The aim of this study is to clarify the effect of photic stimulation on the autonomic nerve system during a menstrual cycle of woman. Subjects were comprised of 10 healthy undergraduates with a regular menstrual cycle. Following photic and cold stimulations were inflicted ; blinks of white and black TV pictures at 0.1, or 5 seconds interval, and immersion of left hand in a cold water bath. The skin surface temperature (SST) of the apex of right middle finger was sequentially measured by thermography. The state of autonomic nerve on both stimulation tests was determined according to the responsive type previously reported by us. A fall of SST on a cold stimulation test was larger in the following order ; 1st week, 4th week, 3rd week, 2nd week of menstrual cycle, and both 1st and 4th weeks were determined as the sympathotonic state. As the photic blink stimulation was more intense, the abnormal reaction type, particularly sympathotonic type was found more in any week of menstrual cycle. On the stimulation test it was found that the 1st and 4th weeks of menstrual cycle were in the sympathotonic state, while the 2nd and 3rd weeks were in the normal or parasympathotonic state. From these results it was demonstrated that the photic stimulation through TV might strongly effect on the autonomic nerve system of women in the menstrual and premenstrual periods.

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Purpose : To critically examine the psycho-social aspects of women during the periods from the third trimester of pregnancy through two years after childbirth. This study report presents the psycho-social aspects of women during the third trimester of pregnancy. Design : Fifteen OB-GYN clinics were conducted in order to collect data. (Eight clinics in Sapporo-City and seven general hospital outpatient services in Hokkaido area.) Consent for study participation was obtained from sample of 467 pregnants over 28 week of gestation. The data of summarization here was obtained from late in March through early May 2000. Methods : The participants completed questionnaires delivered at their clinics. Completed questionnaires were returned by mail. The survey developed by the investigators was consisted of "29 items for Maternal Concerns Questionnaire" (MCQ), "Self Esteem" (SE) by Rosenberg (1965) and "Tendency to Mental Depression of Postpartum Women" (EPDS) by Edinburgh. Result: 1) 61.5% of these samples of the pregnant women were primiparas and 38.5% were multipras. Their age average was 28.9 years. The percentiles the employee were 28.0%, housewives were 70.8%, and nuclear family was 83.0%. 2) The correlation between MCQ and EPDS was 0.618, MCQ and SE was-0.445. The percentile of the Planned-pregnancy was 43.9% and the non-planned were23.3%. 3) 59.8% of the participant women had support from their own mother, and 43.4% had support from their husband. 4) According to the survey result pregnant women scored high for five significant items of MCQ, "Supports of their husbands for child-rearing", "The feeling of husbands' their presence", "Body Images, getting back in figure", and "losing the body weight before pregnancy". 5) Primiparas and non-planned pregnants showed a higher score for MCQ.

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This study is aimed at understanding the psychosocial aspects of women during pregnancy and for two years after parturition, and also seeking for ways to support them. This report focuses on women in the postpartum period to discuss their physical and psychosocial aspects, as well as the factors behind them. The survey was conducted from late February to early May of 2000, on 689 postpartum women in hospitals out of 795 in Sapporo and the other areas of Hokkaido. Questionnaires were distributed to those mothers, and were returned on a voluntary basis. The questions included 29-items of the Maternal Concerns Questionnaire (MCQ), 10-items of Self Esteem (SE), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The findings were as follows: 1) There was nositive correlation between MCQ and EPDS (0.445). and negative correlation between MCQ and ES (-0.405). 2) The topics that showed high levels MCQ were IV The support by their partner, V The Body Image and, VII The anxiety for the baby. 3) They were supported by their own mothers the most, followed by their partners. Those who were supported by their partner and by many persons showed high levels of SE. 4) Those who had the non-planned pregnancy showed high levels of EPDS and MCQ, and low levels of SE.

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It is possible that the menstrual cycle of female athletes affect the ability to give full performance in competition and training. The purpose of the present study was to provide the relationship between menstrual cycle phases (menstrual phase, follicular phase, luteal phase) and performance of female handball players. Eight highly trained college handball players (19.0±1.1 years of age) volunteered to serve as subjects. All had regularly mensturations with diphasic basal body temperatures. The subjects were surveyed about their premenstrual syndrome (PMS) by questionnaire and were administered some tests to measure their agility and quickness. During the menstrual phase, abdominal cramping, abdominal bloating, painful breasts, tender breasts and acne scored significantly higher. No differences were found in psychological symptom scores between the phases. 25m shuttle-run times were significantly slower during the menstrual phase, but the records of vertical jump and side steps were unchanged through menstrual cycle. These results indicate that menstrual cycle affects athletic performance of female handball players. Furthermore, it was additionally suggested that the cause of impaired performance were physical symptoms such as cramps during the menstrual phase.

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For the purpose of getting the basic data on the mental support for the maternal, we researched the maternal mental states (depression, maternity blues, depression after childbirth) at the early stage of pregnancy (within 15 weeks) and after five days of childbirth and after a month. We investigated the change in the mental states and assessed their environmental factors. This research led them to conclude as follows: 1. The highest frequency of the maternal depressive state was in the early stages of pregnancy. And a month after comes next and then five days after. 2.For primiparas the frequency of depression was high at all stages. 3.The depressive state in the early stage of pregnancy had an effect on the mental states both after five days and after a month. 4.The depression after birth was strongly affected by the mental states after five days of childbirth.

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It expects that the cause of these 2 cases child-rearing fault is immature of the mothers' ego development indicated by TEG. We supported to the mothers to make understand themselves, not changing their ego condition. Also, we adopted family therapy and supported to the families to make understand patients, not to cure patients. We show the cases treated with re-structure the function of the family.

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