Community attitudes and gendered influences on decision making around contraceptive implant use in rural Papua New Guinea.

BACKGROUND: Despite targeted interventions to improve contraceptive implant acceptability and uptake in rural Papua New Guinea (PNG), ongoing use of this method remains limited. Previous literature has suggested community attitudes and intrinsic factors within the decision-making process may be negatively impacting on implant uptake, however these elements have not previously been studied in detail in this context. We set out to explore community attitudes towards the contraceptive implant and the pathways to decision making around implant use in a rural community on Karkar Island, PNG. METHODS: We conducted 10 focus-group (FGD) and 23 in-depth interviews (IDI) using semi-structured topic guides. Key sampling characteristics included age, exposure or non-exposure to implants, marital status, education and willingness to participate in discussion. Four FGDs were held with women, four with men and two with mixed gender. IDIs were carried out with five women (current implant users, former implant users, implant never users), five men, five religious leaders (Catholic and non-Catholic), four village leaders and four health workers. Two in-depth interviews (four participants) were analysed as dyads and the remaining participant responses were analysed individually. RESULTS: Men were supportive of their wives using family planning but there was a community-wide lack of familiarity about the contraceptive implant which influenced its low uptake. Men perceived family planning to be 'women's business' but remained strongly influential in the decision making processes around method use. Young men were more receptive to biomedical information than older men and had a greater tendency towards wanting to use implants. Older men preferred to be guided by prominent community members for decisions concerning implants whilst young men were more likely to engage with health services directly. CONCLUSIONS: In communities where a couple's decision to use the contraceptive implant is strongly coloured by gendered roles and social perceptions, having a detailed understanding of the relational dynamics affecting the decision-making unit is useful in targeting future healthcare interventions. Engaging groups who are reluctant to connect with health information, as well as those who are most influential in the decision making process, will have the greatest impact on increasing implant acceptability and uptake.

Impact of the contraceptive implant on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in rural Papua New Guinea: a retrospective observational cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Using routinely collected birth data, this study sought to measure changes in maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality after introduction of the levonorgestrel contraceptive implant into a large, rural island population in Papua New Guinea (PNG). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective observational study of birth records from 4251 births that occurred between January 2010 and December 2016 on Karkar Island, PNG. The primary outcome was the change in crude birth rate (CBR) before (2010-2012) and after (2014-2016) introduction of the implant. Secondary outcomes were the change in rates (per year/1000 births) of severe postpartum hemorrhage, postpartum infection, hospital readmission, prematurity (<37 weeks), low birth weight (<2500 g) and maternal and neonatal mortality. We also studied changes in the number of pregnancies affected by grand multiparity (≥4) and short interpregnancy interval (<12 months) for the same time periods. Data were analyzed using interrupted time series and Poisson regression. RESULTS: CBR was stable until 2012 and then declined from 2014 (p<.0001). Following introduction of the implant, the annual rate/1000 births of selected adverse birth outcomes decreased between 56% and 74% (p<.0001). The number of women with parity ≥4 who gave birth decreased by 59% (p<.0001), and the number with interpregnancy interval <12 months decreased by 64% (p<.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of the contraceptive implant was associated with reductions in CBR, maternal and neonatal morbidity, and the number of women with high-risk pregnancies giving birth. IMPLICATIONS: These results encourage efforts to increase knowledge and availability of the contraceptive implant in low- and middle-income countries such as PNG. In cases where it reduces the CBR and the number of women with high-risk pregnancies birthing, the implant may have a beneficial impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity.

Twelve month follow-up of a contraceptive implant outreach service in rural Papua New Guinea.

BACKGROUND: Poor access to contraception contributes to persistently high maternal mortality rates in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Since 2012 contraceptive implants have been provided to women in rural areas of PNG through outreach services but follow-up data in these communities on continuation and acceptability is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To gain insight into women's experience with contraceptive implants by assessing the acceptability, satisfaction, 12 month continuation rates and efficacy of contraceptive implants among women in rural PNG. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We undertook a cross-sectional survey of women in two rural provinces who had received a contraceptive implant at least 12 months prior using a structured questionnaire. We sought information on device continuation rates, satisfaction scores, side effects and failure rates. RESULTS: Of the 860 women surveyed, 97% (n = 836) still had the device in situ after 12 months and 92% (n = 793) were very happy with it. Seventy-six percent of women (n = 654) reported no side effects. Irregular bleeding was the most commonly reported side effect (n = 178, 20.6%) but only 7% (n = 13) said the bleeding was bothersome. Documented failure rates were 0.8% although pregnancy at the time of insertion could not be excluded in any of these cases. CONCLUSION: Twelve month implant follow-up data in this study showed high continuation rates and high levels of satisfaction among a rural population in PNG. Implants have the potential to lower maternal morbidity and mortality and simultaneously address the unmet need for contraception in these communities.

Abortion law across Australia--A review of nine jurisdictions.

This article reviews the current legal status of abortion in Australia and its implications. Australian abortion law has been a matter for the states since before Federation. In the years since Federation there have been significant reforms and changes in the abortion laws of some jurisdictions, although not all. Across Australia there are now nine sets of laws, state and Commonwealth, concerned with abortion. The test of a lawful abortion varies greatly across jurisdictions. In a number of states and territories, it is necessary to establish a serious risk to the physical or mental health of the woman if the pregnancy was to continue. In some cases, the certification of two doctors is required, particularly for abortions at later gestations. There are also physical restrictions on access, such as in South Australia and the Northern Territory where abortion must take place in a hospital. Only in the ACT has abortion been removed from the criminal law altogether. Variations in the law and restrictions arising from these are not consistent with the aims and provision of the universal, accessible health care system aspired to in Australia. There is an urgent need for overall reform and the introduction of uniformity to Australia's abortion laws, including removal of abortion from the criminal law.

Clinical case presentation: life threatening Group A sepsis secondary to HyCoSy.

Hysterosalpingo contrast sonography (HyCoSy) is a commonly performed procedure in the investigation of infertility. Infection is an uncommon complication of this procedure. Should it occur, it is generally mild and amenable to outpatient treatment with oral antibiotics. We present a case of an immunosuppressed woman who underwent HyCoSy for investigation of secondary infertility and developed life-threatening sepsis with Group A streptococcus.

Uhl's anomaly detected in-utero.

Uhl's anomaly is rarely diagnosed antenatally. It is a condition characterised by partial or complete absence of the right ventricular myocardium and the heart conducting system. We present a case of Uhl's anomaly diagnosed during fetal life on prenatal ultrasound, with eight years postnatal follow-up.

The effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided removal of a Mirena(®) intrauterine system when the strings are not visible and conventional office procedures have failed.

UNLABELLED: Missing threads are a common complication at the time of removal of a Mirena(®) intrauterine system (IUS). In the office setting, various different instruments have been used to retrieve the threads, such as artery forceps to grasp the threads, or hooks to ensnare them. These procedures are usually performed blindly, and they have varying degrees of success. In cases where office procedures have failed, women are referred for hysteroscopic removal. Ultrasound guidance may improve the success rate of IUS removal without the need for more invasive procedures such as hysteroscopy. AIM: To assess the effectiveness and safety of ultrasound-guided Mirena(®) intrauterine system removal when the strings are not visible and conventional office procedures have failed. METHOD: Information on women who were referred for ultrasound-guided removal of a Mirena(®) device when office procedures had failed was collected prospectively. RESULTS: Of the 38 cases attempted, 33 devices were successfully removed without complication. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound guidance is a useful adjunct for the removal of a Mirena(®) intrauterine system when the strings are not visible and outpatient procedures have failed.

Endometrial thickness measured by ultrasound scan in women with uterine outlet obstruction due to intrauterine or upper cervical adhesions.

BACKGROUND: A subgroup of women with Asherman's syndrome has adhesions of limited extent completely blocking the lower uterine cavity or upper cervix, whereas the upper endometrium remains normal. Haematometra are rarely found in these women. We tested the hypothesis that women with localized adhesions occluding the uterine outlet (but not affecting the upper uterine cavity) will have much thinner endometrium than controls. METHODS: Twenty-six women with Asherman's syndrome (16 with limited outlet adhesions only) and 50 with normal menstrual cycles underwent transvaginal ultrasound scan where endometrial double thickness was measured precisely and the cycle phase assessed. The presence of any fluid in the uterine cavity was noted. RESULTS: The endometrium in women with Asherman's syndrome, in whom uterine outlet blockage was the sole abnormality (subgroup 3), was substantially thinner (mean +/- SEM: 3.9 +/- 0.4 mm) than controls (8.5 +/- 0.05; P < 0.001), and haematometra were very uncommon (1 of 16). Endometrial thickness at all stages of the ovarian/menstrual cycle in all three subgroups of Asherman's syndrome was significantly less than in normal menstruating controls. CONCLUSIONS: Non-invasive ultrasound measurements have demonstrated very thin endometrium and absence of haematometra in most women with uterine outlet occlusion by adhesions. This unusual phenomenon of failure of cyclical endometrial growth and breakdown in the sole presence of cervical occlusion by adhesions merits further study.

A standardised ultrasonic diagnosis and an accurate prevalence for the retroverted uterus in general gynaecology patients.

Transvaginal ultrasound with an empty bladder is recommended as a standardised ultrasonic technique for the accurate diagnosis of the retroverted uterus. Using this method, the prevalence of the retroverted uterus in 480 general gynaecological patients attending for subspecialist gynaecological ultrasound was 18%. The anteverting effect of the full bladder required for transabdominal ultrasound reduces the prevalence of the retroverted uterus to 13% (P < 0.001).