The number one spot in our top 10 monthly most-read chart has been retained by Zemedikun and colleagues. The authors’ analysis of chronic conditions that are associated with periodontal disease has impressively placed top of the most-read chart for the last four months. However, we also have four new entries into the top 10 most read during November.

Maternal BMI, milk composition and infant metabolism

In this protocol, Poulsen et al. present their plans to investigate if the maternal body mass index influences the human milk composition, infant metabolism and gut microbiome. They will study 200 mother–infant dyads stratified by maternal BMI The authors will use multiomics analyses including metabolomics, proteomics, glycomics and microbiomics to characterise maternal milk and the composition to infant gut microbiota along with its metabolic impact in the infant. The study is expected to complete in 2028.

Sleeping patterns and the risk of glaucoma

In this prospective cohort study, the authors Sun et al. used data from 409,053 participants in the UK Biobank to understand the association between sleep behaviours and glaucoma. The authors collected self-reported data on five sleep behaviours using a questionnaire and identified glaucoma as ‘any hospital admission with a diagnosis of glaucoma’, based on UK Biobank inpatient hospital data. Snoring, daytime sleepiness, insomnia and short/long sleep duration, individually or jointly, were all associated with the risk of glaucoma compared with patients who had a healthy sleep pattern.

Treating lower back and pelvic pain during pregnancy with acupuncture

In this systematic review and meta-analysis, Yang and their colleagues examined four databases for relevant randomised controlled trials on the effects of acupuncture on lower back and/or pelvic pain during the pregnancy. The meta-analysis included ten studies and found acupuncture significantly improved pain, functional status and quality of life in women with lower back and/or pelvic pain during pregnancy. This study also assessed the safety of acupuncture in pregnancy and found no severe adverse effects, but two studies did report preterm birth.

Sexual experiences and coping strategies after gynaecological cancer treatment

In this phenomenological qualitative study, Hundie and their colleagues explored women’s sexual experiences and coping strategies for sexual problems after gynaecological cancer treatment at an Ethiopian hospital. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with thirteen patients and followed a thematic analysis of their answers. From the analysis of individual interview data, the authors found four main themes, including treatment side effects, sexual issues following radiation therapy, lack of awareness and coping strategies for sexual dysfunction.