Provision of contraception services and advice for women with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY: As the prognosis of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) improves, issues of sexual health, fertility, pregnancy and contraception are increasingly important. In order to plan the provision of a contraception and sexual health service for women with CF we studied their sexual and reproductive history, their current usage of contraception, the sources and quality of advice they had received, and their particular needs using a confidential questionnaire sent to all women over 16 years of age attending a regional CF centre. RESULTS: Of 55 women (mean age 29.7 years) surveyed, 42 (76%) responded. Thirty-three women (79%) were sexually active and 13 (31%) had experienced 19 pregnancies, five (26%) of which were unplanned. Only half of the women who responded were using contraception. No woman used female sterilisation, the progestogen implant, intrauterine system (IUS) or copper-bearing intrauterine device (IUD) for contraception. Twenty-six (62%) women reported not having received contraceptive advice specific to CF and 24 (57%) said that they had not been warned about the potential interaction between broad-spectrum antibiotics and the combined pill. DISCUSSION: Women with CF have a relatively high rate of unplanned pregnancy and do not receive optimal advice or use the full range of contraceptive methods. CF teams lack training in contraception and contraceptive services may not have a detailed knowledge of CF and its complications. New strategies are needed to focus the knowledge and skills of both teams in providing better services for women with CF.

Hormonal manipulation after surgery for catamenial pneumothorax.

A best evidence topic in thoracic surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was whether hormonal manipulation with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues reduces the risk of recurrent catamenial pneumothorax after surgery, compared with surgery alone. Altogether 819 papers were found using the reported search, of which 7 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. The authors, date, journal, country of publication, study type, level of evidence, patient group studied, relevant outcomes and results of these papers are tabulated. Of the 7 papers selected, 6 demonstrated a reduction in recurrence of catamenial pneumothorax with the use of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues, whereas in the single paper where surgery alone was performed, no evidence of recurrence was demonstrated. We therefore conclude that, based on very small retrospective observational studies, gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogues used as an adjunct to surgical intervention may reduce the risk of recurrent pneumothorax, when compared with either no hormonal therapy or oestrogen-progesterone therapy, but should be initiated and supervised by gynaecologists who will be familiar with the therapy and the potential side effects.

A Survey of Bariatric Surgical and Reproductive Health Professionals' Knowledge and Provision of Contraception to Reproductive-Aged Bariatric Surgical Patients.

BACKGROUND: Over 80 % of bariatric surgical patients are women with obesity in their reproductive years. Obesity adversely affects fertility; the rapid weight loss following bariatric surgery can increase fecundity. Current guidelines recommend avoiding pregnancy for up to 24 months following surgery, but little is known about current contraceptive care of women who undergo bariatric surgery. Two surveys were undertaken with bariatric surgical and contraceptive practitioners in England to establish current contraceptive practices in both groups. METHODS: Two anonymous on-line surveys were sent to all 382 members of the British Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society (BOMSS) and an estimated 300 contraceptive practitioners in the North East of England. RESULTS: The BOMSS survey elicited a response rate of 17 % (n = 65), mainly from bariatric surgeons (n = 24 (36 %)). Most respondents (97 %) acknowledged the need to educate patients, but contraceptive information was only provided by 7 % (n = 4) of respondents in bariatric surgical clinics. Less than half of respondents were confident discussing contraception, and the majority requested further training, guidance and communication with contraceptive practitioners. The majority of respondents to the contraceptive practitioner survey were general practitioners (28 %, n = 20). Three quarters of respondents reported little knowledge of bariatric surgery, and many reported not seeing women with obesity requiring contraception before (66 %, n = 45) or after surgery (71 %, n = 49). CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to increase knowledge levels of contraception within bariatric surgical teams and to understand why, despite increasing levels of bariatric surgery, women do not seem to be appearing for advice in contraceptive settings.