Hormonal contraception and area of cervical ectopy: a longitudinal assessment.

Background: The effect of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) on the area of cervical ectopy is not well understood.

Study Design: From 1996 to 1999, we recruited women not using hormonal contraception from two family planning centers in Baltimore, MD. Upon study entry and 3, 6 and 12 months after the initial visit, participants were interviewed and received visual cervical examinations with photography.

Pregnancy among sex workers participating in a condom intervention trial highlights the need for dual protection.

Background: Little is known about pregnancy rates among sex workers (SWs) or the factors that predispose SWs to this risk. We aimed to estimate the pregnancy incidence rate among Madagascar SWs participating in an intervention trial promoting use of male and female condoms and assess the influence of various predictive factors on pregnancy risk.

Methods: SWs from two study clinics in Madagascar participated in a randomized trial to assess the effect of peer education and clinic-based counseling on use of male and female condoms and prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Randomised controlled trial of alternative male and female condom promotion strategies targeting sex workers in Madagascar.

Objectives: To assess whether individual clinic-based counselling as a supplement to peer education for male and female condom promotion leads to greater use of protection and lower STI prevalence among sex workers in Madagascar already exposed to intensive male condom promotion.

Methods: In two public dispensaries in Madagascar, a total of 901 sex workers were randomly allocated between two alternative male and female condom promotion

Interventions: peer education only, or peer education supplemented with individual clinic-based counselling. Participants were followed for 12 months.

Randomised controlled trial on whether advance knowledge of prostate-specific antigen testing improves participant reporting of unprotected sex.

Objectives: To determine whether the process of informing research participants that they would be tested for the presence of a biological marker of semen exposure would reduce bias in their reports of unprotected sex.

Methods: A randomised trial of 210 female sex workers from Mombasa, Kenya, was conducted, where half the group had advance knowledge (via the request for informed consent) that they would be tested for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in their vaginal fluid before they reported on sex and condom use for the past 48 h. The other half were invited to participate (via additional informed consent) in the test for PSA after they had already consented to be questioned and reported on these sexual behaviours.

Adolescents' use of maternal and child health services in developing countries.

Context: Because of high levels of early childbearing in developing countries, pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of death among women aged 15-19. Use of skilled antenatal and delivery care improves maternal outcomes through the prevention, management and treatment of obstetric complications, and infant immunizations prevent many childhood diseases.

Methods: Logistic regression analysis of Demographic and Health Survey data for 15 developing countries examined adolescents' use of antenatal care, delivery care and infant immunization services compared with use by older women.

Use of male condoms during and after randomized, controlled trial participation in Cameroon.

Background And Objective: This study evaluated patterns of long-term use of male condoms among partners of 966 Cameroonian women who received eight intensive, monthly counseling sessions about condoms and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.

Method: An interrupted time-series design was used with study participants reporting condom use and other covariates at enrollment, monthly for 6 months during the randomized, controlled trial, and at approximately 14 months after the trial.

Results: Consistent condom use began decreasing while women were still receiving monthly condom use counseling, with every month in the trial associated with an odds ratio of 0.

Hormonal contraceptive use, cervical ectopy, and the acquisition of cervical infections.

Background And Objectives: Several previous studies have suggested that hormonal contraception could be associated with increased risk of cervical infections. However, few high-quality prospective studies have examined this relationship.

Goal: The goal of this study was to measure the effect of oral contraceptives (OC) and depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) on the acquisition of cervical chlamydial and gonococcal infections.

Unintended pregnancy and women's psychological well-being in Indonesia.

Few studies have examined the impact of unintended pregnancy on women in developing countries. This paper examines the impact of unintended pregnancy on Indonesian women's psychological well-being. It is hypothesized that experiencing unintended pregnancy is associated with lower psychological well-being and that use of family planning and small family size are associated with higher levels of psychological well-being.