Recent studies have provided substantial evidence to highlight abnormalities in the structure of endometrial microvessels in users of progestogen-only contraception. Structural changes alone are unlikely to lead to breakthrough bleeding, but appear to be associated with a reduction in vessel integrity, and may reflect alterations in the control and growth of endometrial microvessels in those ex...

Irregular menstrual bleeding in users of hormonal contraception represents the single major reason for discontinuation of these contraceptive methods. The mechanisms which underlie these bleeding disturbances are poorly understood, but appear to be associated with changes in the endometrial microvasculature following abnormal patterns of sex steroid exposure. Endometrial microvascular density i...

BACKGROUND Neutrophils infiltrate the endometrium pre-menstrually and after long-term progestin only-contraceptive (LTPOC) treatment. Trafficking of neutrophils involves endothelial cell-expressed intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1). Previous studies observed that ICAM-1 was immunolocalized to the endothelium of endometrial specimens across the menstrual cycle, but disagreed as to whether ...

Contraceptive failure and the progestogen-only pill The case report by Chandler and Nash1 in this issue of the Journal is interesting and highlights the need for trials of hormonal contraceptive use to include obese women. The authors acknowledge that despite an apparent association between contraceptive failure and higher body weight in studies of a Norplant® prototype and a levonorgestrelrele...

The United States-Mexico border is a region comprised of a country with one of the highest rates of invasive cervical cancer (Mexico) and a country with one of the lowest rates (United States). Recent evidence clearly indicates that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the cause of cervical cancer. The distribution of specific types of HPV is known to vary in different regions of the world, ...

Background Modern contraceptives are effective interventions for preventing unwanted pregnancies, but their use remain low among adolescent girls in sub-Saharan Africa. First, we aimed to assess the trends of modern contraceptive aged 15-19 years Sierra Leone period 2008-2019. Second, explored how individual and contextual determinants changed during this period. Methods We used a combined samp...

BACKGROUND Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa with high fertility and fast population growth rate. It is also one of the countries with high maternal and child mortality rate in sub-Saharan Africa Family planning is a crucial strategy to halt the fast population growth, to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health (Millennium Development Goal 4 and 5). Therefore, th...

OBJECTIVE To review new evidence regarding ten controversial issues in the use of contraceptive methods among women with special conditions and to present World Health Organization recommendations derived in part from this evidence. DATA SOURCES We searched MEDLINE and PREMEDLINE databases for English-language articles, published between January 1995 and December 2001, for evidence relevant t...