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Interactions between oral contraceptives and malaria infections in rhesus monkeys.

The interaction of oral contraceptives with malaria infection (Plasmodium cynomolgi B and P. coatneyi) in adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) was studied. The oral contraceptives (Norinyl and Ovral-28) were administered for 12 consecutive menstrual cycles, from day 5 to 25 of each cycle, at either (1/3) of the human dose of Norinyl (norethisterone 0.33 mg + ethinylestradiol 0.012 mg) or (1/6) of the human dose of Ovral-28 (norgestrel 0.083 mg + ethinylestradiol 0.008 mg).The animals were divided into three groups for each infection (control, Norinyl and Ovral-28 treated) with 10 monkeys in each group for P. cynomolgi B infection and 12 in each group for P. coatneyi infection. The animals were infected after 6 cycles of oral contraceptive administration, and the course of infection was studied during the 7th and 8th cycles. This was followed by radical cure during the 9th and 10th cycles and rechallenge in the 11th and 12th cycles. The present study showed that (1) the contraceptive-treated animals maintained a slightly increased cumulative parasite load; (2) the contraceptives did not interfere with the radical curative action of chloroquine; (3) the contraceptive-treated animals showed no significant change in the course of parasitaemia on rechallenge or in the malaria indirect fluorescent antibody levels; (4) the liver function tests were not altered significantly by the administration of contraceptives and subsequent infection; and (5) the haematological changes observed in the contraceptive-treated animals were similar to those observed in the control group.

Animals↗

Contraceptive knowledge: development of a valid measure and survey of pill users and general practioners.

AIMS: To design, pilot, and validate a questionnaire to test contraceptive knowledge in combined oral contraceptive pill users. METHOD: To ensure face and content validity the questionnaire was developed using existing unvalidated instruments and in consultation with GPs, local and national family planning experts, and with pill users. The questionnaire was then piloted with 15 current oral contraceptive pill users and 10 local GPs, modified, and a contraceptive knowledge 'score' developed. Construct validity-that the degree of family planning training should predict contraceptive knowledge-was tested in four groups: family planning trainers (n=28), GPs (n=40), current pill users (n=53), and male medical students (n=59). Thirty current pill users were sent the questionnaire after two weeks to determine test-retest reliability. RESULTS: The questionnaire showed construct validity: there was a gradient of scores across the four knowledge groups. Family planning trainers had the highest scores, followed by GPs, and current pill users, with male medical students having the lowest scores (Kruskal-Wallis test p<0.001). Women had good knowledge of situations when pill efficacy is reduced but poorer knowledge of what action to take subsequently. Predictors of knowledge in pill users were educational level, age, and the importance attached to not falling pregnant-thus providing further evidence for the construct validity of the questionnaire. Test-retest reliability was good (rank correlation 0. 73). CONCLUSION: A contraceptive knowledge questionnaire suitable for use in audit or research has been developed which is reliable and has face, content and construct validity. Pill users have poor knowledge of what to do in situations of pill failure and about the details of emergency contraception. Trials are needed to assess the effectiveness of different strategies to improve contraceptive knowledge in women.

Adult↗

Emergency contraception: a global overview.

Emergency contraception, sometimes referred to as "morning after" or postcoital contraception, provides a second chance for women who experience contraceptive failure or do not use a method, as well as for women who experience unplanned intercourse, including coerced sex or rape. The two primary methods of emergency contraception are postcoital use of a higher dose of oral contraceptive pills and insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD). Both can significantly reduce a woman's chance of becoming pregnant (75% and 99% respectively). Knowledge of emergency contraception is crucial, since women must know they can prevent pregnancy after intercourse in order to seek out treatment. While rates of unwanted pregnancy vary in different countries and among population groups, the need for emergency contraception is critical worldwide, However, the availability of emergency contraception differs widely. It is most extensively used in Europe, but is still a new method in other countries, including the United States.

Contraceptives, Postcoital↗

Determinants of oral contraceptive use in northern Italy.

Socio-demographic characteristics, general lifestyle habits, reproductive and medical histories were compared of 328 women who had ever used oral contraceptives and 2306 never users from a case-control surveillance conducted in Northern Italy. Oral contraceptive use was positively and strongly related with the level of education and indicators of social class. The rate ratio of ever use (adjusted for age and diagnostic category) was 3.3 for women with 12 years of education or more compared with less than 7 years, and 3.0 for women of highest compared with lowest social class. The frequency of pill use was lower among never married women, and significantly elevated among smokers (rate ratio = 2.4 for heavy smokers). In contrast, no relation was evident between alcohol or coffee consumption and pill use. Likewise, ever users of oral contraceptives were not significantly different from women who had never used the pill with regard to major reproductive factors (parity and age at first pregnancy) or several medical variables of potential interest (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia), with the only possible exclusion of obesity which was less frequent among pill users. Thus, this study indicates that the major determinants of the persistently low frequency of oral contraceptive use in this Northern Italian population are social rather than reproductive or medical factors. These findings have important implications for epidemiological research on oral contraceptive and disease in this population, and underline the importance of selection and screening of oral contraceptive users on the basis of knowledge of medical factors and lifestyle habits.

Adult↗

Subdermal contraceptive implants.

Subdermal contraceptive implants involve the delivery of a steroid progestin from polymer capsules or rods placed under the skin. The hormone diffuses out slowly at a stable rate, providing contraceptive effectiveness for 1-5 years. The period of protection depends upon the specific progestin and the type of polymer. Advantages of progestin implants include long term contraceptive action without requiring the user's or provider's attention, low dose of highly effective contraception without the use of estrogen, and fertility is readily reversible after the removal of implants. The levonorgestrel implant Norplant R system is the only one that has been approved for distribution. The contraceptive efficacy of Norplant is the highest observed amongst the most effective methods with an annual pregnancy rate of 0.2 during the first and second year and 1.1 on the fifth year. Menstrual problems are the main reason for the discontinuation of Norplant and 9% of women stopped using it during the first year of treatment. Other implants are still under development trying to simplify the method by reducing the number of units and to introduce other progestins that may minimize side effects. Norplant-2 was designed to release the same dose of progestin from only two covered rods. Evaluation of 1400 women enrolled, indicates that over 2 years the cumulative pregnancy rate is below 0.5 per 100 women. There are three single implants under development: Nestorone, 3-Keto-desogestrel and Uniplant that are expected to be effective for 1-2 years. Phase II clinical trials with Nestorone have been completed and no pregnancies have been observed in 1570 woman-months of use. Bleeding irregularities occurred in 20-30% of the women but there were only four terminations because of bleeding problems. A multricentric study is ongoing with a newly designed 3-keto-desogestrel implant named Implanon, which releases approx. 60 micrograms/day of the hormone. The objectives of this study are to assess contraceptive efficacy, safety and acceptability of Implanon. Another multricentric study is ongoing with Uniplant, which releases nomegestrol acetate with a duration of action for only 1 year. The objectives of the trial are to study the endocrine profile of Uniplant users and to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of the method.

Contraceptive Agents, Female↗

Contraceptive choices in women with coagulation disorders.

When compared with older reports on the thromboembolic effects of high-dose oral contraceptives, new studies with low-dose oral contraceptives have a significantly reduced risk of thromboembolism. In the absence of risk factors such as smoking or inherited disorders predisposing to thrombosis, the modern low-dose oral contraceptive (< 50 micrograms of estrogen) is a safe and effective choice for contraception in women without symptoms who have family histories of sporadic thromboembolism. An intrauterine device or some form of barrier method is recommended for women who have a personal history of venous thrombus disease. The low-dose oral contraceptive may be a good choice in women taking oral anticoagulants because of the risk of teratogenic effects of anticoagulants and the risks of intraperitoneal bleeding associated with ovulation. In addition, oral contraceptives help diminish the excessive menstrual bleeding often seen in these women.

Blood Coagulation Disorders↗

Noncontraceptive health benefits of oral steroidal contraceptives.

Prospective and retrospective epidemiologic studies involving oral contraceptives have been reviewed to determine the existence and extent of their benefits other than prevention of pregnancy. There is less menstrual blood loss, which reduces the risk of iron deficiency anemia by about 50%. The incidence of menorrhagia, irregular menses, and intermenstrual bleeding is also significantly reduced in users of oral contraceptives. Studies have shown an approximate 50% reduction in risk of endometrial cancer in oral contraceptive users, as well as a significant reduction in various types of benign breast disease. Because oral contraceptives inhibit ovulation, functional ovarian cysts are nearly eliminated, and the incidence of dysmenorrhea and premenstrual tension is significantly reduced. Oral contraceptives also protect women from developing ovarian carcinoma, rheumatoid arthritis, and salpingitis. From this review we conclude that the benefits of oral contraceptives in young healthy women for far outweight their more widely publicized, infrequent risks.

Adult↗

Cervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection in university women: relationship to history, contraception, ectopy, and cervicitis.

Endocervical Chlamydia trachomatis infection was found in 13 of 162 volunteer female university students (8%). Infection was correlated with younger age (p less than 0.05), less than or equal to 4 years of intercourse (p less than 0.05), a history of gonorrhea (p less than 0.01), and exposure to a partner with urethritis (p less than 0.01). Women who used intrauterine or barrier contraception had less infection (2%) than did women who used oral contraception (14.3%, p less than 0.05) or none at all (10.7%, p less than 0.05). Infection was strongly associated with a cervicitis score calculated from erythema, ectopy, discharge, and secretions that contained white blood cells (p less than 0.0001). By multivariate analysis, a proposed clinical approach was arrived at for testing for chlamydial organisms all women with cervicitis who were not using barrier contraception. The positive predictive value of this approach for chlamydial infection was 28%, and the negative predictive value 98.4%. Cervical ectopy was increased in women who used oral contraception (p less than 0.01), and infection was increased in women with ectopy, regardless of their contraceptive method (p less than 0.001). These results will aid in more rapid diagnosis of endocervical chlamydial infection and in the choice of contraception in young women and high-prevalence groups.

Adolescent↗

Stroke in users of low-dose oral contraceptives.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have linked the use of oral contraceptive agents to an increased risk of stroke, but those studies have been limited to oral contraceptives containing more estrogen than is now generally used. METHODS: In a population-based, case-control study, we identified fatal and nonfatal strokes in female members of the California Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program and who were 15 through 44 years of age. Matched controls were randomly selected from female members who had not had strokes. Information about the use of oral contraceptives (essentially limited to low-estrogen preparations) was obtained in interviews. RESULTS: A total of 408 confirmed strokes occurred in a total of 1.1 million women during 3.6 million woman-years of observation. The incidence of stroke was thus 11.3 per 100,000 woman-years. On the basis of data from 295 women with stroke who were interviewed and their controls, the odds ratio for ischemic stroke among current users of oral contraceptives, as compared with former users and women who had never used such drugs, was 1.18 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.54 to 2.59) after adjustment for other risk factors for stroke. The adjusted odds ratio for hemorrhagic stroke was 1.14 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.60 to 2.16). With respect to the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, there was a positive interaction between the current use of oral contraceptives and smoking (odds ratio for women with both these factors, 3.64; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.95 to 13.87). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke is rare among women of childbearing age. Low-estrogen oral-contraceptive preparations do not appear to increase the risk of stroke.

Adolescent↗

Can combined oral contraceptives be made more effective by means of a nursing care model?

This manuscript is a theoretical attempt to show how the Neuman Systems Model can be practically used in combined oral contraceptive counselling by Swedish midwives. Counselling regarding combined oral contraceptives is not solely of a medical nature. There are many dimensions of care, namely sociological, developmental and philosophical. In 1980, the midwife in Sweden was responsible for between 70-80% of counselling in contraceptive methods. To facilitate the contraceptive counselling by the midwives, the Neuman Systems Model can be used as a theoretical aid. In the present report, the midwife's oral contraceptive counselling is described at an individual level with primary prevention. It is concluded that, from a theoretical standpoint, it is not possible to predict how the Neuman Systems Model, as a theoretical aid for the midwife, can increase the effectiveness of the birth control pill in preventing pregnancy. Research about the use of the nursing care model in oral contraceptive counselling should be carried out.

Adult↗

Contraceptive characteristics: the perceptions and priorities of men and women.

CONTEXT: Despite the fact that choosing a contraceptive method is often a decision made by couples, little is known about how men and women differ in their perceptions of the characteristics of various method types, and in the importance that they attach to those characteristics when choosing a contraceptive method. METHODS: The data analyzed here are subsets from two companion surveys conducted in 1991--1,189 men aged 20-27 who were surveyed in the National Survey of Men and 740 women aged 20-27 who were surveyed in the National Survey of Women. Multivariate ordered logit analysis is used to examine how gender is related to both the importance that individuals assign to seven specific contraceptive characteristics when choosing a method, and to perceptions about the extent to which five common method types possess each of these characteristics. RESULTS: Women rank pregnancy prevention as the single most important contraceptive characteristic when choosing a method, with 90% citing it as "very important." The health risks associated with particular methods and protection from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are rated as the second most important characteristics by women (each mentioned as "very important" by 77%). In contrast, men consider STD prevention for themselves and their partner to be just as important as pregnancy protection (each mentioned as "very important" by 84-86%), and they rank STD prevention as more important than other health risks (by 72%). Women, but not men, rank both ease of use and the need to plan ahead as being more important characteristics than a method's interference with sexual pleasure. Both men and women have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of particular methods, but differ enough in their perceptions to alter the relative attractiveness of each method. In particular, women have more favorable perceptions than men about the pill, being somewhat more likely than men to believe that the pill is "very good" at preventing pregnancy (75% vs. 67%) and to say that it is very good at not interfering with sexual pleasure (82% vs. 76%). In contrast, women have generally less favorable perceptions than men about other reversible methods, including the condom: Women were less likely than men to consider the condom very good at pregnancy prevention (29% vs. 46%) or at having no need for advance planning (22% vs. 38%). Gender differences in perceptions about the specific characteristics of contraceptive methods often vary by marital status. CONCLUSIONS: Men and women have somewhat different priorities when choosing a contraceptive method. Despite many similarities between women and men in their perceptions about the characteristics of each method type, numerous differences between them may have an important influence on how couples make their method choices.

Adult↗

Contraceptive practice in New Zealand.

A survey of contraceptive practice in New Zealand was carried out using a population-based sample of women, aged 25 to 54, selected as control subjects in a national case-control study. The results showed that sterilisation has become the most common means of family limitation. Overall, 45% of women aged 25 to 54 were in a union where one or the other partner had been sterilised. Vasectomy was the most common method of contraceptive sterilisation. The frequency of hysterectomy contributed to the high rates of sterilisation; 12% of women had had a hysterectomy. Over 80% of New Zealand women had used an oral contraceptive at some time, but only 11% were using the pill at the time of the survey. Comparison with earlier studies of contraceptive use in New Zealand show there has been a marked increase in the prevalence of contraceptive sterilisation, and a marked decrease in the use of oral contraceptives.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

[Cerebral venous thrombosis associated with the use of oral contraceptives].

The entity of cerebrovascular diseases associated with the use of oral contraceptives is well known but quite rare in Japan in contrast to Western countries. We recently encountered a 38 years old female with cerebral venous thrombosis considered to be caused by oral contraception. This patient took oral contraceptives for 17 days following therapeutic abortion, and was transferred to our hospital because of disturbed consciousness. CT scans disclosed a right temporo-occipital subcortical hemorrhagic infarction and bilateral thalamic infarction. Cerebral angiograms showed non-filling of cortical veins in the same area. The internal cerebral vein, vein of Galen and right transverse sinus were not visualized either. The hematoma and necrotic tissue were removed to avoid farther neurological deterioration. The brain was swollen and hyperemic, and thrombosed cortical veins were clearly recognized at operation. Twelve cases, including ours, of cerebrovascular diseases associated with oral contraception were reported up to now in Japan, and only 3 of them were diagnosed objectively as venous or sinus thrombosis. The average age of these 12 cases was 34 years old and many of them experienced abortion or therapeutic abortion. There was no relationship between the dose of estrogen and the onset of cerebrovascular diseases. We believe that the onset of this pathological state is based on gynecological hypercoagulable state, and the oral contraception may play a role of a trigger. Oral contraception should be contraindicated in patients with gynecological hypercoagulable state, hypertension and/or smoking habit.

Adult↗

Contraceptive use before tubal sterilization.

A woman's decision to undergo tubal sterilization may be affected by her experience with temporary contraception. To examine this issue we analyzed data from the Collaborative Review of Sterilization, a multicenter, prospective study of the health effects of sterilization operations on women aged 15-44 years. Data on contraceptive use by a comparison group of nonsterilized women were drawn from a random, population-based sample of women aged 20-44 years who were controls in a large study of cancer and steroid hormone use. Sterilized women reported ever using a higher average number of contraceptive methods than did nonsterilized women. As compared with nonsterilized women, a higher percentage of sterilized women reported ever using contraceptives (99% versus 91%), especially two types, barrier and rhythm or withdrawal. Prior to selecting sterilization as a permanent contraceptive method, the sterilized women had more extensive experience with temporary contraceptives, particularly the less effective ones, than did the comparable nonsterilized women.

Adult↗

The Oxford-Family Planning Association contraceptive study.

The Oxford-Family Planning Association contraceptive study involves over 17 000 women who were recruited at 17 clinics in England and Scotland during the interval 1968-74 and have been followed up ever since. This paper describes the survey methods, the characteristics of the participants, the progress of the study, the main results and publications to date, and the proposals for future work. Although the study was originally mainly concerned with the benefits and risks of oral contraceptives it has, in fact, contributed to knowledge about a wide variety of birth control methods. The data on efficacy are of special value in that they cover all methods of contraception in common use and have been derived from a homogeneous and closely observed population. The mortality figures, while limited in extent, have supplemented the findings in the Royal College of General Practitioners study. Reports on morbidity from many different diseases have been published; these have documented both beneficial and harmful effects of various contraceptive methods. The study data on return of fertility after discontinuation of contraception are unique, while contributions have also been made to knowledge about outcome of pregnancy in those stopping contraception to have a planned baby or becoming accidentally pregnant while using a birth control method. The study, which is supported by the Medical Research Council, is currently funded until mid-1989.

Adult↗

The dynamics of contraceptive use in Peru.

In 1986, the Demographic and Health Surveys project administered the first six-year calendar history of events that included women's contraceptive use and their reasons for discontinuation in experimental surveys in Peru and the Dominican Republic. In this report the experimental survey from Peru is examined to demonstrate how the calendar data can be used to calculate multiple increment-decrement life table rates of contraceptive discontinuation--including contraceptive failure, method switching, and abandonment of use--and of resumption of method use following discontinuation. These analyses reveal that nearly half of all Peruvian women who begin to use a method will stop using it within one year; 29 percent of women discontinue method use for nonpregnancy-related reasons within one year of initiating use. Women who switch methods do so frequently, and many will return to a method used previously, or move on to a third method. Women who become pregnant after abandoning contraceptive use have similar contraceptive-use patterns to women who experience a contraceptive failure.

Adult↗

Endometrial carcinoma in women under 40 years of age: comparison of cases in oral contraceptive users and non-users.

Women under 40 years of age rarely develop carcinoma of the endometrium, this age group comprising less than 3% of all cases in most large series. The Registry for Endometrial Carcinoma in Young Women Taking Oral Contraceptive Agents has recorded and studied 30 cases in women under 40 with a history of oral contraceptive administration, and these are compared with 25 cases in the same age group which were accessioned at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology prior to the era during which these agents have been available, and with series reported in the literature totaling 137 cases with no contraceptive history. In the first group, special attention is paid to the 20 women who received sequential agents exclusively or predominantly, since the association with these agents (primarily Oracon) is much higher than would be expected from the fact that less that 10% of oral contraceptives used in this country are of the sequential type. An analysis of the three groups reveals a similar incidence of the various histologic types (primarily well differentiated tumors with a relatively favorable prognosis), the only difference being the presence of secretory features in 14 of 29 oral contraceptive users vs. only two of 25 women not taking these agents. Clinical and pathologic staging were also predominantly favorable, and comparable in all groups. There were, however, notably higher incidences of nulliparity, obesity, and sclerocystic ovaries--all features traditionally associated with endometrial carcinoma--in the patients not receiving oral contraceptives or receiving combined agents, suggesting that the group receiving sequentials may not represent the same constitutionally predisposed population. Only three of 55 women among our personally reviewed cases have thus far died of cancer (one in the contraceptive group and two in the non-user group) and all three of these had poorly differentiated tumors with myometrial invasion. The excellent prognosis for most patients in this age group is thus confirmed.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Strategies to improve adherence and acceptability of hormonal methods for contraception.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, hormonal contraceptives are among the most popular reversible contraceptives in current use. Despite their high theoretical effectiveness, typical use results in much lower effectiveness. In large part, this disparity reflects difficulties in adherence to the contraceptive regimen and low rates for long-term continuation. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of ancillary techniques to improve adherence to, and continuation rates of, hormonal methods of contraception. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched computerized databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing client-provider interventions with standard family planning counseling. Sources included CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, POPLINE, LILACS, and PsycINFO. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of an intensive counseling technique or client-provider intervention versus routine family planning counseling. Interventions included group motivation; structured, peer, or multi-component counseling; and intensive reminders of appointments. Outcome measures were discontinuation, reasons for discontinuation, number of missed pills and on-time injections, and pregnancy. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The primary author evaluated all titles and abstracts from the searches to determine eligibility. Two authors independently extracted data from the included studies. With RevMan 4.2, we calculated the odds ratio for all dichotomous outcomes and the weighted mean difference for continuous data. The studies were so different that we could not conduct a meta-analysis. MAIN RESULTS: We found six RCTs; only one showed a statistically significant benefit of the experimental intervention. In that trial, women who received repeated, structured information about the injectable contraceptive depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) were less likely to have discontinued the method by 12 months (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.44) than were women who had routine counseling. The intervention group was also less likely to discontinue due to menstrual disturbances. In another study, the intervention group was less likely to discontinue due to dissatisfaction with the contraceptive method, but overall continuation was not affected. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Most studies to date have shown no benefit of strategies to improve adherence and continuation. These trials have important limitations, however. Two had small sample sizes, several had high losses to follow-up, and the intervention and its intensity varied across the studies. High-quality research is a priority, since adherence and continuation are fundamentally important to the successful use of hormonal contraceptives.

Contraception↗