Alin Vasile Kadaș

Background and Objectives: Pregnancy is accompanied by physiological, hormonal, immunological, and metabolic changes that may increase susceptibility to infections and adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate hygiene- and nutrition-related behaviors among pregnant or previously pregnant women and to assess their associations with infections, pregnancy complications, and pregnancy outcomes. Materials and Methods: An observational, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire administered to women aged 18–40 years from Timiș County, Romania, who were currently pregnant or had experienced at least one previous pregnancy. A total of 361 participants were included in the final analysis. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, followed by multivariable binary logistic regression. Multicollinearity was assessed using variance inflation factors, and Firth’s penalized logistic regression was performed as a sensitivity analysis. Results: In multivariable analyses, occasional intimate hygiene, compared with twice-daily intimate hygiene, was associated with higher odds of vaginal candidiasis (aOR = 6.63; 95% CI: 2.29–19.17) and urinary tract infection (aOR = 4.36; 95% CI: 1.73–10.99). An unbalanced diet was associated with higher odds of pregnancy complications compared with a balanced diet (aOR = 2.33; 95% CI: 1.26–4.30). Compared with women reporting three or more supplements, women reporting no supplementation had markedly higher odds of an adverse pregnancy outcome (aOR = 46.15; 95% CI: 20.45–104.15), while each additional previous abortion was associated with higher odds of an adverse outcome (aOR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.41–3.59). Firth sensitivity analysis attenuated the estimate for no supplementation (OR = 37.54; 95% CI: 17.89–85.32) but did not materially change the principal findings. Conclusions: Intimate hygiene frequency, nutritional supplementation, perceived diet quality, and reproductive history were associated with pregnancy-related outcomes in this study. These findings support structured prenatal assessment and counselling regarding nutrition, evidence-based supplementation, reproductive history, and appropriate hygiene practices. Because of the cross-sectional observational design and potential residual confounding, the findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.

Background and Objectives: Vasomotor symptoms (VMS), including hot flushes and night sweats, often co-occur with depressive and anxiety symptoms during the menopausal transition. This systematic review assessed the observational evidence for a quantitative association between VMS burden and affective symptoms in peri- and postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: PubMed and PubMed Central were searched from database inception to 30 June 2025 for English-language, open-access observational studies reporting VMS and depressive and/or anxiety outcomes in peri- or postmenopausal women. Two reviewers independently screened records and full-text reports, and extracted data were independently verified. Study characteristics, symptom measures, prevalence or severity data, and quantitative association estimates were extracted. Owing to substantial heterogeneity of exposure and outcome measures, a structured narrative synthesis was conducted in accordance with the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guideline. Risk of bias was appraised at item level using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklists and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, and the certainty of the evidence was rated using the GRADE approach. Results: Twelve studies involving approximately 9900 women from seven countries were included. In studies reporting adjusted estimates, greater VMS burden was associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms, with adjusted odds ratios ranging from 1.67 to 2.99; one longitudinal cohort reported an odds ratio of 2.95 for a worsening depressive-symptom trajectory. Evidence for anxiety was directionally concordant but considerably weaker: anxiety was assessed as a distinct outcome in only five of the 12 studies, none of which reported an adjusted effect estimate, and two of which were rated at high concern for risk of bias. Two studies were rated at overall low concern for risk of bias, seven at moderate concern, and three at high concern. Several studies suggested partial mediation through fatigue or poor sleep, whereas others supported direct or bidirectional associations. Conclusions: Greater VMS burden is consistently associated with depressive symptoms and, on a smaller and less certain evidence base, with anxiety symptoms. Certainty of the evidence was rated low for depression and very low for anxiety; the predominance of cross-sectional designs, the heterogeneity of instruments, largely unaddressed confounding, and the possibility of reverse causation preclude any causal inference. Women presenting with bothersome VMS may benefit from case-finding for mood and anxiety symptoms where a pathway to assessment and treatment exists, and prospective studies should test whether VMS-directed interventions improve affective outcomes.

Background/Objectives: Pregnancy is associated with anatomical, hormonal, and immunological changes that may increase susceptibility to infections and metabolic disturbances. Adequate hygiene practices and balanced nutrition, including appropriate supplementation, may help reduce maternal and fetal complications. This study aimed to describe hygiene and nutrition behaviors among women aged 18–40 years in Romania and to evaluate their association with pregnancy outcome, complications, and infections during gestation. Methods: An observational, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. Eligible participants were women aged 18–40 years from Romania who were currently pregnant or had experienced at least one previous pregnancy ending in birth or miscarriage. The questionnaire assessed socio-demographic characteristics, hand, oral, and intimate hygiene behaviors, nutritional supplementation, pregnancy-related infections and complications, and the outcome of the most recent pregnancy. Data from 61 respondents collected over a 6-month period were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests. Results: Most participants reported favorable hygiene practices and relatively balanced or balanced diets. Term delivery was the most frequent pregnancy outcome (75.4%), while 72.1% reported no diagnosed infection during pregnancy. A significant association was found between intimate hygiene frequency and vaginal candidiasis (χ² = 8.92; p = 0.011), with occasional intimate hygiene linked to a higher frequency of infection. Perceived diet quality was also significantly associated with pregnancy complications (χ² = 8.81; p = 0.012), and a higher level of supplementation was significantly associated with more favorable pregnancy outcomes (χ² = 28.29; p < 0.001). No significant association was found between hand-washing frequency and urinary tract infections (χ² = 2.32; p = 0.314). Conclusions: The findings suggest that adequate intimate hygiene, balanced nutrition, and appropriate nutritional supplementation during pregnancy may contribute to better maternal and fetal out-comes. These results support the importance of prenatal education and preventive strategies focused on hygiene and nutrition. Larger studies are needed to confirm these associations.