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GUNA Summer Clinical Meeting – Shaping Best Practice
GUNA is holding its summer meeting on 28th June at Jury’s Inn Hotel, Islington.
The GUNA summer clinical meeting for 2013 is being held on Friday 28th June and focuses on ‘Shaping Best Practice.’ Bringing together some of the UK’s most renowned sexual health practitioners, policy makers and service providers, the meeting will explore the latest themes and current topics, providing a clinical update and new perspective for delegates working in the area of sexual health, HIV and contraception. The programme includes:
‘New’ NHS in England – overview of the landscape’ – Leela Barham, Policy Advisor, RCN
Antibiotic resistance in Neiseeria gonorrhoea – Michelle Cole, Healthcare Scientist, Health Protection Agency
Men might be from mars … but are they also the elephant in the room: considering outcomes of poor male engagement with sexual health – Dr David Evans, Senior Lecturer Greenwich University
Designed to be used by local organisations when they are looking at how best to provide sexual health services in their area. This includes the need for:
a fall in the number of unwanted pregnancies
greater efforts to prevent STIs and HIV
an increase in the number of people in high-risk groups being tested for HIV
building an honest and open culture where everyone is able to make informed and responsible choices about relationships and sex
making sure that all people have rapid and easy access to appropriate sexual health services
offering counselling to all women who request an abortion so they can discuss the options and choices available with a trained counsellor
Responses to ‘Framework for Sexual Health Improvement’.
The Sex Education Forum, based at leading children’s charity The National Children’s Bureau, welcomed the publication of the government’s strategy for improving sexual health and its focus on preventative measures, such as good quality sex and relationships education (SRE). However, more needs to be done to ensure all schools step up to the mark, in providing the information, support and advice that children want and need.
FPAwelcomes the Government’s long-overdue publication of its Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England document, which finally provides guidance to local government to help ensure that the nation’s sexual health improves.
Although we support the Government’s formal endorsement of the need to improve areas of sexual health like sexually transmitted infection (STI) and teenage pregnancy rates, we are acutely aware that there is absolutely no guarantee that local councils will actually act on this guidance.
We know from our Unprotected Nation report, released in January, that if the situation worsens, and local government chooses not to invest in sexual health services, the additional cost to the economy is likely to be over £135 billion over the next few years.
Responding to the publication of A Framework for Sexual Health Improvement in England Simon Blake OBE, Brook’s Chief Executive, said:
“We are pleased that the Framework for Sexual health has been published just in time for the move to local authorities and that there are clear aspirations for the improvement of young people’s sexual health, in particular that all young people have access to confidential services and support.
“We are also pleased to see the ambition that all children and young people should receive good quality Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) at school which we know is vital in preventing abuse and exploitation and promoting positive relationships. However, this ambition will never be realised whilst the Department for Education fails to ensure that every school is required to deliver a comprehensive programme of SRE.
“As we move towards 1st April we look forward to working local authorities to realise these ambitionsand improve young people’s lives.”
FAMILY PLANNING 2020 names Director of the global partnership
The Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) Reference Group announced that long time global advocate for family planning and reproductive health Valerie DeFillipo has been named Director of the global partnership. FP2020 builds on the partnerships launched at the London Summit on Family Planning. It will sustain the momentum from London and ensure all partners are working together to achieve and support the goals and commitments announced at the Summit.
“Getting to Zero: Zero new HIV infections. Zero deaths from AIDS-related illness. Zero discrimination” is the theme of World AIDS Day 2012 on 1 December. Life-saving antiretrovirals have reduced new HIV infections and deaths. The 2015 target of 15 million HIV-infected people on antiretroviral medicines worldwide looks more achievable now than ever before.
World AIDS Day – BMJ special promotion
The BMJ Group is putting together a special promotional webpage for World AIDS Day on 1st December that will offer a week’s free access to all relevant content published by our full range of journals. Please click here for access
New resources for young people living with HIV
To mark World AIDS day on the 1st of December, the Children and Young People HIV Network, based at leading children’s charity the National Children’s Bureau, is sending a message of support to young people with HIV by launching a range of materials to support them in managing life with the condition.
The ‘Your Life’ leaflets and the ‘Studying with HIV’ guidance and LifeLinks resources are all available from www.ncb.org.uk/hiv
More than Half of those with HIV in the UK are Overweight: The Surprising Issues Facing Those Living with HIV
The British Dietetic Association (BDA) will once again be supporting World Aids Day on 1st December. Early data from the BDA’s DHIVA specialist group audit suggests that more than half of people living with HIV in the UK are overweight or obese, with only about one-in-nine being underweight.
In fact by far the most common issues facing HIV dietitians in the outpatient clinic these days are dyslipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis, with over 75% of HIV patients Vitamin D deficient. Dealing with these issues is not as straightforward as it might seem, with HIV-specific barriers to lifestyle change emerging.
Members report common themes from their patients, including a fear that deliberate weight loss might lead to others guessing their HIV status (“why are you getting thin – you don’t have AIDS do you?”), and a feeling that being overweight is safer (“I remember how ill and thin I was before starting ARVs and I don’t want to go back there again”). from Alastair Duncan, Chairman of the BDA’s DHIVA (Dietitians in HIV/Aids) specialist group.
UNITAID welcomed the good news this World AIDS Day that the number of children newly infected with HIV continues to decline but urges the international community to step up efforts for those children already living with the disease. more from the website
More than poverty: disruptive events among women having abortions in the USA (Jones)
We are all aware that poverty is associated with abortion but how many of us knew that bad (or disruptive) life events also play a major role? The research by Jones et al. demonstrates that more than half of the women seeking abortion had experienced a disruptive life event in the preceding 12 months. Women are making decisions about their abortion whilst in the midst of complex life events. The authors’ suggestions for changes in policy may not be directly relevant in the UK; however, the study findings are of wider significance. from Gillian Robinson, Associate Editor
Psycho-social factors affect semen quality (Cao)
Semen quality appears to be declining and this cross-sectional study in China casts light upon some factors that may be associated with that decline. The research team analysed the semen of 1346 healthy 20-40-year-old Chinese men, capturing their psychological, social and behaviour profiles via questionnaire. It appears that stress, social class and underwear made from man-made fibres all play a significant part in declining semen quality. from Scott Wilkes, Associate Editor
Young people and chlamydia – peer led strategies to increase the uptake of screening (Horner)
The major burden of Chlamydia trachomatis infection is borne in individuals under 25 years of age. Complications of untreated infection are manifold and encompass pelvic inflammatory disease, sub-fertility, epididymo-orchitis, urethritis, arthritis, conjunctivitis and proctitis. Despite high hopes, uptake of the English National Chlamydia Screening Programme has been lower than expected. As a result, the expected decline in chlamydia prevalence has not been observed. Paddy Horner’s group have investigated the use of a peer-led approach to increase screening and examine the feasibility and acceptability of this strategy in young people. Interestingly, although this is a relatively small proof of principle study, women peer-led screening was more successful than male in recruiting peers to participate in the programme. from Rachael Jones, Associate Editor
Inequity in family planning provision in urban Nigeria: a providers’ perspective (Herbert)
In Nigeria contraceptive use is low: used by only 10% of married women and with 20% of women estimated to have an unmet need. Provision needs to improve, and understanding the roles and perspective of the mixed economy of contraceptive providers is a key step in designing better services. A qualitative study from the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative explores the experiences and challenges faced by a range of providers in two urban Nigerian areas. Using structured in-depth interviews and checklists, researchers identified need for further training and support for all providers to empower them to provide a wider range of contraception. Few providers engaged in meaningful promotional activities for their products or services. Vulnerable groups, likely to have high needs for contraceptive advice and provision, were routinely excluded from family planning services: adolescents, married women and those seeking post-abortion care. Understanding the underlying reasons for this inequitable provision, and developing appropriate marketing strategies and materials will indeed be key to developing more sensitive service provision. from Imogen Stephens,Associate Editor
New female condom, the ‘Woman’s Condom’ – will the Chinese go for it? (Coffey)
The need for products that simultaneously protect against unwanted pregnancy and STIs, including HIV, has prompted interest in the development of Multipurpose Prevention Technologies (MPTs), including new variants of the female condom. In this issue, Coffey and colleagues describe their survey of initial reactions to the ‘Woman’s Condom’ (which obtained marketing approval in China in 2010) by potential user groups in Shanghai. Their study demonstrates the importance of assessing the potential acceptability of new products in a range of populations, with differing expectations, needs and culture-specific influences. Their findings are of particular value to programme/service providers, in order to identify most likely adopters of this new type of female condom. from Walli Bounds, Associate Editor
DH releases abortion statistics, England & Wales: 2011
The main findings of the newly released abortion statistics are:
• The total number of abortions was 189,931, 0.2% more than in 2010 (189,574) and 7.7% more than in 2001 (176,364).
• The age-standardised abortion rate was 17.5 per 1,000 resident women aged 15-44, the same as in 2010, but 2.3% higher than in 2001 (17.1) and more than double the rate of 8.0 recorded in 1970.
• The abortion rate was highest at 33 per 1,000 for women aged 20, the same as in 2010 and in 2001.
• The under-16 abortion rate was 3.4 per 1,000 women and the under-18 rate was 15.0 per 1,000 women, both lower than in 2010 (3.9 and 16.5 per 1,000 women respectively) and in the year 2001 (3.7 and 18.0 per 1,000 women respectively).
• 96% of abortions were funded by the NHS. Over half (61%) took place in the independent sector under NHS contract, up from 59% in 2010 and 2% in 1981.
• 91% of abortions were carried out at under 13 weeks gestation. 78% were at under 10 weeks compared to 77% in 2010 and 58% in 2001.
• Medical abortions accounted for 47% of the total, up from 43% in 2010 and 13% in 2001.
• 2,307 abortions (1%) were carried out under ground E (risk that the child would be born handicapped).
Non-residents:
• In 2011, there were 6,151 abortions for non-residents carried out in hospitals and clinics in England and Wales (6,535 in 2010). The 2011 total is the lowest in any year since 1969.
FPA reacts to the release of abortion statistics
Julia Bentley, Chief Executive, welcomed the decrease in abortions for under 16s and under 18s alongside a very small increase in the total number overall while highlighting the worrying trend in restrictions to contraceptive service provision.
New data show STI diagnoses on the rise in England
Figures released by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) show new sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses rose by 2% in England in 2011, with nearly 427,000 new cases, reversing the small decline observed the previous year. Young heterosexual adults (15-24 years) and men who have sex with men (MSM) remain the groups at highest risk. More
Joint statement from FPA and Brook on STI data
In a joint statement the sexual health charities said: “This is a worrying reverse trend. It demonstrates exactly why safer sex messages and campaigns that young people and gay men will listen to and take action on, are absolutely necessary. Testing and treatment services are vital, but alone they are not enough to change people’s behaviour. The impact of the government’s disinvestment in campaigning around safer sex and sexual health reflects in today’s statistics. Yet again we see more data illustrating why there is an urgent need for statutory sex and relationships education in schools alongside sustained investment in sexual health services.”
WHO: Urgent action needed to prevent the spread of untreatable gonorrhoea
Millions of people with gonorrhoea may be at risk of running out of treatment options unless urgent action is taken, according WHO. Already several countries, including Australia, France, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom are reporting cases of resistance to cephalosporin antibiotics – the last treatment option against gonorrhoea. Every year an estimated 106 million people are infected with gonorrhea, which is transmitted sexually. More:
Policymakers Recommit to Unfinished Agenda of Landmark Cairo Population Conference
In Istanbul, on 25 May lawmakers from 110 countries reaffirmed their support to the principles and goals of the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), emphasizing their continued centrality to efforts to reduce poverty and safeguard people’s health and rights, including sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights. Press release
From the New England Journal of Medicine: A large (7486 paticipants) prospective cohort study, by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, to evaluate contraceptive methods has found dramatic differences in their effectiveness. Women who used pills, the patch or vaginal ring were 20 times more likely to have an unintended pregnancy than those who used longer-acting forms such as an intrauterine device (IUD) or implant.
And from the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology
The purpose of this study in Colorado was to determine contraceptive continuation and repeat pregnancy rates in adolescents who are offered immediate postpartum etonogestrel implant insertion and showed excellent continuation 1 year after delivery; rapid repeat pregnancy was significantly decreased compared with control participants.
The objective of the study from South Carolina was to improve the understanding of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) use patterns among unmarried, young adults at risk of unintended pregnancy. LARC use was associated with older age, high IUD knowledge, and earlier onset of sexual activity and concluded that increasing knowledge of IUD among certain groups may improve LARC use among young, unmarried adults and in turn decrease unintended pregnancy.
The number of women of childbearing age who are active-duty service members or veterans of the US military is increasing. These women may seek reproductive health care at medical facilities operated by the military, in the civilian sector, or through the Department of Veterans Affairs. This article reviews the current data on unintended pregnancy and prevalence of and barriers to contraceptive use among active-duty and veteran women. Active-duty servicewomen have high rates of unintended pregnancy and low contraceptive use, which may be due to official prohibition of sexual activity in the military, logistic difficulties faced by deployed women, and limited patient and provider knowledge of available contraceptives. In comparison, little is known about rates of unintended pregnancy and contraceptive use among women veterans. Based on this review, research recommendations to address these issues are provided.
The study aimed to determine whether clinics that serve indigent patients demonstrate equal compliance with sexually transmitted infection testing guidelines when compared with private clinics in North Carolina. They concluded that clinics serving indigent patient populations had a higher compliance with required testing compared to private clinics. HIV testing in the third trimester remains the greatest need for improvement for all practice types.
International Campaign for Women’s Right to Safe Abortion
The ICMA have launched a new international campaign for women’s right to safe abortion. Individuals and organisations are invited to join the campaign in advance of 28 May, the International Day of Action for Women’s Health. To read more and to register support go tohttps://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CHH62F5
UNFPA announces ‘Maternal Deaths Halved in 20 Years’.
The number of women dying of pregnancy and childbirth related complications has almost halved in 20 years, according to new estimates released by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank.
US regulators vote for approval of PrEP by large majority.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have taken a decisive step towards approving the use of the combination pill Truvada (tenofovir/FTC) as a prevention method for HIV-negative people. Read more atNAMaidsmap. GlobalData.com reported on 11th May – In a controversial decision on May 10, the FDA antiviral drugs advisory committee backed Gilead Sciences’ drug Truvada to prevent the transmission of HIV. The committee voted in favour of prophylactic Truvada in three populations: HIV-uninfected men who have sex with men (19-3), in HIV-uninfected partners in relationships with infected partners (19-2), and for individuals at risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity (12-8). Although awareness of HIV and AIDs has significantly increased throughout recent decades, the disease remains a global epidemic requiring better preventative strategies. Yet the possibility that on June 15 the FDA will approve Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has provoked strong and divided opinions from infectious disease experts and activists. Read more at globaldata.com
Victories for Center for Reproductive Rights
Victory for Honduran Women
On May 17, 2012, the Center for Reproductive Rights held a demonstration on the steps of the Honduran Congress. Their mission: to stop the government from passing a bill that would have imprisoned women for using emergency contraception. Alejandra Cárdenas, Legal Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean, had planned to personally hand-deliver 730,000 petitions to the Congress signed by activists in more than 80 countries in protest. In a surprise move, Juan Orlando Hernández, president of the Congress, declined to take the petitions—but not because he didn’t hear the massive outcry. In fact, Hernández said he no longer planned to bring the bill up for debate—and even proclaimed support for women’s self-determination. Read more:
Two Groundbreaking Victories in Oklahoma:
Medication Abortion Protected
Judge Donald Worthington permanently blocked a state ban on medical abortion when he ruled that the law was “so completely at odds” with standard medical practice that it “can serve no purpose other than to prevent women from obtaining abortions and to punish and discriminate against those women who do. Read more:
and Oklahoma Personhood defeated
With a unanimous decision by the Oklahoma Supreme Court, the Center for Reproductive Rights has won its legal challenge to strike down a ballot initiative that would have given every fertilized egg the full legal rights of a person. It is not acceptable, they ruled, to propose amendments to the state constitution that are ‘repugnant to the Constitution of the United States.’” If passed, the amendment not only would have outlawed abortion in all cases—including in cases of rape or incest, fetal anomalies, or risk to a woman’s life—but also would have banned many forms of birth control and seriously threatened fertility treatments such as IVF. Read more:
Distress of child war and sex abuse victims halved by new trauma intervention
A new psychological intervention has been shown to more than halve the trauma experienced by child victims of war, rape and sexual abuse. Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast pioneered the intervention in conjunction with the international NGO, World Vision as part of a wider programme to treat psychological distress in child victims of war and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Read more:
Melinda Gates’ New Crusade: Investing Billions in Women’s Health
Melinda Gates this week pledged billions of dollars to be spent on improving access to contraception. In her many travels she repeatedly met women who were unable to gain access to something which most of the rest of the world take for granted. In an interview with Newsweek she recounted stories from the women many of whom were unable, for example, to get repeat injections of Depo Provera. In July she is teaming up with the British government to cosponsor a summit of world leaders in London, to start raising the $4 billion the Foundation says it will cost to get 120 million more women access to contraceptives by 2020. And in a move that could be hugely significant for American women, the Foundation is pouring money into the long-neglected field of contraceptive research, seeking entirely new methods of birth control. Ultimately Gates hopes to galvanize a global movement. “When I started to realize that that needed to get done in family planning, I finally said, OK, I’m the person that’s going to do that,” she says. More from the Gates Foundation website.
Paper confirms EC IUD failure rate less than 1 per 1000
Authors of the first ever systematic review of all available data from the last 35 years argue that IUDs should be routinely offered and available to those requesting emergency contraception. They found that the failure rate was less than 1 per 1000 when they analysed data from 42 studies involving 7034 women using 8 different IUDs. They also found that 85% clinicians in one study never offered this as an option. In a press release this week one of the authors, Professor James Trussell, said:
“This is an extremely difficult problem to deal with, especially as in many countries women can just go to their local pharmacy to obtain the ‘morning after pill’, but virtually no women know to ask for an IUD and many family planning clinics and surgeries do not offer same-day insertion. Offering same-day insertion would remove a huge barrier to the greater use of IUDs.”
Online First – Postnatal contraceptive choices in HIV-positive women [Duncan et al.]
Gillian Robinson (Associate Editor) writes:
“This paper describes an exciting example of how an integrated contraception and sexual health service can work to provide holistic care for women. This clinic provides women living with HIV with prenatal, antenatal and postnatal care in a community setting. The paper is a retrospective case note review. Uptake of postnatal contraception was high yet more than 20% of women were not seen postnatally. The authors suggest that the reasons for this are explored to ensure all women with HIV receive contraception in the early postnatal period to prevent unwanted pregnancy.”
NAT calls for new health bodies to tackle late diagnosis of HIV
“Halve It”, a broad coalition of leading experts and advocates in HIV and AIDS, welcomes the renewed call by the National AIDs Trust (NAT) for the urgent prioritisation of HIV testing in its new ‘HIV testing action plan’ which provides vital strategic guidance to health bodies on tackling the serious issue of late HIV diagnosis in the UK.
FDA Approves first pill for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB)
Natazia is a combination oral contraceptive (COC) consisting of estradiol valerate and estradiol valerate/dienogest. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved Natazia in May 2010 to prevent pregnancy. On March 14, 2012, the FDA also approved Natazia to treat heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), making it the first and only OC indicated for this purpose. One interesting thing is that until now we have known Natazia, in the UK, as Qlaira and until now it has not been widely used. More details at Medscape.
UK women misdiagnosing genital infections
To mark National BV Day on 18th April a study found that one in four British women has misdiagnosed themselves on the internet. Researchers found Dr Google is now the first port of call for women with genuine health concerns who are almost twice as likely to check online before consulting a doctor or even talking to Mum. But searching their symptoms online and self-medicating has led a tenth of the country’s women to endure unpleasant side effects as a result of their misdiagnosis.
Better access to birth control would reduce stress on global resources
as reported by Nigel Hawkes in the BMJ. The rich should consume less and the poor should procreate less, says the Royal Society in a new report. The report was produced by a working party chaired by John Sulston, who headed the UK part of the Human Genome Project, and took 21 months to research and write.
Morning after pill courier service launched
A new service allows women (living in London) to order emergency contraception on the internet, so it arrives within two hours, rather than having to see their GP to obtain the drugs. For £20, women can order the drug by filling out an online form through the internet medical practice DrEd.com. The forms, which ask users to confirm they are aged over 18, will be assessed by doctors before pills are dispatched by courier. Currently they only offer Levonelle®, which can also be purchased in advance and by buying 2 packets for £24.00 at a saving of 37%.
Pharmacists should provide oral contraceptive services, says NHS report
As reported by Jacqui Wise in the BMJ:
“A report from NHS South East London has recommended that trained community pharmacists provide oral contraceptive consultation services after a successful pilot scheme to widen access to contraception. The part of the report that has received the most media coverage is a recommendation to “consider providing the service to women under 16 years where appropriate.” The report said that this may help reduce numbers of teenage pregnancies.”
Brook and fpa respond to proposal to introduce contraceptive pill in pharmacies
Responding to the proposal that the contraceptive pill should be available from pharmacies without a prescription to young people, including those under 16, the chief executives of Brook and FPA, Simon Blake and Julie Bentley said: “The majority of young people under 16 are not having sex, however we must ensure that those who are can access support and services when they need to. “Although Brook and FPA welcome proposals which could increase young people’s access to sexual health services and information, all the necessary safeguards must be in place to ensure young people can get the information and support they need. “This includes pharmacists having the appropriate clinical knowledge about contraception, being able to communicate effectively with young people, having the right type of environment including a confidential space, as well as the appropriate support and referral networks.”
Egg-Sharing in Fertility Treatment
Evaluating egg-sharing: new findings on old debates – as reported in BioNews Egg-sharing refers to a scheme where a woman undergoing fertility treatment donates a portion of her eggs to an anonymously matched recipient in exchange for a reduction in treatment costs. As a very specific form of egg donation, egg-sharing has generated heated debate since its introduction in the UK in 1998. While proponents argue it provides a win-win solution, allowing two women to help each other conceive, critics talk of the potential ethical and psychological consequences. Until recently, there has been very little empirical data to inform these discussions. However, new research conducted by Gurtin and Golombok at the University of Cambridge Centre for Family Research, in collaboration with the London Women’s Clinic, hopes to redress this balance.
Men’s health expert presents to Members of European Parliament
A leading men’s health expert presented a report detailing the health challenges facing men across Europe MEPs and key European decision-makers at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Professor Alan White, Director of the Centre for Men’s Health at Leeds Metropolitan University was commissioned by the European Commission to produce a report which gives the first complete picture of the breadth of issues affecting men’s health across Europe. Professor White brought together 36 leading researchers from 34 countries across Europe to undertake the research which highlights the state of men’s health in Europe as a serious public health concern. more info
Faculty Consultations
The CEU Guideline on “Barrier Methods-Contraception and STI prevention” is for consultation until 21st May. see FSRH website:
BASHH Mentoring Group is currently seeking new members:
BASHH would like new representatives to support coordination of mentors and mentees within North West regions and Wales. The successful candidates would also be involved in the activities that the Mentoring Group is currently taking forward nationally. Closing date for applications: 16th May 2012. see BASHH website for more details
And finally – we hear reports that Virgin Care have obtained ‘preferred bidder’ status in the tender to run West Sussex sexual health services .
Last year the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published ‘High Quality Women’s Health Care: a Proposal for Change’ that proposed a radical change to the structure of UK women’s health services. Andrew Horne and Johannes Bitzer discuss this exciting document from both a UK and a European perspective, commenting on its implications for sexual health provision. See page 68
Multidrug-resistant gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea infection is increasing in the UK with a 3% increase in cases between 2009 and 2010. Last year there was a report of a ceftriaxone-resistant isolate; there is a growing concern that gonorrhoea may become incurable. The commentary by Taylor and Bignell is timely. It reviews the current position and provides clear guidelines on screening and treatment, which may prove challenging for some community services that rely exclusively on the use of nucleic acid amplification tests. See page 70
At last, a COC licensed for use in a flexible extended regimen
Data are presented from Phase III studies of a 20 µg ethinylestradiol/3 mg drospirenone combined pill, designed to be used in a flexible regimen. The studies evaluated the efficacy of the regimen, bleeding patterns, safety (ie, metabolic and endometrial parameters) and effect on dysmenorrhoea. Comparisons were with a fixed extended regimen and the conventional 24-day regimen. Results show good efficacy, tolerability and safety with the flexible regimen, and a significant reduction in both bleeding and dysmenorrhoea. See pages 73, 84, 94
Does hormone replacement therapy cause breast cancer? Part 4. The Million Women Study
Shapiro et al. continue their review of breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy papers, this time focusing on the Million Women Study. They conclude that despite its massive size, this study did not satisfy causal criteria. The online version of this paper has already been the focus of a great deal of media publicity and both a news piece and an editorial in the BMJ. Readers should also look at the Letters section for related correspondence that the Journal has received as a result. See page 102
A new aid to diagnosis
Ultrasound imaging has been of value to our specialty for over two decades and skills and equipment have steadily become more available within sexual and reproductive health clinics. In their article on hysterosonography using a local anaesthetic gel, Pillai and Shefras present their experience with a simple and effective new technique that takes imaging a step further, allowing clear diagnosis of intrauterine abnormalities, particularly causes of abnormal bleeding or failed intrauterine device/system (IUD/IUS) insertion, as well as aiding location and easier retrieval of IUDs with missing threads. Many readers will be familiar with the use of lidocaine gel to aid IUD insertion: not surprisingly, uterine instrumentation in conjunction with scanning was reported to be less painful with this technique. This is a promising approach to simplifying and improving the cost-effectiveness of care for women presenting with some complex contraception problems. See page 110
Abortion legislation in a changed world
In his latest Legal Opinion article, Sam Rowlands reviews legislation governing early medical abortion (EMA) and the licensing of EMA drugs in the UK and in other jurisdictions. He then looks at the ways in which such legislation has been used – or in some cases circumvented. EMA has helped to fulfil the crucial need for safe abortion worldwide, but in the author’s view the laws governing abortion in most countries are out of step with scientific advances. Readers may find the author’s conclusions and suggestions for future changes to our own abortion laws thought-provoking. See page 117
Role of doulas in abortion care
Doulas, or lay support persons, have had a longstanding role in supporting women in labour. Chor et al. argue that their role should be extended to caring for women having abortions, where they can help women relax and provide information. They suggest that engagement of the medical community will be instrumental in successfully expanding the role of abortion doula programmes within abortion provision. See page 123
Abortion in the classical world
Lesley Smith continues her series on the history of contraception and reproductive health with a look at attitudes to and practices of abortion in ancient times. It appears that even then, abortion was at the heart of much medical ethical debate. See page 125
Status of health professionals in the 21st century
Has the status of health professionals in society today fallen? If so, why? And is it a good or a bad thing? The Journal’s Consumer Correspondent, Susan Quilliam, explores the issue in her latest article. See page 127
Twenty-five years on: HIV remains a concern
In his latest ‘Then and Now’ article, Lindsay Edouard looks at topics covered by this Journal in 1987. New approaches to contraception were emerging. But was there a threat to community family planning services and would litigation faced by USA manufacturers restrict contraceptive choice? However, the major concern was the emergence of HIV/AIDS, with reinforcement of the advice that barriers should be used in addition to hormonal methods. In 2012, in the light of controversial research suggesting a possible association between hormonal contraception and increased HIV risk in some settings, Edouard draws our attention to the WHO very recent guidance regarding dual protection: 25 years on, advice has not changed. See page 131
Plus – Online Poll
Will the recent article on hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer alter your prescribing practice with regard to HRT?
Faculty News
The latest edition of FSRH News is available on the website.
