A majority of women in this study reported abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy.

The questionnaire-based counseling model was more favorably perceived than the standard care model, but the new model was not more effective in terms of its impact on the proportion of women who abstained from drinking during pregnancy.

An expanded counseling model implemented in Swedish antenatal care did not reduce the proportion of women who continued drinking during pregnancy in comparison with a previous counseling model, although the advice provided in the new model was perceived more favorably.

Objective: The aims of this study was to use visits for contraceptive counselling as opportunities for examining women's actual life style habits with the main focus being placed on alcohol consumption but also to evaluate the women's opinions about discussing their alcohol and tobacco habits and their weight status.Methods: A total of 535/802 (67%) women completed a study-specific anonymous questionnaire after a contraceptive counselling visit with a midwife.Results: A majority of the women thought that a discussion concerning alcohol habits at a contraceptive counselling session was important (85.5 %) and not intrusive (86.4%) neither embarrassing (81.7%). Women with high-risk drinking habits were younger, more often tobacco users and more often planning for childbirth in the future, compared with women who did not display high-risk drinking behaviour. A significantly higher percentage of women who practiced high-risk drinking thought that a discussion of alcohol was intrusive (10.9 %) and embarrassing (46.7 %), compared with women not practicing high-risk alcohol consumption. Most women (72.9 %) stated that no other caregiver during the preceding year except the midwife had discussed drinking habits with them. The weight was a good thing that the midwife brought up for discussion according to 82.5% of the women but the discussions about weight was more often found embarrassing (18.4%) than the discussion about alcohol habits. Conclusion:Women who came for contraceptive counselling found the discussion concerning alcohol habits important, not intrusive or embarrassing and a good thing to be brought up by the midwife.

Background Eccentric exercises have been successfully used in the treatment of Achilles and patellar tendinopathies, as well as lateral epicondylalgia. No studies have explored the same treatment for medial epicondylalgia (golfer's elbow). Methods Twenty consecutive adults with a clinical diagnosis of medial epicondylalgia were treated with eccentric exercise over 3 months in this prospective case series. The programme was based on home training. There were 11 women and nine men, with a mean age of 47 years, and a mean duration of symptoms of 19 months. At baseline, at 3 months and after a mean of 11 years, pain was assessed by three independent visual analogue scales (VAS) and grip strength using a Jamar dynamometer (Sammons Preston Inc., Jackson, MI, USA). At the 11‐year follow‐up, patients also reported their satisfaction on a 100‐mm VAS and completed the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire. Results Pain decreased significantly in all measured variables at both assessment occasions (all p < 0.0001). Grip strength in the affected arm/hand increased significantly after 3 months (p = 0.009). Discussion Twelve weeks of eccentric training reduced pain and increased grip strength in patients with medial epicondylalgia. It is a safe, uncomplicated and cost‐effective method, with only a minimum contribution from a physiotherapist.