Kathryn M. Curtis

The measurement and meaning of unintended pregnancy.

Unintended pregnancy combines two aspects of fertility: unwanted and mistimed pregnancies. The personal partnership social and political realities of these two aspects are different and the use of separate categories may better reflect the way women think about a pregnancy. A better understanding of the multiple dimensions of unintended pregnancy also may lead to a better understanding of the consequences of these pregnancies. Likewise better knowledge of the extent of mistiming and perhaps the strength of intentions may be important in understanding health impact. Effective programs to prevent unintended pregnancy must use terms that are familiar to women and must build upon cultural understanding of the problem to be prevented. Research should focus on the meaning of pregnancy intentions to women and the processes women and their partners use in making fertility decisions. It should prospectively address the impact of pregnancy intentions on contraceptive use. Both qualitative and quantitative research have contributed to our understanding of fertility decisionmaking; both will be essential to the creation of more effective prevention programs. (excerpt)

Maternal obesity and risk of cesarean delivery: a meta‐analysis

Despite numerous studies reporting an increased risk of cesarean delivery among overweight or obese compared with normal weight women, the magnitude of the association remains uncertain. Therefore, we conducted a meta‐analysis of the current literature to provide a quantitative estimate of this association. We identified studies from three sources: (i) a PubMed search of relevant articles published between January 1980 and September 2005; (ii) reference lists of publications selected from the search; and (iii) reference lists of review articles published between 2000 and 2005. We included cohort designed studies that reported obesity measures reflecting pregnancy body mass, had a normal weight comparison group, and presented data allowing a quantitative measurement of risk. We used a Bayesian random effects model to perform the meta‐analysis and meta‐regression. Thirty‐three studies were included. The unadjusted odd ratios of a cesarean delivery were 1.46 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.34–1.60], 2.05 (95% CI: 1.86–2.27) and 2.89 (95% CI: 2.28–3.79) among overweight, obese and severely obese women, respectively, compared with normal weight pregnant women. The meta‐regression found no evidence that these estimates were affected by selected study characteristics. Our findings provide a quantitative estimate of the risk of cesarean delivery associated with high maternal body mass.

U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, 2016

The 2016 U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (U.S. MEC) comprises recommendations for the use of specific contraceptive methods by women and men who have certain characteristics or medical conditions. These recommendations for health care providers were updated by CDC after review of the scientific evidence and consultation with national experts who met in Atlanta, Georgia, during August 26-28, 2015. The information in this report updates the 2010 U.S. MEC (CDC. U.S. medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 2010. MMWR 2010:59 [No. RR-4]). Notable updates include the addition of recommendations for women with cystic fibrosis, women with multiple sclerosis, and women receiving certain psychotropic drugs or St. Johns wort; revisions to the recommendations for emergency contraception, including the addition of ulipristal acetate; and revisions to the recommendations for postpartum women; women who are breastfeeding; women with known dyslipidemias, migraine headaches, superficial venous disease, gestational trophoblastic disease, sexually transmitted diseases, and human immunodeficiency virus; and women who are receiving antiretroviral therapy. The recommendations in this report are intended to assist health care providers when they counsel women, men, and couples about contraceptive method choice. Although these recommendations are meant to serve as a source of clinical guidance, health care providers should always consider the individual clinical circumstances of each person seeking family planning services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice for individual patients. Persons should seek advice from their health care providers when considering family planning options.

Pregnancy intention and its relationship to birth and maternal outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether there are associations between pregnancy intention (intended, unwanted, mistimed, or ambivalent) and negative birth and maternal outcomes: low birth weight (less than 2,500 g), preterm delivery (fewer than 37 weeks), small for gestational age, premature labor, hypertension, and other maternal outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed data from the population-based Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, including 87,087 women who gave birth between 1996 and 1999 in 18 states. Information on pregnancy outcomes was derived from birth certificate data and a self-administered questionnaire completed postpartum. We employed SUDAAN (RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC) for univariable and logistical regression analyses. RESULTS: In analyses controlling for demographic and behavioral factors, women with unwanted pregnancies had an increased likelihood of preterm delivery (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.33) and premature rupture of membranes (adjusted OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.01–1.85) compared with women with intended pregnancies. Women who were ambivalent toward their pregnancies had increased odds of delivering a low birth weight infant (adjusted OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02–1.29); in contrast, women with mistimed pregnancies had a lower likelihood (adjusted OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.86–0.97). CONCLUSION: Pregnancy intention, specifically unwanted and ambivalent, may be an indicator of increased risk for some poor birth and maternal outcomes and should be considered in interventions aimed at improving the health of the mother and child. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

Body mass and mortality after breast cancer diagnosis

Obesity is an established risk factor for some breast cancers, but less is known about its effect on breast cancer prognosis. Understanding this relationship is important, given the increasing number of women diagnosed with breast cancer and the growing prevalence of obesity. We conducted a cohort analysis of 3,924 women ages 20 to 54 with incident breast cancer enrolled between 1980 and 1982 in the Cancer and Steroid Hormone study, a case-control study. Interview data were linked to survival information from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. We used proportional hazards models to examine the relationship between breast cancer mortality and adult body mass index (BMI; calculated using usual adult weight), BMI at age 18, and weight change from age 18 to adulthood. Hazard ratios (HR) were adjusted for cancer stage and other factors. During a median follow-up of 14.6 years, 1,347 women died of breast cancer. Obese women (adult BMI ≥30.00) were significantly more likely than lean women (BMI ≤22.99) to die of breast cancer [HR, 1.34; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-1.65]. Women with BMIs of 25.00-29.99 (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.08-1.44) or 23.00-24.99 (HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.39) also had higher breast cancer mortality (P for trend <0.0001). BMI at age 18 and weight change were not associated with breast cancer mortality independently of other factors. Obesity could be a preventable risk factor for death among breast cancer patients. Further study is needed to determine how these findings might affect recommendations to reduce breast cancer mortality.

Intrauterine device insertion during the postpartum period: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND Insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) at different times or by different routes during the postpartum period may increase the risk of complications. METHODS We searched Medline, Lilacs and Cochrane Collaboration databases for articles in any language, between database inception until December 2008, which compared outcomes of postpartum IUD insertion time intervals. Search terms included postpartum, puerperium, postcesarean delivery, cesarean section, IUD(s), IUCD(s), intrauterine device(s) and insertion. RESULTS From 297 articles, we identified 15 for inclusion in this review: all studies examined the outcomes from copper IUD insertions within the postpartum time period compared to other time intervals or compared routes (vaginal or via hysterotomy) of postpartum insertion. No studies of levonorgestrel IUDs were identified. Immediate IUD insertion (within 10 min of placental delivery) was safe when compared with later postpartum time periods and interval insertion. Immediate postpartum IUD insertion demonstrated lower expulsion rates when compared with delayed postpartum insertion but with higher rates than interval insertion. Immediate insertion following cesarean delivery demonstrated lower expulsion rates than immediate insertion following vaginal delivery. CONCLUSION Poor to fair quality evidence from 15 articles demonstrated no increase in risk of complications among women who had an IUD inserted during the postpartum period; however, some increase in expulsion rates occurred with delayed postpartum insertion when compared to immediate insertion and with immediate insertion when compared to interval insertion. Postplacental placements during cesarean delivery are associated with lower expulsion rates than postplacental vaginal insertions, without increasing rates of postoperative complications.

Use of hormonal contraceptives and HIV acquisition in women: a systematic review of the epidemiological evidence

Whether or not the use of hormonal contraception affects risk of HIV acquisition is an important question for public health. We did a systematic review, searching PubMed and Embase, aiming to explore the possibility of an association between various forms of hormonal contraception and risk of HIV acquisition. We identified 20 relevant prospective studies, eight of which met our minimum quality criteria. Of these eight, all reported findings for progestin-only injectables, and seven also reported findings for oral contraceptive pills. Most of the studies that assessed the use of oral contraceptive pills showed no significant association with HIV acquisition. None of the three studies that assessed the use of injectable norethisterone enanthate showed a significant association with HIV acquisition. Studies that assessed the use of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) or non-specified injectable contraceptives had heterogeneous methods and mixed results, with some investigators noting a 1·5-2·2 times increased risk of HIV acquisition, and others reporting no association. Thus, some, but not all, observational data raise concern about a potential association between use of DMPA and risk of HIV acquisition. More definitive evidence for the existence and size of any potential effect could inform appropriate counselling and policy responses in countries with varied profiles of HIV risk, maternal mortality, and access to contraceptive services.

Health Care Provider Attitudes and Practices Related to Intrauterine Devices for Nulliparous Women

OBJECTIVE: To examine predictors of health care providers perceiving intrauterine devices (IUDs) as unsafe for nulliparous women and of infrequent provision of IUDs to nulliparous women. METHODS: We analyzed questionnaire data obtained during December 2009 to March 2010 from 635 office-based providers (physicians) and 1,323 Title X clinic providers (physicians, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and nurses). Using multivariable logistic regression, we estimated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the associations between patient, health care provider, and clinic and practice variables and provider misconceptions about the safety of IUDs for nulliparous women and with infrequent IUD provision. RESULTS: Approximately 30% of respondents had misconceptions about the safety of IUDs for nulliparous women. Factors associated with increased odds of misconceptions about the copper IUD and levonorgestrel-releasing IUD included: being an office-based family medicine physician (copper IUD adjusted OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.73–5.89; levonorgestrel-releasing IUD adjusted OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.10–3.76); not being trained in IUD insertion (copper IUD adjusted OR 4.72, 95% CI 2.32–9.61; levonorgestrel-releasing IUD adjusted OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.34–5.22); and nonavailability of IUDs on-site at their practice or clinic (copper IUD adjusted OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.20–3.95; levonorgestrel-releasing IUD adjusted OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.95–6.08). More than 60% of providers infrequently provided IUDs to nulliparous women. Nonavailability of IUDs on-site (copper IUD adjusted OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.01–3.14; levonorgestrel-releasing IUD adjusted OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.22–3.62) and provider misconceptions about safety (copper IUD adjusted OR 6.04, 95% CI 2.00–18.31; levonorgestrel-releasing IUD adjusted OR 6.91, 95% CI 3.01–15.85) were associated with infrequent IUD provision. CONCLUSION: Health care provider misconceptions about the safety of IUDs for nulliparous women are prevalent and are associated with infrequent provision. Improved health care provider education and IUD availability are needed to increase IUD use among nulliparous women. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

Reproductive history and mortality after breast cancer diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether reproductive factors are associated with mortality after breast cancer diagnosis. METHODS: We followed up 4,299 U.S. women enrolled between 1980 and 1982 at ages 20–54 years as incident breast cancer cases in a population-based, case-control study, the Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study. Vital status through 1997 for these cases was obtained by linking Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study data to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results files. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for death associated with selected reproductive factors using proportional hazards models. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 14.5 years, 1,847 deaths occurred. Women aged 20–45 years whose last birth occurred 12 months or less (age-adjusted HR = 1.62, 95% CI 1.10–2.37) and 13–48 months before breast cancer diagnosis (age-adjusted HR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.05–1.75) were at an increased risk for death compared with nulliparous women. After adjusting for additional factors including tumor stage, women whose last birth occurred 12 months or less before diagnosis remained at an increased risk for death (HR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.02–2.23). Fifteen-year survival was 38%, 51%, and 60% among women aged 20–45 years whose last birth was 12 months or less, 13–48 months, and more than 48 months before diagnosis, respectively, compared with 65% among nulliparous women. Mortality risk was not associated with age at first birth, parity, or breastfeeding duration among women aged 20–45 years or among women aged 46–54 years. CONCLUSION: A recent birth may be an adverse prognostic indicator among women diagnosed with breast cancer at ages 20–45 years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-2

Intrauterine device use among women with uterine fibroids: a systematic review ☆

BACKGROUND There are concerns that intrauterine device (IUD) use by women with uterine fibroids might increase their uterine bleeding or risk for device expulsion. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence concerning the safety and effectiveness of IUD use among women with uterine fibroids. Key questions included whether IUD use is associated with increased risk for uterine bleeding among women with uterine fibroids and whether the presence of uterine fibroids is associated with an increased risk for device expulsion among IUD users. STUDY DESIGN We searched the PubMed database for peer-reviewed articles relevant to IUD (copper or levonorgestrel-releasing) use and uterine fibroids published in any language from database inception through June 2009. We used standard abstract forms and a grading system to summarize and assess the quality of the evidence. RESULTS From 202 articles found in the database search, we identified 11 studies that met our inclusion criteria, all of which examined outcomes among users of the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD (LNG-IUD). Evidence from 10 of 11 noncomparative studies (Level II-3, fair) suggests that LNG-IUD use among women with fibroids does not increase menstrual bleeding, and results from all 11 showed that menstrual blood loss decreased among women who continued to use the LNG-IUD through the end of the study period. Overall, serum levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit and ferritin increased among LNG-IUD users in studies that assessed these outcomes. Several studies reported some occurrences of irregular bleeding. Findings from two cohort studies (Level II-2, fair to poor) showed rates of LNG-IUD expulsion to be higher among women with uterine fibroids (11% in each) than among women without uterine fibroids (0% and 3%); however, in one study the difference was not statistically significant, and in the other significance testing was not conducted. Six prospective noncomparative studies reported expulsion rates of 0-20% among women with uterine fibroids. CONCLUSIONS Most women with uterine fibroids are likely to have less menstrual blood loss and higher serum levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit and ferritin after insertion of an LNG-IUD, despite some occurrences of irregular bleeding. LNG-IUD users with uterine fibroids may have higher rates of expulsion than those without fibroids.