Julie Chor

Ibuprofen prophylaxis for levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system insertion: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Despite the high efficacy of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in preventing pregnancy, uptake of the intrauterine devices remains low in the United States. Decreasing pain at the time of intrauterine device insertion may be one way to increase interest in this method of contraception. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, randomizing women to 800 mg ibuprofen or placebo 45 min prior to LNG-IUS insertion to determine effect of ibuprofen on the pain of LNG-IUS insertion. RESULTS Eighty-one women completed the study: 44 received ibuprofen, and 37 received placebo. Women in the ibuprofen and placebo groups had similar mean scores for anticipated pain (4.07 and 3.91, respectively; p=.79), pain with tenaculum placement (3.86 and 3.81, respectively; p=.90) and pain with insertion (3.69 and 3.34, respectively; p=.91). CONCLUSION Administration of ibuprofen prophylaxis for LNG-IUS insertion does not decrease pain at the time of insertion.

Unintended pregnancy and postpartum contraceptive use in women with and without chronic medical disease who experienced a live birth

BACKGROUND Maternal chronic medical disease and unintended pregnancies increase the risk of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Little is known regarding the relationship between chronic medical disease status and pregnancy intendedness or contraceptive use. STUDY DESIGN We compared pregnancy intention and postpartum contraception use in women with and without chronic medical disease who experienced a live birth using data from the Florida Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System 2004-2005. RESULTS Women aged ≥20 years with chronic medical disease were more likely to report that the index pregnancy was unintended (odds ratio [OR]=1.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28-2.03) and reported similar postpartum contraception nonuse (OR=0.85, 95% CI 0.60-1.19) compared to those without chronic medical disease. Women aged <20 years with chronic medical disease were less likely to report that the index pregnancy was unintended (OR=0.50, 95% CI 0.28-0.88) and reported similar postpartum contraception nonuse (OR=0.99, 95% CI 0.54-1.82) compared to those without chronic medical disease. CONCLUSIONS In our study population, age and chronic medical disease were associated with different risks of pregnancy intention in the index pregnancy. Women with and without chronic disease in both age groups reported similar postpartum contraception use.

Doula support during first-trimester surgical abortion: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of doula support on first-trimester abortion care. STUDY DESIGN Women were randomized to receive doula support or routine care during first-trimester surgical abortion. We examined the effect of doula support on pain during abortion using a 100 mm visual analog scale. The study had the statistical power to detect a 20% difference in mean pain scores. Secondary measures included satisfaction, procedure duration, and patient recommendations regarding doula support. RESULTS Two hundred fourteen women completed the study: 106 received doula support, and 108 received routine care. The groups did not differ regarding demographics, gestational age, or medical history. Pain scores in the doula and control groups did not differ at speculum insertion (38.6 [±26.3 mm] vs 43.6 mm [±25.9 mm], P = .18) or procedure completion (68.2 [±28.0 mm] vs 70.6 mm [±23.5 mm], P = .52). Procedure duration (3.39 [±2.83 min] vs 3.18 min [±2.36 min], P = .55) and patient satisfaction (75.2 [±28.6 mm] vs 74.6 mm [±27.4 mm], P = .89) did not differ between the doula and control groups. Among women who received doula support, 96.2% recommended routine doula support for abortion and 60.4% indicated interest in training as doulas. Among women who did not receive doula support, 71.6% of women would have wanted it. Additional clinical staff was needed to provide support for 2.9% of women in the doula group and 14.7% of controls (P < .01). CONCLUSION Although doula support did not have a measurable effect on pain or satisfaction, women overwhelmingly recommended it for routine care. Women receiving doula support were less likely to require additional clinic support resources. Doula support therefore may address patient psychosocial needs.

Differences in the compliance with hospital infection control practices during the 2009 influenza H1N1 pandemic in three countries.

BACKGROUND In December 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued updated guidelines on the prevention of H1N1 influenza virus in healthcare settings. In 2010, the WHO pandemic influenza alert level was still at phase 6. AIM To study the practice of infection control measures during the 2009 influenza H1N1 pandemic among healthcare workers (HCWs) in three countries. METHODS A standardized, self-administered anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted in 2010 among doctors, nurses and allied HCWs in 120 hospital-based clinical departments in Hong Kong, Singapore and the UK. Questions were asked on demographics; previous experience and perceived severity of influenza; infection control practices; uptake of seasonal influenza vaccination and H1N1 vaccination. Multiple logistic regression was used to test the independent association with different factors. FINDINGS A total of 2100 HCWs in the three countries participated. They reported high compliance (>80%) with infection control procedures regarded as standard for droplet-transmitted infections including wearing and changing gloves, and washing hands before and after patient contact. However, the reported use of masks with indirect or direct patient contact (surgical or N95 as required by their hospital) varied considerably (96.4% and 70.4% for Hong Kong; 82.3% and 87.7% for Singapore; 25.3% and 62.0% for the UK). Reported compliance was associated with job title, number of patient contacts and perceived severity of pandemics. There was no association between the uptake for seasonal or 2009 H1N1 vaccines and compliance. CONCLUSIONS Compliance with infection control measures for pandemic influenza appears to vary widely depending on the setting.

Contraceptive choices of overweight and obese women in a publically funded hospital: possible clinical implications

BACKGROUND Despite the growing obesity epidemic in the United States, family planning for overweight and obese women has been understudied. The aim of this study was to describe the contraception methods selected by normal weight, overweight and obese women. STUDY DESIGN We retrospectively reviewed 7262 charts of women who underwent first trimester surgical termination of pregnancy at the John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2010. We analyzed the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and choice of contraceptive method, after adjusting for age, race, smoking and level of education. RESULTS When compared to patients with BMI <25 kg/m², overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m²) and obese patients (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) were more likely to select the intrauterine device (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.28-1.32 for overweight; OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.59-1.61 for obese), contraceptive ring (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.28-1.52 for overweight; OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.57-1.63 for obese) and tubal ligation (OR 1.5 95% CI 1.44-1.62 for overweight; OR 2.9, 95% CI 2.79-3.01 for obese). They were less likely to choose injectable contraception (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.59-0.81 for overweight; OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.48-0.56 for obese). There was no relationship between BMI and choice of condoms, oral contraceptive pills and implantable methods. CONCLUSION In our population, the contraceptive choices of overweight and obese women differed from those of normal weight women. These differences in contraceptive selection are important to recognize in light of the potential effect of BMI on the safety and efficacy of different contraceptive methods. Further research is needed to evaluate the contraceptive preferences, risks and benefits for overweight and obese women.

Adding injury to injury: ethical implications of the medicaid sterilization consent regulations

The need for contraceptive and family planning services is often unmet, especially among lower-income women. However, the history of the provision of these services is fraught with coercion and mistrust: in 1979, in response to forced sterilization practices among doctors working with poor and minority populations, the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare imposed regulations on the informed consent process for Medicaid recipients requesting sterilization. The government mandated, among other requirements, a 30-day waiting period between consent and surgery and proscribed laboring women from providing consent. Initially intended to prevent the exploitation of poor women, these rules have instead become a barrier to many women receiving strongly desired, effective, permanent contraception. More critically, the regulations are ethically flawed: by preventing women from accessing needed family planning services, the Medicaid consent rules violate the standards of beneficence and nonmaleficence; by treating publically insured women differently from privately insured women, they fail the justice standard; and by placing constraints on womens free choice of contraceptive methods, they run afoul of the autonomy standard. The current federal sterilization consent regulations warrant revising. The new rules must simultaneously reduce barriers to tubal ligation while safeguarding the rights of women who have historically suffered mistreatment at the hands of the medical profession. These goals could best be obtained through a combined approach of improved clinician ethics education and a new standardized sterilization consent policy, which applies to all women and which abolishes the 30-day waiting period and the prohibition on obtaining consent in labor.

Digital media and sexually transmitted infections.

Purpose of review Digital media, including the Internet, social networking sites, text messaging, and mobile applications, are ubiquitous among adolescents and young adults. These platforms enable users to obtain important information on a multitude of health topics, they may facilitate risk-taking behaviors, and they can be key components of health interventions. The purpose of this article is to review the recent literature on digital media and sexually transmitted infections, discussing their role in potentiating and reducing risk. Recent findings This review demonstrates adolescents’ use of digital media to gather information on health topics and discusses significant privacy concerns regarding using media to explore sexual health information. Although several studies demonstrate an association between social media and increased sexual risk-taking behaviors, this relationship is not fully understood. Digital media-based interventions are increasingly being developed to either reduce risk or improve management of sexually transmitted infections. Summary As greater numbers of adolescents use digital media, the potential for these platforms to influence sexual risk-taking behaviors is significant. Additional research is needed to better understand the impact of digital media on sexually transmitted infection risk and to develop social media-based interventions to improve sexually transmitted infection outcomes.

Doulas as facilitators: the expanded role of doulas into abortion care

The involvement of a lay support person, known as a doula, in the labour process is a long-standing practice across different cultures and traditions. A great body of literature exists evaluating the effect of a support layperson within the labour process on maternal and neonatal outcomes. This literature demonstrates a positive association between doula support and decreased labour time, oxytocin utilisation, Caesarean section rates and need for epidural/anaesthesia.1 Given the varied benefits afforded to women through doula support at the time of labour, the authors believe that womens health providers should consider the potential role that continuous lay person support could play at other physically and emotionally challenging moments in womens lives. One such setting in which doula support would be highly beneficial is in abortion care. Abortion is a stressful event regardless of a womans circumstances. Unlike pregnancy in which women can accustom themselves for the forthcoming delivery over a period of time, the decision to terminate pregnancy often leaves little time for reflection. Also unlike pregnancy, women often obtain abortion services from medical caregivers with whom they have had no prior relationship. While these and other differences clearly exist between labour and pregnancy termination, many benefits afforded by the presence of a doula during labour would likely translate well into abortion care. One example of the way in which doula involvement would naturally benefit …

Factors Shaping Women's Pre-abortion Communication with Their Regular Gynecologic Care Providers

OBJECTIVE To understand womens experiences communicating with their regular gynecologic care provider about abortion decision making before obtaining an abortion at a dedicated abortion clinic. STUDY DESIGN Semistructured interviews were conducted with women presenting for first-trimester surgical abortion at a high-volume, hospital-based abortion clinic. Women were asked whether and why they did or did not discuss their abortion decision with their gynecologic care provider. Interviews were transcribed and computer-assisted content analysis was performed; salient themes are presented. RESULTS Thirty women who obtained an abortion were interviewed. A majority of the 24 women who had a regular gynecologic care provider did not discuss their decision with that provider. Themes associated with not discussing their decision included: 1) perceiving that the discussion would not be beneficial, 2) expecting that gynecologic care providers do not perform abortions, 3) anticipating or experiencing logistical barriers, and 4) worrying about disrupting the patient-provider relationship. Women who did discuss their decision primarily did so because the pregnancy was diagnosed at the time of a previously scheduled appointment and generally did not believe that their provider performed abortions. CONCLUSION For many women, seeking counsel from a regular gynecologic provider before seeking an abortion may not afford a significant benefit. However, some women express concerns with regard to seeking abortion counselling from their regular provider. These concerns underscore the need for gynecologic providers to foster patient-provider relationships that allow women to feel comfortable discussing all aspects of their reproductive health.

Women's experiences with doula support during first-trimester surgical abortion: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE To explore how doula support influences womens experiences with first-trimester surgical abortion. STUDY DESIGN We conducted semistructured interviews with women given the option to receive doula support during first-trimester surgical abortion in a clinic that uses local anesthesia and does not routinely allow support people to be present during procedures. Dimensions explored included (a) reasons women did or did not choose doula support; (b) key aspects of the doula interaction; and (c) future directions for doula support in abortion care. Interviews were transcribed, and computer-assisted content analysis was performed; salient themes are presented. RESULTS Thirty women were interviewed: 19 received and 11 did not receive doula support. Reasons to accept doula support included (a) wanting companionship during the procedure and (b) being concerned about the procedure. Reasons to decline doula support included (a) a sense of stoicism and desiring privacy or (b) not wanting to add emotion to this event. Women who received doula support universally reported positive experiences with the verbal and physical techniques used by doulas during the procedure, and most women who declined doula support subsequently regretted not having a doula. Many women endorsed additional roles for doulas in abortion care, including addressing informational and emotional needs before and after the procedure. CONCLUSION Women receiving first-trimester surgical abortion in this setting value doula support at the time of the procedure. This intervention has the potential to be further developed to help women address pre- and postabortion informational and emotional needs. IMPLICATIONS In a setting that does not allow family or friends to be present during the abortion procedure, women highly valued the presence of trained abortion doulas. This study speaks to the importance of providing support to women during abortion care. Developing a volunteer doula service is one approach to addressing this need, especially in clinics that otherwise do not permit support people in the procedure room or for women who do not have a support person and desire one.