Third-trimester preeclampsia at a public tertiary obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Vietnam was characterized by a high proportion of severe cases and a very high cesarean delivery rate. Older maternal age, primigravidity, assisted conception, severe hypertension, hyperuricemia, and hypoalbuminemia were associated with worse maternal or neonatal profiles. Earlier gestational age at birth remained the strongest predictor of adverse neonatal outcomes. Plain Language Summary: Preeclampsia is a serious condition in pregnancy that causes high blood pressure and can affect the mother’s organs and the baby’s health. It can lead to problems such as preterm birth, poor fetal growth, and in severe cases, life-threatening complications for both mother and baby. This study looked at 154 pregnant women with preeclampsia in the third trimester who were treated at a major public tertiary obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Vietnam. More than half of the women had severe preeclampsia. Cesarean section was very common, especially in severe cases. Many babies were born too early, and some had growth problems. The study also found that worse neonatal outcomes were more likely when the mother was older than 35 years, the baby was delivered before 34 weeks of pregnancy, the mother had severe high blood pressure, or blood tests showed low albumin or high uric acid levels. A very short time between hospital treatment and delivery was also linked with poorer neonatal outcomes. These findings show that preeclampsia remains a major challenge in maternal care. Early detection, close monitoring, timely referral, and careful delivery planning may help reduce risks for both mothers and babies, especially in referral hospitals and lower-resource settings.

Graduate employability research often evaluates whether graduates obtain jobs, but the duration required to secure the first job is an equally important indicator of labor market transition. This study applies survival analysis to examine time-to-employment among graduates of a public university in languages, social sciences, and humanities in Vietnam. Using graduate tracer survey data from five cohorts, Kaplan–Meier estimation and Cox proportional hazards regression were employed to analyze the timing of first employment and factors associated with faster labor market entry. The outcome variable was time from graduation to first employment, measured in ordered intervals, with unemployed graduates treated as right-censored observations. Among 657 graduates, 607 (92.4%) had obtained first employment by the time of the survey. Most graduates entered the labor market rapidly: 526 (80.1%) obtained their first job within less than three months after graduation, and the median time-to-employment category was the earliest interval. Kaplan–Meier comparisons showed no statistically significant subgroup differences by sex, supplementary training, job–major alignment, or cohort. However, the adjusted Cox model identified a significant cohort effect: compared with the 2020 cohort, the 2022 cohort had a lower hazard of first employment, indicating a slower transition into the labor market (HR = 0.695, 95% CI: 0.532–0.908, p = 0.0076). Other factors, including sex, job–major alignment, supplementary training, knowledge suitability, and skills suitability, were not statistically significant. This study advances Vietnamese graduate employability research by shifting the focus from static employment status to the timing of first employment and by demonstrating the value of survival analysis for examining cohort-sensitive school-to-work transitions when overall employment rates are high.

The rapid accumulation of fruit and vegetable waste and oyster shell residues presents increasing environmental challenges, particularly in regions with intensive agricultural and aquaculture production. This study evaluated the use of oyster shell powder as a calcium-based buffering additive to stabilize acidic fruit and vegetable waste during rearing of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, Hermetia illucens). Five substrates containing 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8% oyster shell powder (fresh weight basis) were prepared and used for larval rearing under controlled conditions for 12 days. Substrate pH dynamics, larval growth performance, substrate utilization efficiency, and nutritional composition of larval biomass were assessed. Oyster shell supplementation significantly increased substrate pH in a dose-dependent manner, shifting the substrate from strongly acidic conditions toward the range favorable for larval development. Moderate supplementation levels (2–4%) resulted in the highest larval biomass, survival rate, dry matter reduction, and bioconversion efficiency, whereas excessive supplementation reduced performance. Protein content increased at moderate supplementation levels, while lipid content decreased with higher oyster shell inclusion. Calcium concentration in larval biomass increased proportionally with supplementation, whereas essential amino acid composition remained stable. These results demonstrate that oyster shell powder can be used as an effective buffering material to improve the stability of acidic organic waste substrates and enhance BSFL-based bioconversion. The combined utilization of fruit and vegetable waste and oyster shell residues represents a practical approach for integrated waste valorization and supports the development of circular bioeconomy strategies for sustainable protein production.

Background: The pharmacy workforce in Vietnam is rapidly evolving, but little is known about how gender and socioeconomic factors shape career intentions and sector preferences of students. Understanding these determinants is essential for healthcare workforce planning. Objective: To investigate how gender and socioeconomic determinants influence intention of pharmacy students to pursue a career and their preferred sector in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 462 students from 2nd to 5th year at a Vietnamese university. Demographic data, socioeconomic background, and career intentions were analyzed using chi-squared tests, multinomial logistic regression, and binary logistic regression. Results: Of 462 respondents, 71.9% intended to pursue a pharmacy career, 2.6% reported no, while 25.5% were unsure. Gender differences were evident but did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.083). Female students were more likely to choose clinical, hospital pharmacy or regulation, whereas male students showed higher preference for community, industry and academia. Binary logistic regression revealed that urban origin (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.01–1.78, p = 0.041) and family encouragement (OR = 2.53, 95% CI = 1.60–3.99, p < 0.001) significantly predicted career intention, while gender and income were non-significant. Conclusions: Family encouragement and urban upbringing influence pharmacy career pursuit, while gender may shape sectoral preferences. Policies should address gender equity and enhance support for students from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.

Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) significantly impairs women’s quality of life (QoL), particularly in resource-limited settings where surgical options may be restricted. Vaginal pessaries provide a conservative and cost-effective treatment, yet local evidence on their effectiveness in Vietnam remains scarce. Methods: In this six-month prospective study, 130 women with stage II–IV POP received vaginal pessaries. QoL was evaluated using validated PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 questionnaires, and changes in symptoms, satisfaction, and adverse events were analyzed. Results: Most women presented with advanced POP (65.4% stage III, 19.2% stage IV). Ring pessaries were most frequently used (64.6%), followed by Gellhorn (23.9%) and Donut (11.5%). Successful fitting was achieved in 95.4% of participants, with six women discontinuing use due to expulsion or discomfort. QoL scores improved significantly after six months: mean PFDI-20 total decreased from 78.5 ± 51.4 to 42.2 ± 38.3 (p < 0.001), and PFIQ-7 total decreased from 62.6 ± 43.2 to 25.1 ± 22.9 (p < 0.001), with all subscales showing consistent improvement. Nearly all women (98.5%) reported symptomatic improvement, and 95.4% were satisfied with treatment. Correlation analyses showed no significant relationships between POP stage and obstetric factors (vaginal delivery, macrosomia, and episiotomy). In multivariate regression analysis including only age, BMI, and POP stage, none were significantly associated with QoL improvement. Conclusions: Vaginal pessary use was safe, highly effective, and well tolerated, leading to symptom and QoL improvements among Vietnamese women with advanced POP. These findings support pessary use as a first-line management option, especially for women who are elderly, have comorbidities, or lack access to surgery.