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A boost for family planning.

In Ghana, pharmacists and sellers of non-prescription medicines are distributing contraceptives and giving family planning advice within the framework of a demonstration programme which, it is hoped, will lead to a significant improvement in the health of rural populations.

Community Pharmacy Services↗

Comparison of a self-administered tampon ThinPrep test with conventional pap smears for cervical cytology.

AIM: To assess a self-administered tampon specimen as an alternative method of detecting cytological abnormalities and its acceptability in comparison with a conventional Papanicolou (pap) smear. DESIGN: Comparative observational study. SETTING/POPULATION: Two hundred and seventeen women were recruited from the colposcopy clinic of an outer urban public teaching hospital and from sexual health clinics at suburban and major metropolitan hospital clinics. METHODS: Participants inserted and immediately withdrew a tampon, then placed it into a vial of ThinPrep PreservCyt fluid. This was analysed by a local private pathology laboratory. Results were compared to a pap smear performed the same day or within the previous 6 months. All women with an abnormal result (tampon or pap smear) underwent a colposcopy, with or without biopsy as necessary. Participants completed a questionnaire after performing the tampon test. OUTCOME MEASURES: Probabilities of tampon test detecting (i) a high grade abnormality (pHG), (ii) any cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) changes (pCINany), and (iii) any abnormalities (pabn) compared to the conventional pap smear and, if abnormal, compared to the biopsy taken at colposcopy. Acceptability of the tampon test and conventional pap smear were also measured. RESULTS: Probabilities of the tampon test compared to pap smear: pabn sensitivity 33%, specificity 89%, PPV 59%, NPV 73%; pCINany sensitivity 23%, specificity 97%, PPV 71%, NPV 79%; pHG sensitivity 19%, specificity 98%, PPV 63%, NPV 89%. Acceptability for tampon test was 91.21% and for pap smear, 45.85%. CONCLUSIONS: Although the self-administered tampon ThinPrep method is a poor detector of cervical abnormalities compared to pap smear, it is highly acceptable to women. It has a relatively good negative predictive value (NPV). Our study suggests that if a more acceptable, sensitive method of cervical screening was found, which removed some of the existing barriers to conventional pap testing, screening rates for cervical cancer may improve.

Adolescent↗

Condoms: still the most popular contraceptive.

Condoms can be used as a barrier contraceptive and/or to protect against many sexually-transmitted diseases. They are easy to buy and use and free from medical risk. Carefully used, and used in conjunction with a spermicide, condoms have similar reliability to IUDs, progesterone-only pills and the diaphragm. The condom must be put on before the penis touches the vaginal area. The penis should not touch the vaginal area after the condom has been taken off. Oil-based products, eg baby oil, massage oil, lipstick, petroleum jelly, suntan oil, can damage the condom. If a lubricant is required, use one that is water-based.

Adult↗

[Recurrent hernia of the Douglas pouch. Surgical reconstruction by the vaginal route using a mersylene net].

The paper reports an interesting case of Douglas' hernia in a patient who had previously undergone gynecological surgery using a vaginal and abdominal route. The paper is illustrated by radiographic image. The importance of the clinical, anatomical and morphological conditions of the patient is underlined in the evolution of the hernial pathology. Reconstructive surgery was performed by creating a support barrier of mersylene net in order to avoid further recurrences.

Douglas' Pouch↗

The effect of lactation on ovulation and fertility.

It has long been recognized that women who breastfeed their children have a longer period of amenorrhea and infertility following delivery than do those women who do not breastfeed. The length of postpartum amenorrhea is quite variable, and depends on several factors, including maternal age and parity, and the duration and frequency of breastfeeding. In general, it would appear that the more frequent and the longer the episodes of breastfeeding, the longer will be the period of anovulation, and the longer the period of infertility.

Adult↗

Psychological distress, drug and alcohol use as correlates of condom use in HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between psychological distress, alcohol, drug and condom use in HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples. METHODS: Structured interviews were conducted to collect demographic information, detailed data on psychological distress, drug and alcohol use and sexual behavior. RESULTS: Analyses were based on 106 pairs of sexually active discordant couples. Significant differences among heterosexual condom users and non-users varied according to gender and HIV serostatus. Affect domains of interpersonal sensitivity and hostility were significant, as were the variables of regular drug or alcohol use and combining sex with drugs or alcohol. Employment was strongly associated with condom use in HIV-negative women whose regular sexual partners were HIV-positive men. CONCLUSION: The risk of vaginal sex without condoms in HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples may be reduced by specific psychological counseling and attention to drug and alcohol use as risk factors. Further research on the effect of employment of HIV-negative women is required.

Adolescent↗

Prevalence of intimate partner violence and health implications for women using emergency departments and primary care clinics.

OBJECTIVES: To determine prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among women accessing health care, factors that influence rates of abuse, barriers to disclosure, and associated health problems and perceptions of safety. METHODS: A convenience sample of women seeking health care completed 1268 anonymous surveys (75 in Spanish) while at 1 of 24 urban, suburban, or rural emergency departments or primary care clinics. RESULTS: Of women in this study, 50-57% had experienced physical and/or emotional abuse and 26% reported sexual abuse in their lifetime. In the past year, 28% reported emotional abuse, 12% physical abuse, 6% severe physical abuse, and 4% sexual abuse. Logistic regression models found that younger, less-educated, less-affluent women presenting to urban emergency departments reported the highest rates of physical abuse. Although 83% welcomed abuse screening, only 25% ever had been asked and 86% would disclose abuse if asked directly, respectfully, and confidentially. Abused women reported significantly lower health status ratings than nonabused women (p < 0.001). Emotional abuse was as strongly associated with health problems as physical abuse. The majority (70-93%) of women with headaches, stomach problems, chronic pain, vaginal bleeding, substance abuse, depression, and suicidal thoughts had experienced lifetime physical/emotional abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Women experience many forms of abuse and present to a wide range of health care settings. The striking prevalence of IPV and associated emotional/physical health problems challenges providers to routinely assess for abuse in ways that minimize barriers to disclosure and enhance the development of an effective plan of care based on a patient's abuse experience.

Adult↗

Immunological characterization of human vaginal xenografts in immunocompromised mice: development of a small animal model for the study of human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection.

A small animal model for the in vivo study of human immunodeficiency virus-1 and other fastidious infectious agents in human host target tissues is critical for the advancement of therapeutic and preventative strategies. Our laboratory has developed a human vaginal xenograft model that histologically recapitulates features of the human vaginal epithelial barrier. Vaginal xenografts were surgically implanted into C.B.-Igh-1(b)/IcrTac-Prkdc(scid) (SCID) and NOD/LtSz-scid/scid (NOD/SCID) mice, with and without human peripheral blood mononuclear cell reconstitution. Immunohistochemical staining of vaginal xenografts demonstrated that in the SCID strain healed vaginal xenografts did not retain intrinsic human immune cells at baseline levels, whereas the NOD/SCID strain supported retention of intrinsic human immune cell populations within the xenografts for at least 2 months after engraftment. In peripheral blood mononuclear cell-reconstituted NOD/SCID mice with vaginal xenografts, flow cytometric analyses detected human immune cell populations in the peripheral blood and immunohistochemical methods detected infiltration of human CD45+ cells in the mouse spleens and vaginal xenografts for at least 2 months after reconstitution. This optimized NOD/SCID human vaginal xenograft model may provide a unique small animal in vivo system for the study of human immunodeficiency virus-1 transmission and infection.

Animals↗

High-risk sexual behavior among heterosexual undergraduates at a midwestern university.

Approximately 80% of a self-selected sample of 593 heterosexual undergraduate college students studied at a large Midwestern state university in 1988 had ever experienced penile-vaginal or penile-anal intercourse. One-fifth of the 477 sexually experienced women and men said they had had heterosexual and intercourse. The mean age at first vaginal intercourse was 17, while the mean age at first anal intercourse was about 18.5. Although less than four years, on average, had elapsed since the respondents' first vaginal or anal intercourse, females reported having had an average of 5.6 sexual partners, and males reported an average of 11.2 partners.

Adolescent↗

A survey on risk factors associated with cervical cancer.

Carcinoma of the cervix is one of the leading malignancies in the developing countries including India. In view of this health care program might have to be redefined. Most of the data are available from the developed countries, which rely mainly on cytology screening on regular basis. This however may not be feasible in developing countries because of various constraints. Thus alternative approaches are needed based on risk reduction modalities. This article while dealing with the control approaches based on secondary prevention, reviews several risk factors associated with cervical cancer. The various articles were approached through Medline search including cross-references. The important life styles associated with cervical cancer and which are amenable to primary prevention strategies through health education, behavioral interventions, legislative approaches and modifying the health care seeking behavior were identified through the review process. These factors mainly pertain to early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners, menstrual hygiene and unprotected sex. Role of male partners has also been delineated in the process of cervical carcinogenesis. These factors are essentially conducive to the transmission of an etiological agent; the high-risk types human papillomaviruses, the more proximal cause in the web of causation. Barrier method of contraception and prophylactic vaccine in future could help to check the transmission of the virus. Role of smoking and oral contraceptives has also been discussed. Till the facilities for mass scale screening are developed in developing countries the primary prevention approaches could certainly help to check the incidence of the disease.

Female↗

Birth weight and birth defects in relation to maternal spermicide use.

The possible effects of maternal spermicide use on birth characteristics of offspring were examined in two studies. First, birth weight of offspring was examined in a cohort study of 302 women who reported using spermicides and 716 women who used no contraceptive methods in the year prior to pregnancy resulting in a 1974 live birth (without a malformation) in Upstate New York. There was no evidence that spermicide use prior to the last menstrual period (LMP) had an effect on mean birth weight or on the proportion of lower weights. Mean birth weight of female births was significantly lower in post-LMP spermicide users than in pre-LMP-only spermicide users and no-contraceptive users. In multiple linear regression analyses of birth weight among births to spermicide users, including maternal smoking during pregnancy and other variables, time of discontinuation of spermicide use was an important predictor of female (but not male) birth weight. In the second (case-control) study of 715 Upstate New York births with selected birth defects and 715 control births (matched on maternal age and race), no significantly increased relative risks were associated with maternal spermicide use prior to LMP or after LMP. Based on small numbers, relative risks for post-LMP spermicide use were greater than 1.00 for hypospadias (8/2 or 4.00, not significant) and for limb reduction defects (6/3 or 2.00, not significant).

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

[Contraception and Gardnerella vaginalis. First study of the Italian population].

The association between contraception and Gardnerella vaginalis was studied in the population of L'Aquila. This research was conducted in the cytocolposcopic Center of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinic, and the Department of Biotechnology and Biometry at L'Aquila University on 1212 females. Of the examined patients, 178 (14.7%) employed a prophylactic method and of these 104 (58.4%) used barrier-systems, while 74 (41.6%) used estroprogestins. Gardnerella vaginalis was isolated in 63 females (6.1%) that used no contraceptive and 19 (10.7%) that employed one.

Contraception↗

Contraception.

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Abortion, Induced↗