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In this article we seek to determine the effect of the knowledge of prenatal fetal sex, through the use of ultrasound, on infant mean birth weight and the proportion of low birth weight (LBW) babies. A sample population of 1,195 women (cases, n = 640; control, n = 555) were studied in relation to their knowledge of the sex of the fetus in three hospitals in Amman, Jordan. It was found that prenatally known males had the highest mean birth weights (MBWs) as compared with females. It is proposed that these differences could be attributed to behavioral factors related to son preference. The authors conclude that further research on the actual link between prenatal detection of fetal sex and health behavior as indicated by birth weight is needed.

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Women's health in the developing world should not be limited to measuring morbidity and mortality, but understanding why women may or may not seek care for their health complaints. This article explores what are the health complaints of midlife women and why women choose to seek health care for some complaints, but not for others. The intention here is to better understand what factors might be influencing these women's decisions, and what the health care system can do to address their needs. The percentage of women in this community seeking health care for their perceived health complaints *This study was supported by a Ford Foundation grant no. 960-1058.

This study aims to explore the challenges in involving patients and their families in decision making near end of life and to provide recommendations to overcome these challenges. A qualitative descriptive phenomenological approach was used with a purposive sample of 8 patients, 7 family caregivers, 7 nurses, and 6 physicians from 2 institutions that provide palliative and end-of-life care services in Jordan. Data were collected using interviews with patients and family caregivers and focus group discussions with nurses and physicians. Colaizzi's method was used to analyze the data. The thematic analysis revealed 5 themes representing the participants' experiences of challenges with decision making near end of life. The identified challenges are (1) struggle with lack of information; (2) improper communication;(3) patient's or family's decision: the cultural taboo; (4) health care providers prefer staying in their comfort zone; and (5) the paradox of surviving and letting go. In addition, the participants endorsed several recommendations to raise public awareness of palliative and end-of-life care, amplify the patients' voice, and raise the bar of communication sensitivity. Decision making near the end of life is a challenge. However, the current study highlighted several areas for improvement that can improve the process and optimize patients' and their families' involvement.

Women have received little attention in cardiac research in Jordan. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of combined interventions of diet and physical activity on the perceived and actual risk for coronary heart disease among women in the north of Jordan. An experimental pretest/ posttest design was used. The sample consisted of asymptomatic women aged 40 years or older who lived in the north of Jordan.The intervention involved recommendations concerning healthy diet and physical activity to modify the actual risk for coronary heart disease. The Kruskal-Wallis test; X (2, N = 134) = 46.62, p< 0.001, showed that women 2 who received both balanced diet and physical activity interventions scored lower actual risk for heart disease than women who only applied one type of intervention (either diet or physical activity). The results indicated the need for constant national heart disease education programs for women emphasizing adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

This article describes arguments for the development of a model for exchange of experiences among nurses, nurse managers, and nurse educators from two countries based on theories of reflection and practice and Freire's theory of dialogical action and its characteristics. The collaboration focused on exchange of experiences within nursing practice, leadership and management, and nursing education. The model consists of several activities: careful selection of participants in the exchange program; participants' observations and studies of caring in nursing practice in the other culture; keeping a diary about one's own reflections, thoughts, and questions; and participation in reflective dialogue and meetings with colleagues. The model included selection and implementation of a subject and written assignments for planned change in nursing practice within participants' own clinical nursing setting. After an implementation period of 6 months to 1 year, the outcome of the implemented change was reported in seminars and workshops.