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Volume 2, Number 26
1 July 2002
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY
China,
US to Strengthen Cooperation in Fighting AIDS
(news article)
China and the United States have signed a Memorandum
of Understanding to deepen and expand cooperation
on HIV/AIDS prevention and research.
UK: Pupils'
Contraceptive Plan Prompts Fury (news article)
Free condoms and contraceptive pills will be handed
out to pupils in secondary schools under plans announced
on by the Department of Health. The plans have prompted
outrage among family groups, worried it will encourage
promiscuity among the young.
NGOs,
Advocacy Groups Urge Bush to Release Funds (news
article)
Twenty-five women's rights, religious, health and
other organizations urged President George W. Bush
in an open letter to release his government's $34
million contribution to the UN Population Fund.
Iran:
Legal Age for Brides Lifted to 13 (news article)
Iran's arbitrating body has approved a reformist law
increasing the minimum marriage age from 9 to 13 for
girls and from 14 to 15 for boys. The new law stipulates
that marriage of girls under 13 and boys under 15
will require court permission.
Translating
HIV/AIDS research findings into policy: lessons from
a case study of 'the Mwanza trial' (research abstract)
There is a pressing need to understand better how
to ensure the translation into policy and practice
of important research findings in HIV/AIDS prevention
and care in countries threatened by fast spreading
HIV epidemics. This paper reviews the findings and
implications of a policy analysis case study of an
HIV/AIDS clinical trial that has been successful in
influencing HIV prevention policy relevant to low-income
countries in order to identify illustrative lessons
for HIV/AIDS researchers in the future.
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH
Integration of STI Prevention and Management with Family
Planning and Antenatal Care in Sub-Saharan Africa--What
More Do We Need to Know? (research article) HTML
| PDF
The feasibility and effectiveness of strategies that
focus on the addition of either STI prevention services
or detection and treatment activities are uncertain.
Strategies for integration of services need to be
rigorously tested to ensure that they are both feasible
and effective before they are implemented.
Integrating Reproductive Tract Infection Services Into
Family Planning Settings in Indonesia (research article)
HTML
| PDF
Integrated reproductive health services are usually
discussed in the context of settings with high HIV
prevalence, but should also be considered as part
of a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS in low-prevalence
countries. Family planning and maternal and child
health services are often a woman's primary, and sometimes
sole, contact with the health care system; thus, it
is important that these services offer the convenience
of "one-stop shopping."
Oral
Contraceptives and the Risk of Breast Cancer (research
abstract)
Related news story: The Pill Not
Linked to Breast Cancer Risk: Study
Although birth control pills have been weakly linked
to breast cancer in some studies, a new study conducted
by researchers at the US Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention has found that past use of such pills
does not increase a woman's risk of developing breast
cancer.
Disseminated
Gonococcal Infection (research article/clinical
practice guidelines)
Disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI) is a rare
but important complication of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
mucosal infection. Although the exact incidence is
not known, approximately 1% of women with an uncomplicated
gonococcal infection will develop DGI. The disseminated
form is the most common cause of septic arthritis
or tenosynovitis in
adults.
Assessment
of a New Approach to Family Planning Services in Rural
Pakistan (research abstract)
After decades of failure, the managers of the family
planning program have designed a way of presenting
modern contraceptives that is appropriate to the conditions
of rural Pakistan. The new community-based approach
should be steadily expanded.
Acceptance
of Altering the Standard 21-day/7-day Oral Contraceptive
Regimen to Delay Menses and Reduce Hormone Withdrawal
Symptoms (research abstract)
Related news article: Passing Up
Your Period
Women whose periods come with headaches, cramps, and
heavy bleeding have found one way to ease their symptoms:
They simply stop having their period every month by
continuing to take the pill for an average of 3 months
before having a period, according to new study findings.
FAMILY PLANNING / REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS
Reproductive Health a Key Tool in
Wider Battle Against Poverty, Secretary-general Says
in Population Day Message
The theme of this year's World Population Day, 'Reducing
Poverty -- Improving Reproductive Health,' focuses
on the role of family planning, safe motherhood and
the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the global fight against
the squalor and despair that plague so many members
of the human family.
Is Oral Sex Safer Sex? (news
article)
While evidence continues to mount that oral sex is
at much lower risk than other activities, the word
'risk' is still there.
Assessing
the Global Market for Microbicides (news article)
Microbicide development efforts look promising, but
despite a market potential, resources for their development
and research are inadequate, according to a report
from the Microbicides 2002 conference in Antwerp.
HIV / AIDS RESEARCH
HIV/AIDS:
China's Titanic Peril: 2001 Update of the AIDS Situation
and Needs Assessment Report 
(research report)
Related news article: UN Says China
Faces AIDS Catastrophe (news article)
China's HIV/AIDS infection rate is about to explode
to unparalleled levels unless very strong action is
taken. The study cites intravenous drug abuse and
inadequate sanitation in the country's blood-buying
industry as the main methods of viral transmission,
but says sexual intercourse is quickly catching up
as a means of infection.
HIV/AIDS: Awareness and Behavior English
| French
(research report)
Defeating the AIDS epidemic will require dramatic
changes in sexual and reproductive behavior. HIV/AIDS
campaigns have raised awareness in many developing
countries, especially in urban areas, but, as yet,
do not appear to influence individual risk perception
and behavior.
Assessing
the Cost and Willingness to Pay for Voluntary HIV
Counseling and Testing in Kenya (research abstract)
Integrating services into existing health centers
can significantly reduce the cost of VCT. Additional
cost reductions may be feasible if health center staff
are hired to perform the counseling. Furthermore,
it appears that some level of cost recovery from VCT
clients is feasible and can contribute to sustainability,
although it is very unlikely that the full cost of
the service could be recovered from the clients.
HIV / AIDS NEWS
UNAIDS
Releases New Data Highlighting the Devastating Impact
of AIDS in Africa (press release)
The devastating impact of HIV/AIDS is rolling back
decades of development progress in Africa. Every element
of African society--from teachers to soldiers to farmers--is
under attack by AIDS.
Patent
Restraints on AIDS Drugs to Be Eased for Developing
World (news article)
The Bush administration and the European Commission
have decided to support poor countries that want to
obtain AIDS drugs from Indian and Brazilian companies
that flout international patents. Activists, however,
complain that the proposals don't go far enough.
Nonoxynol-9
Ineffective in Preventing HIV Infection (press
release)
Spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 do not protect
against HIV infection and may even increase the risk
of HIV infection in women using these products frequently,
according to a WHO report. The report advises women
at high risk of HIV infection against using nonoxynol-9
spermicides for contraception. The experts also concluded
that spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 do not protect
against two other common sexually transmitted infections:
cervical gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Caribbean
Health Officials to Discuss AIDS Drugs with Pharmaceutical
Companies (press release)
Caribbean health officials are preparing for a series
of negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to supply
antiretroviral drugs to Caribbean countries, as part
of an effort to reduce the severe impact of HIV/AIDS
there.
West's Response to AIDS in Africa
Abysmal: UN Envoy (news article)
The world's richest nations must commit billions more
each year to fight AIDS in Africa or risk condemning
millions on the continent to a perpetual cycle of
disease, poverty and death, the United Nations special
envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa said.
AIDS-Like Symptoms Can Appear in
Newly Infected (news article)
Conditions that typically occur during late stages
of AIDS can occur in patients recently infected with
HIV, investigators report.
Ethiopia:
HIV/AIDS Risk Awareness "Very Low," Survey
Finds (news article)
Most of Ethiopia's 65 million people are at "high
risk" for HIV/AIDS, the world's most far-reaching-ever
sexual survey has established. According to the study,
most Ethiopians still fail to take precautions against
contracting the disease, which is devastating their
country.
Majority in US Have Not Been Tested
for HIV (news article)
Although nearly 750,000 cases of AIDS have been diagnosed
since the US epidemic began two decades ago, most
Americans have never been--and do not want to be--tested
for HIV, a new poll reveals.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH
Polygyny,
Maternal HIV Status and Child Survival: Rakai, Uganda
(research abstract)
Researchers found that polygyny had no significant
effect on the survival of children with HIV-negative
mothers. But polygynous households, where not all
wives may have HIV, could be diverting resources away
from the children of the infected wives.
Abuse
During Pregnancy and Femicide: Urgent Implications
for Women's Health (research abstract)
Femicide is an important, but often unreported, cause
of maternal mortality. This is the first report of
a definite link between abuse during pregnancy and
attempted/completed femicide. This research documents
the immediate need for universal abuse assessment
of all pregnant women.
Women's
Perceptions of Iron Deficiency and Anemia Prevention
and Control in Eight Developing Countries (research
abstract)
WHO estimates that 58% of pregnant women in developing
countries are anemic. These authors found that the
major barrier to effective supplementation programs
is inadequate supply. Additional barriers include
inadequate counseling and distribution of iron tablets,
difficult access and poor utilization of prenatal
health care services, and beliefs against consuming
medications during pregnancy.
Calcium
Channel Blockers for Inhibiting Preterm Labor
(Cochrane Review) (research abstract)
When tocolysis is indicated for women in preterm labour,
calcium channel blockers are preferable to betamimetic
agents. Further research should address the effects
of different dosage regimens and formulations of nifedipine
on maternal and neonatal outcomes.
Informed
Demand for Safe Motherhood (best practices summary)
The goal of creating informed demand is to increase
community understanding and appropriate, efficient
use of healthcare services during pregnancy, childbirth,
and the postpartum period. This approach reinforces
the concept of community-driven quality, as the demand
for high-quality services is defined by the community's
knowledge and expectations.
MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS
Pregnancy Protein May Impact Infant
Birth Weight (news article)
A protein made by the placenta during early pregnancy
may be a key factor in whether a baby is born at a
healthy weight, researchers report.
Polio:
Nigerian Muslim Clerics Oppose Immunization Drive
(news article)
Muslim clerics in Nigeria are opposing a World Health
Organization-backed campaign to immunize children
in Kano state against polio.
Low Birth Weight a Risk Factor for
Eye Misalignment (news article)
Children born at a low weight have a higher-than-average
risk of strabismus, a visual defect in which the eyes
are misaligned, a UK study confirms.
MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
Prolonged
Erections Produced by Dihydrocodeine and Sildenafil
(research article: case studies)
Men taking impotence medication experience prolonged
erections when also taking opiates.
Sildenafil
for Male Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review
and Meta-analysis (research abstract)
A pooled analysis of 27 studies finds that Sildenafil
improves erectile function and is generally well tolerated.
Treatment response seems to vary between patient subgroups,
although sildenafil has greater efficacy than placebo
in all evaluated subgroups.
MEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Advances Needed to Treat Male Infertility
(news article)
Fertility treatments have come a long way since the
birth of the first test-tube baby 24 years ago, but
the next big improvement must be in male infertility,
a leading expert said Friday. If scientists could
discover a way to boost falling sperm counts, demand
for in vitro fertilization and other fertility techniques
for women would be cut in half.
Hypospadias,
a Common Birth Defect, Can Affect a Man's Ability
to Form Intimate Relationships (news article)
Hypospadias, in forms ranging from mild to severe,
affects about 1 in 200 live male births in the United
States, according to federal figures and physicians.
Although no nationwide data are available, doctors
note most cases are fairly mild, with the opening
only slightly off the mark. In severe cases, the penis
can appear very small and sometimes ambiguous, and
the boy must sit to urinate.
POPULATION RESEARCH
Fertility
in Times of Discontinuous Societal Change: The Case
of Central and Eastern Europe
(working paper)
Tumultuous social and political change affects numerous
demographic variables. This paper finds that marriages
and births were postponed and non-marital and extra-marital
births increased in the 1990s in Central and Eastern
Europe.
Measuring
Low Fertility: Rethinking Demographic Methods
(working paper)
In a low fertility context demographic characteristics
like the parity distribution of the population and
the timing of births can lead to substantial changes
in period fertility. The authors of this article review
the literature on the analysis of fertility by parity
and on tempo distortions.
POPULATION NEWS
Why
Many Baby Girls Never Arrive (news article)
In greater numbers than ever China's villagers are
using inexpensive prenatal scans then abortion to
prevent the birth of unwanted daughters and to ensure
they will bear a son, recent studies and census data
show.
WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH
A
Sea Change in Diagnosing and Managing HPV and Cervical
Disease -- Part II (research article/symposium
discussion)
Part II of this series addresses how new terminology
will aid in identifying women with atypical glandular
cells who have severe disease.
Representation
of Women's Health in General Medical Versus Women's
Health Specialty Journals: A Content Analysis
(research article)
Most GM articles drew on a narrow definition of women's
health. WS journals provided more balanced coverage,
addressing social concerns in addition to "navel-to-knees"
women's health. Since GM journals have wide impact,
editorial decisions and peer review processes should
promote a broader conceptualization of women's health.
WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS
Pakistan:
UNICEF Says Honor Killings Persist (news article)
As many as 211 Pakistani women were killed during
the first four months of this year in the name of
family honor, a 50 percent jump from the 137 killed
during the same period last year.
Menstrual Cycle Influences Migraine
Pain, Severity (news article)
Where a woman is at in her menstrual cycle may affect
whether or not she suffers a migraine, as well as
how painful and disabling the headache is, according
to a study presented at the 44th Annual Scientific
Meeting of the American Headache Society.
New Cancer Warning for Tamoxifen
Users (news article)
A new warning has been added to the label of the cancer
drug Novaldex (tamoxifen citrate), noting that the
drug has been linked to a certain type of uterine
cancer, as well as strokes and potentially fatal blood
clots in the lung.
Russian
Women Call for End to Sex Trafficking (news article)
A coalition of Russian women's groups appealed to
President Vladimir Putin to establish a task force
to combat trafficking in humans. Citing the US State
Department's recently released "Trafficking in
Persons" report which names Russia as one of
19 countries that failed to take adequate measures
to combat the practice, the Angel Coalition said Putin
should adopt a plan to "save tens of thousands
of Russian women from being lured overseas by criminal
traffickers."
YOUTH RESEARCH
How
Community Structures of Time and Opportunity Shape
Adolescent Sexual Behavior in South Africa
(working paper)
Analyses of time use indicate that African and Indian
girls spend twice as much time engaged in unpaid domestic
work as do their male counterparts, whereas white
boys spend the most time of those studied in paid
positions. Africans, both boys and girls, report studying
fewer hours than other racial groups. For girls, levels
of education in the community were positively associated
with not having had sex in the last 12 months. Levels
of wages in communities were positively associated
with condom use for both boys and girls. Levels of
sports activity in communities had a positive association
with risk-taking among boys and a negative one among
girls.
Help-Line
Counseling Services: Lessons Learned from Delhi University,
India
(research article)
70 percent of clientele of the Delhi University Helpline
service were aged 19 to 25 years, and 80 percent were
male callers. 50% of the telephone calls and visits
were on sexual health and adolescent sexuality; and
psychological issues/depressions. The common questions
received were related to masturbation, menstruation,
virginity, sexual potentialities, early discharge,
safe period, sexual fantasies, and how to use condoms.
The
Prevalence of Pain in Pediatric Human Immunodeficiency
Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome as Reported
by Participants in the Pediatric Late Outcomes Study
(PACTG 219) (research abstract)
Pain is a frequently encountered symptom in children
and youth with HIV disease and is also associated
with increased mortality. These findings emphasize
the importance of pain management among such youth.
Primary
and Preferred Sources for HIV/AIDS and Sexual Risk
Behavior Information Among Adolescents in Swaziland,
Southern Africa (PubMed abstract)
This study describes the primary and preferred sources
of information regarding HIV/AIDS and sexual risk
behavior in relation to several socio-demographic
variables (n=941) in Swaziland, Southern Africa. Although
print/broadcast media was the primary source for HIV/AIDS
and sexual risk behavior information for the students,
most participants preferred information from the healthcare
workers.
YOUTH NEWS
Iran:
AIDS Awareness to Include Schools (news article)
As part of the country's national curriculum, Iranian
youth may soon be receiving AIDS awareness education
in school.
Reforms Target Child Sex Abuse by
Aid Workers (news article)
Humanitarian groups called for urgent steps to protect
the world's displaced youths, saying child sex abuse
by aid workers constitutes "a global problem
of enormous magnitude."
More
Sex for India's Urban Youth (news article)
More than 40 percent of young urban couples in India
say they have had sex before marriage, according to
a new survey conducted by India's leading condom manufacturer,
Kamasutra. The survey also revealed that a third of
those polled had had sex before the age of 21.
East
Africa: Twenty Pokot Girls Hospitalised After Circumcision
(news article)
Twenty girls between the ages of 10 and 16 were admitted
to a hospital and saved from bleeding to death by
a local NGO.
BOOKS / BOOK REVIEWS
Managing
Complications in Pregnancy and Childbirth: A Guide
for Midwives and Doctors (reference manual)
While most pregnancies and births are uneventful,
all pregnancies are at risk. Around 15% of all pregnant
women develop a potentially life-threatening complication
that calls for skilled care and some will require
a major obstetrical intervention to survive. This
manual is written for midwives and doctors at the
district hospital who are responsible for the care
of women with complications of pregnancy, childbirth
or the immediate postpartum period, including immediate
problems of the newborn.
PROFILES / SPECIAL REPORTS
Symposium
2001: Gender Violence, Health and Rights in the Americas
This report details a meeting in which representatives
from the ministries of health, women's machinery,
civil society, and UN agencies from 30 countries as
well as international donor agencies identified priorities
and formulated strategies for strengthening the response
of the health sector to gender-based violence.
The
State of the World's Children 2002
(Text
only)
This document reports on the progress that has been
made in improving the lives of children and families
since the 1990 World Summit for Children. It includes
the inspiring successes of the 'Say Yes for Children'
campaign that has been launched in over 100 countries.
And it presents the worldwide preparations leading
to the UN Special Session on Children. Includes a
Foreword and reports from the UN Secretary-General,
six pages of maps, 25 charts and figures, 40 photos
and illustrations, 64 references, a full index and
more than 50 quotes from children and young people.
Direct
Loan to the Reproductive Health Association of Cambodia:
A Private Sector Intervention to Increase the Sustainability
of Reproductive Health Services
(program report)
This report shows how a private sector approach can
contribute to improved sustainability. The study includes
a detailed description of the Reproductive Health
Association of Cambodia, the project design, and expected
health outcomes from the intervention.
Conference and Workshop on Emergency Contraception
Quito, Ecuador, October 16-18, 2002
The Population Council Frontiers Program is financing
20 participants and two facilitators to a training
workshop to take place during the Conference which
is organized by the Latin American Consortium on Emergency
Contraception. PopCouncil is seeking candidates (primarily
from the public sector), policy makers, and service
providers currently engaged in EC activities and need
some training and/or technical assistance to extend
EC programs in the region. Consultants hired by PopCouncil
will provide TA after the workshop to countries that
request this service. Interested parties may contact
disemina@popcouncil.org.mx
for more information.
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