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Volume 5, Number 9
28 February 2005

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH RESEARCH

Paternal Age and Preterm Birth (research abstract)
This study examined the effect of paternal age on preterm birth. The risk of preterm birth increased with paternal age, almost entirely resulting from an association for very preterm birth. Compared with fathers age 20-24 years, odds ratios for very preterm birth were 1.3 (age 25-29), 1.4 (age 35-39), 1.7 (age 40-44), 1.6 (age 45-49), and 2.1 (age 50+). Risk of very preterm birth increases among older fathers, perhaps as a result of a paternal placental effect.

Negotiating Contraception: Case Studies in Rural Mexican Villages (research article)
In this paper, presented at the Population Association of America 2004 Annual Meeting in Boston, April 1-3, 2004, experiences in four Mexican villages in rural Michoacán, Mexico are used to examine the roles of village women and medical personnel in contraceptive choice. Results indicate that factors such as the influence of medical authority, past experience with providers, side effects, contraceptive failure, and spousal separation due to migration play important parts. Women's relationship with medical authority and the attitude of key players with authority also play a role.

Masculine Interest Behind High Prevalence of Female Contraceptive Methods in Rural Nepal (research abstract)
This article explores the nexus between intraspousal power relations and couples' participation in contraceptive decision-making. Further, it discloses whether perceived gender roles and privilege influence couples' contraceptive behavior in rural Nepal. Four variables (education, personal income, and exposure to psychological assault and physical assault) demonstrated significant influence on wives' participation, while no one variable showed association with husbands' participation in contraceptive decision-making.

Interpretation of the BBT Chart: Using the "Gap" Technique Compared to the Coverline Technique (research abstract)
This study compared the accuracy of the Gap and Coverline techniques of interpreting the basal body temperature (BBT) chart. Based on this small study, the Gap technique appears to be more accurate than the Coverline technique in identifying the post-ovulatory initial infertile phase.

Twenty Micrograms vs. More Than 20 Micrograms Estrogen Oral Contraceptives for Contraception: Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials (research abstract)
This review of randomized controlled trials tested the hypothesis that combination oral contraceptives (COCs) containing less than or equal to 20 micrograms ethinyl estradiol (EE) perform similarly to those containing more than 20 micrograms in terms of contraceptive effectiveness, bleeding patterns, discontinuation, and side effects. Results show that while health care providers and women might select COCs containing 20 micrograms EE based on theoretical improvements in safety profile from the reduced dose of estrogen, no evidence is available to support this choice.

The Effect of Education on the Timing of Marriage in Kenya (research article)
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This paper investigates the effect of education on the timing of marriage among Kenyan women and the relative effects of education across generations of women. The results show that education has a statistically significant and strong positive effect on a woman’s age at first marriage; the effect remaining robust in the presence of a number of controls. The highly educated women are more likely to delay marriage. Significant variations in the effect of education across the generations of women are apparent.

Development and Validation of Questionnaire Measuring Attitudes towards Sexual Health among University Students (PubMed abstract)
The study aimed to develop a questionnaire on attitudes towards sexual health and validate it on a sample of medical and non-medical students and adult women in Croatia. Researchers showed that it is possible to construct a reliable instrument to assess attitudes towards three important aspects of sexual health: personal sexual health care, sexual behavior, and safe sex behavior.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH NEWS

South Africa: 'Condom Debate Not About Safety' (news article)
The South African Council of Churches has raised concerns over the use of religious beliefs to distort and cloud the scientific evidence on condoms.

Vaginal Gel Blocks HIV, Herpes (news article)
Related: news article: The Candidate Topical Microbicide PRO 2000/5 Inhibits HIV and HSV Infection following Vaginal Application: Results of a Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial
Researchers reported last week in Boston at the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections that a gel that acts like a liquid condom to block STDs has proven to inhibit HIV and herpes infection when used by women. The researchers, at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, say that the gel is the first to retain antiviral activity within the human vagina. The research abstract links to the poster abstract presented in Boston.

Only 30% of Adult Filipinos Use Birth Control--Survey (news article)
Related: press release: Social Weather Stations 4th Quarter 2004 Survey Report on Family Planning for the Department of Health
Only 30% of adult Filipinos use any form of birth control, even though 96% believe a state family planning program will help the devoutly-Catholic nation, according to a survey released here Saturday. The respected Social Weather Stations research group said that its survey, conducted in late November and early December, also found that pills were the most popular form of birth control, used by 14% of those who said they employed such methods or devices.

India: Female Condoms to be Part of AIDS Control Programme (news article)
Having successfully tested the efficacy of the female condom in three states, India is planning to distribute the condoms from next month in more areas as part of its HIV/AIDS control program.

FAMILY PLANNING/REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH LAW AND POLICY

Singapore Mulls Law on Disclosing HIV Status to Spouses (news article)
Singapore's government may introduce legislation to ensure that spouses know whether their partners have HIV.

Hong Kong Promotes 'Three Child Policy' (news article)
A senior official in Hong Kong has told couples they should consider having three children to try to stem the territory's falling birth rate. The government hinted it is considering measures including tax incentives to try to encourage couples to reproduce.

Based on the Research, Comprehensive Sex Education Is More Effective at Stopping the Spread of HIV Infection, Says APA Committee (press release)
In this press release, the American Psychological Association (APA) is recommending that comprehensive and empirically supported sex education and HIV prevention programs become widely available to teach youth how to abstain from risky sexual behaviors and learn how they can protect themselves against HIV and other STDs. Based on more than 15 years of research, the evidence shows that comprehensive sexuality education programs for youth that encourage abstinence, promote appropriate condom use, and teach sexual communication skills reduce HIV-risk behavior and also delay the onset of sexual intercourse.

Philippine Catholic Church and President Arroyo's Views on Family Planning (interview)
In an effort to curb the explosive population growth of 2.3% in the country, Filipino President Gloria Arroyo has implemented a family planning program. However, the government's "Freedom for Pregnancy" program, which makes birth control devices as available options to couples, has met with strong opposition from the country's influential Roman Catholic bishops. In this interview, a pastor from the National Council of Churches in the Philippines explains the position of the Church.

HIV/AIDS RESEARCH

Webcast Sessions from the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (news article)
This web page houses the webcasts from the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, held last week in Boston, February 22-25. The webcast sessions, including slides and full audio and video, include Opening Plenary and Keynote Lecture, Program Committee Workshop for New Investigators and Trainees, and various symposia. High-speed access is preferred; system requirements tests are available.

Mortality and Causes of Death in South Africa, 1997–2003: Findings from Death Notification (report)
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Related: news article: S. Africa Reports AIDS-related Jump in Deaths
South Africa reported a 57% jump in deaths between 1997 and 2002, providing a startling -- if indirect -- picture of the rocketing toll of the country's AIDS epidemic. Releasing figures from a widely awaited national mortality study, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said reported deaths had leapt to 499,268 in 2002 from 318,287 in 1997. Among those older than 15, deaths increased by 62%.

Field Efficacy of Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Single-Dose Nevirapine to Prevent Peripartum HIV Transmission (research abstract)
This study evaluated the 6-week field efficacy of two more prevention of peripartum mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) drug combinations in Abidjan. It was found that a short-course of zidovudine + single-dose nevirapine prevents most peripartum HIV transmission in Africa.

Heterosexual Behavioral Maintenance and Change Following HIV Counseling and Testing (research abstract)
This study investigated heterosexual HIV risk behaviors, changes in stage of change for safer sex and factors associated with such changes, among a diverse sample of 560 heterosexually active individuals presenting at publicly funded HIV C&T sites. Positive serostatus was the most significant predictor of safer behavior after C&T. Many seronegative participants stopped sex with non-main partners. Behaviors with main partners were particularly resistant to change. Predictors of change varied by stage at pre-test.

Potential for Medical Transmission of HIV in Ethiopia (research abstract)
The potential medical transmission of HIV through unsafe medical injections was evaluated in 16 rural health institutions in Ethiopia. Most institutions reported re-using disposable needle/syringes, and 12% of observed injections were given with used, disposable syringes prepared for re-use. Analysis of used needle flushes showed no HIV RNA; however, the sensitivity of the research method the authors used was limited. Despite the re-use of disposable needles, medical injection practices are not likely to contribute significantly to HIV transmission in this region.

Measurable Predictive Factors for Progression to AIDS among HIV-infected Patients in Singapore (PubMed abstract)
This study identifies measurable factors at the time of diagnosis that predict the progression to AIDS among HIV-infected patients in Singapore. It found that older age at diagnosis and baseline CD4 cell counts to be measurable predictors for HIV progression to AIDS at time of diagnosis. Identification of these risk factors enables physicians to provide counselling and advice, and to start appropriate treatment early. This could lower the risk of progression and improve survival.

HIV/AIDS NEWS

Tight Budget Could Affect AIDS Research (news article)
A tighter 2006 budget for the National Institutes of Health could force the world's number one funder of medical research to pull the plug on some AIDS research and other projects that don't prove their value, a top official said recently.

Combination Therapy Might be Better Choice than Nevirapine Alone to Prevent Vertical HIV Transmission, Researchers Say (news article)
Antiretroviral drug combination therapy might be more effective in preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission and less likely to foster drug resistance among pregnant women than single-dose nevirapine, according to data presented this week at the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston.

Uganda's Decline in HIV/AIDS Prevalence Attributed to Increased Condom Use, Early Death From AIDS, Study Says (news article)
Related: research abstract: Declines in HIV Prevalence in Uganda: Not as Simple as ABC
Programs that promote abstinence and monogamy to combat AIDS are failing in a landmark Ugandan study, and only condom use has kept the deadly virus in check, researchers reported on Wednesday at the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Boston.

Ghana: NGO to Introduce Door-to-Door HIV/AIDS Education (news article)
Rural Aid Action Programme, a non-governmental organization(NGO), has entered into partnership agreement with Plan Ghana, an international NGO, to intensify education on reproductive health among adults and adolescents.

Hong Kong Sees Record High of 268 HIV Cases (news article)
A total of 268 new HIV cases were reported to the Hong Kong Department of Health last year, the highest annual number ever recorded and a 17% increase compared with 229 in the preceding year.

AIDS Kills Over 140,000 Teachers in Tanzania in 2 Decades (news article)
More than 140,000 teachers have died of AIDS or AIDS-related diseases in the past two decades in Tanzania, where an anti-HIV/AIDS publicity campaign is being conducted in schools and colleges.

Condom Shortfall Hits AIDS Work (news article)
The fight against AIDS is being hampered by a massive shortage of condoms - only about one-tenth of the 10.8bn needed were available in developing countries in 2003 and there seems little chance of meeting a target of 18.6bn by 2015.

S. Africa to Increase Spending in Fighting AIDS (news article)
Related: news article: S.Africa Ups Welfare Spending by 22 Bln Rand
South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel called on increasing budget for fighting HIV/AIDS in the coming year to some 4.3 billion rand (741 million US dollars), a rise of about one billion rand over current spending.

Spam Filters May Lead Scientists to AIDS Vaccine: Scientists Hope Method Will Find Patterns in Variations of HIV (news article)
Software scientists at Microsoft Research have teamed up with biomedical researchers in Seattle, Boston, and Perth, Australia, to see if computer techniques used to defeat e-mail spam can also be used to help design a vaccine that can defeat AIDS. Members of this unique collaboration will announce a plan to use "machine learning" or "data mining" computational techniques to decipher HIV's wildly creative genetic ability to constantly change and disguise itself from immune system detection and deletion.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH RESEARCH

Are Oral Contraceptive Use and Pregnancy Complications Risk Factors for Atopic Disorders Among Offspring? (research abstract)
This study investigated the association between oral contraceptive use before and complications during pregnancy and asthma, along with other atopic manifestations.

Haematological Changes in African Children Who Received Short-Term Prophylaxis with Nevirapine and Zidovudine at Birth (research abstract)
This study assessed the safety of short-term antiretroviral prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV by monitoring hematological changes in children up to the age of 18 months. HIV infection significantly increased the children's risk of death. Antiretroviral prophylaxis appeared to protect against anemia and child death. Short regimens of antiretrovirals to prevent MTCT of HIV are not associated with long-term adverse hematological changes.

Maternal Deaths and Their Causes in Ankara,Turkey, 1982-2001 (research article)
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This study was carried out to determine the incidence and causes of maternal deaths about a 20-year period at the Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Anthropometry of Fetal Growth in Rural Malawi in Relation to Maternal Malaria and HIV Status (research abstract)
This study described fetal growth centiles in relation to maternal malaria and HIV status in Malawi, using cross sectional measurements at birth. Results show fetal growth retardation in weight and length commonly occurs in this highly malarious area and is present from 30 weeks gestation. A maternal HIV effect on fetal weight occurred after 38 weeks gestation.

Oral Zinc Supplementation in Pregnant Women and Its Effect on Birth Weight: A Randomised Controlled Trial (research abstract)
Pakistan lies in a zinc deficient area where oral zinc supplementation has been advocated for various reasons. A double blind, randomized case-control study was carried out on pregnant women to evaluate the effects of oral zinc supplementation on the weights of newborns. No significant difference was found in the birth weights between the cases supplemented with 20 mg elemental zinc and controls receiving oral placebos.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH NEWS

Afghan Women Dying to Give the Gift of Life (news article)
According to UN data, Afghanistan has among the world's highest rates of maternal mortality, and remote, impoverished Badakhshan has the highest rate ever recorded anywhere in the world, with one mother dying in every 15 births.

Pregnancy Doubles the Risk of HIV Infection (news article)
Related: research abstract: Pregnancy and the Risk of Incident HIV in Rakai, Uganda, a Cause for Concern
Women are more vulnerable to HIV infection when they are pregnant, with an infection rate more than double that among other women, a study from Uganda has found. The findings were presented last week in Boston at the 12th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.

MEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Risky Sexual Behaviour, Marital Relationship, and Gupt Rog ('Secret Illnesses' in Hindi) in the Slums of Mumbai City, India (research article)
Presented at the Population Association of America 2004 Annual Meeting, this paper examines the nature of male premarital and extra-marital sexual behavior and its impact on sexual health in "slum" communities in Mumbai, India. Men's self perceptions, life-style and marital relationships are shown to be closely associated with involvement in risky sex. These results point to the need for interventions that go beyond community awareness and condom promotion for better men's sexual and reproductive health.

MEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Senegal's Gays are Forced into Secret Way of Life (feature article)
Homosexuality is such a deeply ingrained in Senegal that it is punishable by law as an act against nature. The threat of violence and rejection, experts say, is scaring gays away from treatment and making them a high-risk group in a country that has been spared the ravages of AIDS seen elsewhere in Africa.

POPULATION RESEARCH

Poverty and Fertility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence from 25 Countries (research article)
The objective of this paper, presented at the Population Association of America 2004 Annual Meeting in Boston, April 1-3, was to document the relationship between poverty and fertility behavior in Sub-Saharan Africa. Results indicate strong differentials in fertility and proximate determinants by economic status in all of the 25 countries included in the study, even when controlling for education and place of residence. Analyses of fertility changes within countries also indicate that significant fertility declines have occurred among the poorest women in several countries, a result broadly consistent with an innovation diffusion framework.

World Population Prospects: The 2004 Revision, Highlights (report)
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Related: news article: U.N.: Population to Top 9 Billion by 2050
Related: news article: World Population to Grow from 6.5 Billion to 9.1 Billion by 2050
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This report presents the highlights from the results of the 2004 Revision of the official world population estimates and projections prepared by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. The 2004 Revision is the nineteenth round of global demographic estimates and projections undertaken by the Population Division since 1950. The report estimates that the world's population will rise from 6.5 billion to 9.1 billion by 2050. Much of the growth will take place in the least-developed countries, where a high rate of mortality is outweighed by an even higher rate of fertility. Their current collective population of 800 million is projected to swell to 1.7 billion in 2050.

POPULATION NEWS

Japan's Population Marks Lowest Postwar Growth (news article)
Japan's population rose by a mere 0.05% in 2004, marking the lowest growth since the end of World War II, estimated population figures released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications have shown.

WOMEN'S HEALTH RESEARCH

Comparison of the Metabolic Effects of Oral Contraceptive and Nonhormonal Contraceptive use in Women Over 40 Years Old (research abstract)
The aim of this study was to compare metabolic changes during use of low-dose combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and those of nonhormonal contraceptives in perimenopausal women. There was no clinical significance for the metabolic changes. Low-dose COCs can be a satisfactory contraceptive choice for healthy perimenopausal women.

Bone Mineral Density in Women Aged 40–49 Years Using Depot-Medroxyprogesterone Acetate, Norethisterone Enanthate or Combined Oral Contraceptives for Contraception (research abstract)
The aim of this study was to investigate bone mineral density (BMD) in older women (40–49 years) in relation to use of depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN), and combined oral contraceptives (COCs) for at least 12 months preceding recruitment into the study. This study found no evidence that long-term use of DMPA, NET-EN, and COCs affects BMD in this population.

WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS

Nigeria: Surgeons Launch Drive to Cure Incontinence Caused By Difficult Pregnancies (news article)
Related: news article: Doctors in Nigeria to Get Training in Treating Fistula, UN Says
"Fistula Fortnight", a campaign to end the painful and embarrassing childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent, has kicked off in northern Nigeria.

Middle East: AIDS Threat Grows for Arab Women (news article)
A conference on HIV/AIDS among women and girls in the Middle East and north Africa has heard a call for more to be done to help this vulnerable group. Although incidence rates are still low compared to the rest of the world, health practitioners warned that this would not be the case in a year's time.

YOUTH HEALTH RESEARCH

Conducting Research on Sensitive Topics with Adolescents: Ethical and Developmental Considerations (news article)
Promotion of adolescent health requires well-designed scientific studies that determine the prevalence of the problem of interest, identify risk and resilience factors, and evaluate methods for prevention and intervention. Many adolescent-related health problems are typically considered sensitive by society (e.g., sexual and substance use behaviors), thus further complicating the research process. Using the principles of the Belmont Report as its framework, this paper draws on developmental theories to discuss ethical issues specific to the conduct of research with adolescents.

Parental Involvement and Young Women's Contraceptive Use (research abstract)
Because parental involvement in education shapes teenagers' attitudes about school and work by encouraging achievement and by providing a home environment that values education, this study assesses whether it may also influence contraceptive choices during early adulthood.

YOUTH HEALTH NEWS

Zambia: Girls Beat Boys in HIV Infections (news article)
Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Mutale Nalumango has said that the HIV infection rate among young women aged between 15 and 19 is four times higher than that of young men of the same age group.

Girl, Two Young Men Sentenced to 170 Lashes in Iran on Illicit Sex Charges (news article)
A Tehran court sentenced a teenage girl and two young men to a total of 170 lashes for having had illicit sex, after it ruled out her claim of having been raped. The court ruled that the girl, whose name was not disclosed, had sex with her partners of her own free will, although sex out of marriage is illegal in the Islamic republic. She was sentenced to 100 lashes and the men to 40 and 30 lashes each. The daily Iran explained that the girl's penalty was far higher because of her false kidnapping and rape charges, which could have landed her partners with the death penalty.

Malawi: Girls, 10, in Sex Work — Minister (news article)
Minister of Gender, Child Welfare and Community Services Joyce Banda revealed that some beer hall operators are employing girls aged between 10 and 15 years as sex workers.

New Youth Online Forum (resource material)
INFO and YouthNet invite you to participate in an online discussion, "Youth Forum on Pregnancy Prevention in a Time of AIDS," to be held between March 15 and April 15, 2005. You can share your experiences and lessons learned, along with guest experts from the UN and other international agencies.

BOOKS/BOOK REVIEWS

A Book for Midwives: Care for Pregnancy, Birth, and Women's Health (book)
This easy-to-use book includes updated information on HIV/AIDS in pregnancy and birth, breastfeeding, preventing infection, and family planning, and new chapters on pelvic exams, IUD insertion and removal, and helping a woman when a pregnancy ends early. Heavily illustrated, clearly written, and developed with the participation of dozens of community-based midwives, midwifery trainers, and medical specialists, A Book for Midwives is equally useful in a rural village or urban clinic, as a training manual for students, or as a reference for an experienced midwife.

SPECIAL REPORTS/PROFILES/RESOURCES

NIH Calls on Scientists to Speed Public Release of Research Publications (press release)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a new policy designed to accelerate the public's access to published articles resulting from NIH-funded research. The policy — the first of its kind for NIH — calls on scientists to release to the public manuscripts from research supported by NIH as soon as possible, and within 12 months of final publication.

Scaling Up HIV/AIDS Programs (training manual)
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There is little information about and experience in the process of turning HIV/AIDS strategic plans into large-scale multisectoral action plans. This manual, from Management Sciences for Health, addresses this gap by providing a method and tools to help facilitators, planners, and decision-makers tackle the unique challenges of developing operational plans for scaling up the components of national HIV/AIDS responses.

"The Pop Reporter" (R) Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs INFO Project. When you click on any link, your Internet browser will access a Web site not connected to "The Pop Reporter." Information accessed through these links and contained in this issue of "The Pop Reporter" does not necessarily state or reflect the views of the INFO Project, Johns Hopkins University, or the US Agency for International Development. All links were verified at the date of mailing. Your computer and/or network configuration regarding Java script, cookies, and other security issues may not allow you to view certain Web sites. Consult your computer technician if you are having problems. Problems and comments can be addressed to rjacoby@jhuccp.org. Archives available at http://www.infoforhealth.org/popreporter/. Subscribe at http://prds.infoforhealth.org/signup.php. Modify your account at http://prds.infoforhealth.org/modify.php. Have an item to contribute for consideration in The Pop Reporter? E-mail the URL and description to rjacoby@jhuccp.org. Forward this message to a friend who could benefit from INFO project activities! Sincerely, Robert Jacoby, rjacoby@jhuccp.org Editor, The Pop Reporter

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: The INFO Project

Volume 5, Number 928 February 2005