Heather Winter

Natural history of cervical human papillomavirus infection in young women: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND Laboratory and epidemiological research suggests an association between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). We studied the natural history of incident cervical HPV infection and its relation to the development of CIN. METHODS We recruited 2011 women aged 15-19 years who had recently become sexually active. We took a cervical smear every 6 months and stored samples for virological analysis. We immediately referred all women with any cytological abnormality for colposcopic assessment, but postponed treatment until there was histological evidence of progression to high-grade CIN. FINDINGS In 1075 women who were cytologically normal and HPV negative at recruitment, the cumulative risk at 3 years of any HPV infection was 44% (95% CI 40-48): HPV 16 was the most common type. The cumulative risk at 3 years of detecting an HPV type not present in the first positive sample was 26% (20-32). 246 women had an abnormal smear during follow-up, of whom 28 progressed to high-grade CIN. The risk of high-grade CIN was greatest in women who tested positive for HPV 16 (risk ratio 8.5 [3.7-19.2]); this risk was maximum 6-12 months after first detection of HPV 16. All HPV types under consideration were associated with cytologically abnormal smears. Although abnormality was significantly less likely to be associated with low-viral-load samples, the cumulative risk at 3 years of a high-viral-load sample after a low-viral-load sample was 45% (95% CI 35-56). Five women who progressed to high-grade CIN consistently tested negative for HPV. INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that attempts to exploit the association between cervical neoplasia and HPV infection to improve effectiveness of cervical screening programmes might be undermined by the limited inferences that can be drawn from the characterisation of a womans HPV status at a single point in time, and the short lead time gained by its detection.

High incidence of cervical human papillomavirus infection in women during their first sexual relationship

The prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus increases with increasing numbers of sexual partners, leaving the impression that this infection is acquired only as a result of high risk sexual behaviour. Using longitudinal data from 242 women who had only had one sexual partner, we found that the risk of acquiring cervical human papillomavirus infection was 46% (95% CI 28–64) at three years after first intercourse and that the median time from first intercourse to first detection of human papillomavirus was only three months.

Systematic review of effect of community-level interventions to reduce maternal mortality

BackgroundThe objective was to provide a systematic review of the effectiveness of community-level interventions to reduce maternal mortality.MethodsWe searched published papers using Medline, Embase, Cochrane library, CINAHL, BNI, CAB ABSTRACTS, IBSS, Web of Science, LILACS and African Index Medicus from inception or at least 1982 to June 2006; searched unpublished works using National Research Register website, metaRegister and the WHO International Trial Registry portal. We hand searched major references.Selection criteria were maternity or childbearing age women, comparative study designs with concurrent controls, community-level interventions and maternal death as an outcome. We carried out study selection, data abstraction and quality assessment independently in duplicate.ResultsWe found five cluster randomised controlled trials (RCT) and eight cohort studies of community-level interventions. We summarised results as odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI), combined using the Peto method for meta-analysis. Two high quality cluster RCTs, aimed at improving perinatal care practices, showed a reduction in maternal mortality reaching statistical significance (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.98). Three equivalence RCTs of minimal goal-oriented versus usual antenatal care showed no difference in maternal mortality (1.09, 95% CI 0.53 to 2.25). The cohort studies were of low quality and did not contribute further evidence.ConclusionCommunity-level interventions of improved perinatal care practices can bring about a reduction in maternal mortality. This challenges the view that investment in such interventions is not worthwhile. Programmes to improve maternal mortality should be evaluated using randomised controlled techniques to generate further evidence.

Human papillomavirus type 18 and rapidly progressing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

BACKGROUND Human papillomavirus type 18 (HPV-18) is the second most frequent of the HPV types detected when squamous-cell cancer is diagnosed and the type most strongly associated with adenocarcinoma of the cervix. However, in cross-sectional studies, HPV-18 is rarely detected at the time of diagnosis of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). We used a longitudinal study design to describe the occurrence of cytological abnormality after incident HPV-18 and HPV-16 infections. METHODS The analysis was based on 1075 women aged 15-19 years, who had normal cytology and were negative for HPV at recruitment from a single family-planning clinic, and who had further follow-up. The women reattended every 6 months, and samples were taken for cytological and virological examination. FINDINGS The relative risk of a cytological diagnosis of borderline nuclear abnormality after exposure to HPV-18 was 2.06 (95% CI 1.24-3.43) and that after exposure to HPV-16 was 1.99 (1.32-3.01). The relative risks of mild dyskaryosis were 3.11 (1.86-5.18) and 4.76 (3.15-7.18), and the relative risks of moderate or severe dyskaryosis were 0.80 (0.24-2.65) and 2.85 (1.36-5.97). Time to acquisition of cytological abnormality was unrelated to the infecting type (p=0.88). INTERPRETATION Our findings do not support the long-held view that the reason why HPV-18 infection is under-represented at the time of diagnosis of high-grade CIN is because HPV-18-associated disease rapidly progresses through the preinvasive stages of neoplasia. We suggest that the cytological changes detected after HPV-18 infection might understate the severity of underlying disease. This feature could compromise the effectiveness of screening programmes in reducing the frequency of HPV-18-associated cancers.

Proximity of first intercourse to menarche and the risk of human papillomavirus infection: A longitudinal study

Cross‐sectional studies have suggested that compared with women who delay the start of their sexual career, those who first have intercourse soon after menarche are more susceptible to cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and thus have a greater risk of cervical neoplasia. We describe, using longitudinal observations, how the risk of infection with HPV varies with the interval between menarche and first intercourse in 474 women aged 15–19 recruited within 12 months of first intercourse and before the acquisition of a second sexual partner. One hundred forty‐five women became HPV‐positive; the cumulative risk of HPV infection 3 years after first intercourse was 45.0% (95% CI = 37.9–51.2). In univariate analyses, the hazards ratio (HR) of HPV infection increased significantly with age at first intercourse (HR = 1.212 per year; 95% CI = 1.050–1.398), partner age (HR = 1.084 per year; 95% CI = 1.045–1.125) and when women reported a sexually experienced partner (HR = 2.794; 95% CI = 1.804–4.326); the interval between menarche and first intercourse was a significant predictor of infection, with an increase in the HR of 12.9% for every year of increase in this interval (95% CI = 2.1%–24.9%). In a multivariate analysis, compared with women who first had intercourse within 3 years of menarche, those who postponed first intercourse beyond this time had a greater risk of infection (HR = 1.581; 95% CI = 1.113–2.245) after controlling for age and sexual experience of partner.

The role of a maternity waiting area (MWA) in reducing maternal mortality and stillbirths in high-risk women in rural Ethiopia

Please cite this paper as: Kelly J, Kohls E, Poovan P, Schiffer R, Redito A, Winter H, MacArthur C. The role of a maternity waiting area (MWA) in reducing maternal mortality and stillbirths in high‐risk women in rural Ethiopia. BJOG 2010;117:1377–1383.

Reflections on the knowledge base for obstetric fistula.

This article presents the reflections of an experienced fistula surgeon and an epidemiologist on the current knowledge base for obstetric fistula. The incidence, prevention, and management of vesico‐vaginal and recto‐vaginal fistula are discussed. The authors call for more randomized controlled trials to determine the effectiveness of surgical interventions for fistula repair.

Safe delivery and newborn care practices in Sindh, Pakistan: a community-based investigation of mothers and health workers.

OBJECTIVE to determine the prevalence of specific intrapartum practices in Sindh province, Pakistan. DESIGN a cross-sectional, questionnaire based study. SETTING 6 health clinics in Mirpurkhas, Sindh province, rural Pakistan. PARTICIPANTS 225 mothers and 82 health workers. MEASUREMENTS AND FINDINGS outcome measures were indicators of safe delivery practices and referral following an obstetric complication. Prevalence of unhygienic and unsafe practices in deliveries attended by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) was common. Deliveries by skilled attendants were significantly safer but with some failures in hygienic practices. 29% of women who had experienced an obstetric complication had not received emergency obstetric care. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE safe delivery practices and newborn care needs to be improved in rural Pakistan. This may be achieved by training health workers and TBAs in safe delivery practices, using safe delivery kits and with an effective referral system.