Clinical evaluation and follow-up on 3,829 IUD procedures.
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More than 1 million teen pregnancies occur each year in the United States. DMPA offers several distinct advantages over other contraceptive methods in adolescents. The duration of effectiveness and convenience of DMPA are appealing to teens. Most teens who are current users view amenorrhea as a positive feature of DMPA. Although most young women are able to tolerate the irregular bleeding, some find the cycle disruption concerning. Satisfaction rates among adolescent DMPA users is high.
The use of drugs to terminate pregnancy could cut the number of unsafe abortions, according to the Wellcome Trust and the Population Council. A specialist conference in January this year concluded that the technique is safe and effective and would be particularly valuable in resource-poor countries. In an article in the journal Science staff of the two organizations outline the research that will be necessary before medical abortion can be made widely available in the developing world. It is estimated that half of all surgical abortions are conducted in unsafe conditions. Drug-induced (medical) abortion has been available in developed countries for over 10 years, usually involving the use of the drug mifepristone. A cheaper drug, misoprostol, is already in use in some developing countries. Meanwhile, WHO has published a booklet on "emergency contraception." The term refers to contraceptive methods that can be used by women in the first few days following unprotected intercourse to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. This would not be considered as abortion by most authorities. The emergency methods available are: increased doses of combined oral contraceptive pills, high doses of progestogen-only pills, or inserting of copper releasing IUDs.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Depo-Provera-induced menstrual irregularity is believed to be secondary to relative estrogen deficiency. Weight gain associated with this contraceptive method is believed to be due to Depo-Provera's steroid-like appetite stimulation effect and to an altered tryptophan metabolism. We examined whether vitamin C, an important factor in uterine estrogen binding, and vitamin B(6), a glucocorticoid antagonist and an important coenzyme in the tryptophan-serotonin pathway, might alleviate menstrual irregularities and weight gain associated with Depo-Provera. METHODS: Fifty-five adolescent girls (age 16 +/- 1 yr, gyn age 4 +/- 1 yr, body mass index 25.2 +/- 0.9) who decided to initiate Depo-Provera (150 mg intramuscularly every 3 months) were randomly assigned to one of four groups (group 1: vitamin B(6) 50 mg plus placebo pill/day; group 2: vitamin C 500 mg plus placebo pill/day; group 3: vitamin B(6) 50 mg plus vitamin C 500 mg/day; group 4 (control): 2 placebo pills/day) for 6 months. Participants were assessed by their care providers every 3 months. SETTING: Two urban hospital-based adolescent clinics. RESULTS: Number of days of bleeding during the first interval (first 3 months) as well as during the second interval (months 4-6) among groups 1, 2, and 3 did not differ statistically from days of bleeding in control group. There were no significant body mass index (BMI) changes among groups 1-3 (-0.15 +/- 0.18, 0.34 +/- 0.56, 0.01 +/- 0.31) compared with control (-0.38 +/- 0.38) during the first interval as well as during the second interval (0.68 +/- 0.37, -0.39 +/- 0.21, 0.45 +/- 0.32, compared with 0.28 +/- 0.43). When data from all 55 participants were collapsed, there was no significant change in BMI during the first 6 months of Depo-Provera use. About 48% at 3 months and 44% at 6 months were very or somewhat concerned about menstrual irregularity; 41% at 3 months and 18% at 6 months were very or somewhat concerned about weight changes. More than half (57%) at 3 months and 74% at 6 months reported less tampon/pad use, and 77% at 3 months and 78% at 6 months reported decreased menstrual cramps. Overall, 59% at 3 months and 70% at 6 months were very satisfied with Depo-Provera; 97% at 3 months and 96% at 6 months said that they would recommend Depo-Provera to a friend or a relative. CONCLUSIONS: This study does not support a role for vitamin C in the prevention of Depo-Provera-induced menstrual irregularities or for vitamin B(6) in the prevention of weight changes associated with Depo-Provera. The unchanged BMI during the first 6 months of Depo-Provera use in the present study suggests that raising awareness and close follow-up may prevent weight gain among adolescent girls using this contraceptive method.
This study examined the influence of the relationship context where adolescent sexual activity takes place on contraceptive decisions. The data were collected in a specially designed survey carried out in May 2000 on 1,438 adolescent males aged 13-19 residing in favelas (urban slum areas) of Recife, Brazil. A logistic regression analysis of condom use at last sexual intercourse and a multinomial logit analysis of contraceptive method choice were performed for 678 sexually active adolescents. Educational attainment, degree of knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention, and condom use at first sexual intercourse were found to be significantly associated with current condom use. Regarding the relationship context, the analysis revealed that adolescent males in steady relationships were less likely to use condoms, less likely to regard themselves at risk of HIV infection, and more concerned about pregnancy prevention than adolescents in casual relationships. Differentials in condom use by type of relationship, however, did not result from a higher rejection of contraception by steady partners but from their higher likelihood to rely on other contraceptive methods. Results suggest that prevention campaigns need to take into account the intimate context where adolescents assess potential health risks, and to address the divergent symbolic meanings condoms may have in different types of relationships. If an increase of condom use among stable sexual partners is pursued, public health campaigns might need to romanticize condom use as a sign of love and trust and place more emphasis on the benefits of dual protection.
In clinical trials comparing alternative contraceptive methods, women often discontinue for disturbances in menstrual bleeding patterns. Vaginal bleeding diaries have been used to monitor these patterns, and this paper suggests two new methods of analysis of these data. One analysis measures trends over time in the occurrence of specific patterns and, a second analysis, the relation between a woman's current experience and the probability of continuing method use. Contrasts between these approaches and the reference period method of analysis are made. A randomised clinical trial of the relative efficacy of 100 and 150 mg doses of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is used for illustration.
In 1988 a survey was carried out in order to obtain information on knowledge about reproduction, sexual activity, attitudes, and use of contraceptive methods among residents between 15 and 24 years of age in Greater Santiago. For this purpose, a multistage, self-weighted, non-replacement probability sample was chosen from the entire Santiago urban area. After 2,898 households were visited, 865 women and 800 men were selected and interviewed. For the interview, a questionnaire with 156 questions was developed; many questions were similar to those included in similar surveys in Brazil and Guatemala. The interviewers were professionals who had received prior training. Although 75% of the interviewees had attended sex education classes, they had erroneous ideas on various basic subjects. Sixty-nine percent of the women interviewed had undergone menarche before attending these classes. In addition, 35.4% of the women and 65.0% of the men had had sexual relations prior to marriage, and less than 20% had used any contraceptive method. More than 60% of the interviewees who had children had conceived them before marrying. These findings point up the necessity of offering sex education classes for children and young people, as well as facilitating their access to family planning services, in order to decrease the number of illegitimate and unwanted children that are born in Chile.
Compared to neighboring countries, the Philippines has high fertility rates and a low prevalence of modern-method contraception use. The Philippine government faces political and cultural barriers to addressing family planning needs, but also legal barriers erected by its own policies. We conducted a review of laws and policies relating to family planning in the Philippines in order to examine how the law may facilitate or constrain service provision. The methodology consisted of three phases. First, we collected and analyzed laws and regulations relating to the delivery of family planning services. Second, we conducted a qualitative interview study. Third, we synthesized findings to formulate policy recommendations. We present a conceptual model for understanding the impact of law on public health and discuss findings in relation to the roles of health care provider regulation, drug regulation, tax law, trade policies, insurance law, and other laws on access to modern-method contraceptives.
The probability of pregnancy is very small during the first 2 months after delivery if the mother breast-feeds. The risk remains small for 6 months if the mother is fully breast-feeding her infant, is still amenorrhoeic and the child does not receive additional food. Under these conditions there is only about a 2% chance of pregnancy. Even full breast-feeding does not inhibit ovarian function after 6 months. Breast-feeding is a very important and efficient contraceptive method in the developing countries, but it is also a useful method in developed countries during the early puerperium. Barrier methods and progestogen-only hormonal methods (pills, implants and injectables) are the primary contraceptive alternatives during breast-feeding. They have no adverse effects on lactation, the condition of the infant or on maternal ovarian function. Sterilization is only a good alternative if the family wants a permanent method of contraception. Careful insertion of an IUD is possible even before the first menstrual period. Puerperal insertion of an IUD needs expertise and training because of the vulnerability of the very soft puerperal uterine wall. Combined oral contraceptives diminish milk production and therefore combined oral contraceptives are not recommended during lactation.
A case-control study was conducted in Utah between 1984 and 1987 to examine risk factors for cervical cancer. Interviews were completed with 266 histologically confirmed carcinoma in situ and invasive squamous cell cervical cancer cases who were categorically matched by age to 408 controls. Among the factors identified as altering risk for cervical cancer, after adjustment for age, education, church attendance, and cigarette smoking, were: having numerous sex partners (odds ratio (OR) = 8.99 for 10 or more partners); the current mate having several sex partners (adjusted OR for 10 or more partners = 8.62); using foam or jelly as a contraceptive method (OR, adjusted for number of sex partners, = 0.44); reported Trichomonas infection (OR, adjusted for number of sex partners, = 2.10); and herpes simplex virus type 2 infection as determined by 2:1 neutralization index values above 100 (OR = 2.70). A protective effect was noted from the use of diaphragms (OR = 0.67) or condoms (OR = 0.53) in women who reported more than one sex partner. These data support the hypothesis that cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted disease.
The recovery of fertility after discontinuation of NORPLANT implant use was assessed in ninety women who stated a desire for a new child at the time of removal. Three subjects were lost to follow-up after removal. The cumulative probability of conception in the remaining 87 women was 25, 49, 73 and 86 percent at one, three, six and twelve months after removal, respectively. Nine observations were censored either because of the use of a contraceptive method soon after removal of the implants (n = 7) or separation (n = 2). All other cases were pregnant at the end of two years with exception of three subjects where a male factor for infertility was present. There was no significant correlation between the length of NORPLANT use and the length of the interval from removal to conception. A significantly higher frequency of intervals longer than 6 months was observed among women older than 30 years as compared to younger women. Pathology during pregnancy was cholestasia (n = 5), hypertension (n = 1) and gestational diabetes (n = 1). The outcome was term delivery in 59 cases, premature delivery in 4 cases, and spontaneous abortion in 7 cases. One woman is still pregnant and the outcome is unknown in 4 cases. One premature infant died. A contemporary control group of Copper T users enrolled under the same criteria as NORPLANT implant users provided 44 women who had the device removed to become pregnant. The cumulative probability of pregnancy was 27, 69, 84 and 89 at one, three, six and twelve months and all were pregnant by the end of the second year. Six censored observations occurred because of the use of another contraceptive method after removal (n = 3) or loss to follow-up (n = 3). The outcome of pregnancy was term delivery in 23 cases and abortion in 7 cases. Recovery of fertility occurred at a normal rate after NORPLANT implant removal and the incidence of problems detected in the ensuing pregnancy were within the expected range for Chilean women.
This paper presents national estimates of contraceptive usage patterns among white women from 1955-82 for the major religious populations in the United States. Drawing on several surveys, the data show that in 1955 differences in contraceptive use between white Protestants and Catholics were very large and corresponded to the higher fertility levels among Catholics. By 1982, all the major religious groups had experienced downward changes in expected family size and all used effective contraceptive methods, including sterilization, the pill, and the IUD. Despite some convergence in the patterns of contraceptive usage over time, significant differences in contraceptive use styles remain among Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and those of no religious affiliation after multivariate controls eliminated socioeconomic and sociodemographic differences among these subpopulations. The evidence points to the multiple contraceptive paths to similar levels of low fertility. A series of hypotheses are proposed to account for these different contraceptive use styles that relate to religious communities, peer pressure and social norms, differential sex roles, male-female communication patterns, and the differential use of physician-based versus other sources of contraceptives.
Prescribing a contraceptive method for women with intercurrent disease poses a difficult clinical management problem for physicians. The contraceptive chosen may adversely affect the underlying disease of the patient. Conversely, failure of contraception could result in pregnancy, which could also adversely affect the patient's underlying disease. These factors must be taken into consideration in selecting appropriate and effective contraceptive agents to avoid complications and undesired pharmacologic interactions.
The subcutaneous implantation of estradiol pellets was found to be a simple and effective contraceptive method with good patient acceptance and minimal untoward effects. The pellets (25 mg each) were implanted through a Kearn's trocar into the abdominal wall, 2.5 to 5 cm above and parallel to Poupart's ligament. The regimen began with four pellets, and the dose was maintained or decreased by one pellet every 6 months (four, three, two, one). A potent progestogen was utilized monthly for induction of withdrawal bleeding. Altogether, 236 patients were followed for a total of 1,060 courses in 6,360 cycles (489,02 woman-years). Two pregnancies occurred during therapy. Pearl's index was 0.37. No significant alterations occurred in body weight and blood pressure. Glucose tolerance test, standard blood profiles, and Papanicolaou smears were normal during therapy. No cases of thrombophlebitis, blurred vision, headaches, gastric symptoms, or amenorrhea-galactorrhea were observed. The suppression of ovulation was confirmed by endometrial biopsies, basal body temperature, and serum follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, and progesterone in a selected group of patients.
CONTEXT: Much of what is known about the choice of sterilization as a contraceptive method is based on data from married women or couples. Because of increasing rates of cohabitation, divorce and repartnering, however, the relationship context in which sterilization decisions are made has changed. METHODS: The 1995 National Survey of Family Growth includes the complete birth and union histories of 10,277 white, black and Hispanic women. The distribution of union status and marital history at the time of tubal sterilization was estimated for these three racial and ethnic groups among the 799 women who had had a tubal ligation in 1990-1995 before age 40. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the effects of union status and marital history on the risk of tubal sterilization. The analysis controlled for the woman's age, parity, race and ethnicity education, region, experience of an unwanted birth and calendar period. RESULTS: Among women who obtained a tubal sterilization, most whites (79%) and Hispanics (66%) were married when they had the operation, compared with only 36% of black women. At the time of their sterilization, 46% of black women had never been married. Among all women, regardless of race and ethnicity and net of all controls, the probability of tubal sterilization is about 25% lower for single, never-married women than for cohabiting or married women. Cohabitation does not reduce the likelihood in comparison to marriage, however. Higher rates of tubal sterilization among Hispanic women are accounted for by their higher parity at each age; differences in parity or marriage by race only partially account for the relatively higher rates of tubal sterilization among black women. CONCLUSIONS: Because women currently spend greater proportions of their lives outside of marriage or in less-stable cohabiting partnerships than they did in the past, they are increasingly likely to make the decision to seek sterilization on their own. As a result, the gender gap in contraceptive sterilization will likely increase. The possibility of partnership change is an important consideration in choosing sterilization as a contraceptive method.
Many adolescents are sexually active and reproductive health is an important aspect of adolescent medicine. However, pediatricians are often uncomfortable with the issues of sexuality and contraception, for which they have not been particularly trained. The general purpose of this article is to increase pediatricians' sense of competence with adolescents, particularly when having to deal with or counsel on such a sensitive issue as contraception. This first of two parts is an updated review of the relevant contraceptive methods available, mainly condoms and various contraceptive pills, but also less-prescribed method like long-term progestins, as well as the recently debated emergency contraception. Each of these methods is described in its context of use at adolescence.
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