Role of peri-partum counselling in improving choice of postpartum contraception

Background: The choice of a contraceptive method is a complex decision. Health care providers have an important role in providing information and supporting patients' decision making about contraceptive choices through counselling. Non-use of contraceptive methods, use of less effective methods, and incorrect and inconsistent use of methods underlie the high frequency of unintended pregnancy. Prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken to study the role of peri-partum counselling in improving choice of postpartum contraception at Pravara Rural Hospital Loni, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India.Methods: Four hundred and fifty women in third trimester of pregnancy were individually counselled about the postpartum contraception, using educational material and pamphlets. The choice of postpartum contraception before and after the counselling was noted.Results: Among primi gravidas, the most favored choices for postpartum contraception before counselling were condom (25%) and lactational amenorrhea method (12%). In the same group of women, the post counselling choices were PPIUCD (45%), condom (17%) and interval IUCD (7%). Among multi-gravida, the most favored choices for postpartum contraception before counselling were postpartum tubal ligation (26%), condom (20%) and lactational amenorrhea method or calendar method (17%). In the same group of women, the post counselling choices were postpartum tubal ligation (32%) PPIUCD (12%), condom (8%).Conclusions: The study supports the usefulness of good quality counselling both with respect to the interpersonal relationship between the patient and the provider and quality of information that is provided during counselling. Postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD), a long acting reversible contraceptive, will fulfil the felt need of postpartum contraception in near future.

Choice of postpartum contraception and its socio-demographic and cultural determinants

Background: Postpartum contraception is essential for avoidance of unwanted pregnancy and for adequate spacing between two pregnancies. There are many socio demographic and cultural factors that influence the choice of contraception in rural community in India. Third trimester of pregnancy is ideal time for counselling the women regarding breast feeding and contraception. The objective of the present study was to find out the choice of postpartum contraception among antenatal women and the socio demographic and cultural determinants that influence this choice.Methods: Six hundred pregnant women were interviewed regarding their choice of postpartum contraception during their antenatal visit in third trimester of pregnancy, using a pre-validated and pre-tested brief questionnaire. The choices were compiled and analysed to draw conclusions.Results: Postpartum sterilization was choice of 30% of multiparous women. Primi-parous women either opted for barrier contraception like condom (10%), intrauterine contraception (9%) or oral steroidal pills (8%). The progesterone injectable contraceptives and centchroman each were chosen by 2% respondents. There was strong influence of education, parity, sex of the living children on the choice of contraception. It was observed that 40% of women did not want to use hormonal pills and intrauterine contraceptives due to strong age old misbelieves associated with them.Conclusions: Women in rural area prefer permanent method of contraception in the form of tubectomy operation after having desired number of children. There is insufficient spacing between pregnancies due to either non-use of contraception or inconsistent use of temporary method of contraception. More than 50% women are dependent on the husband regarding the choice and practice of contraception. The level of education of woman, age at marriage, socio economic class, desired sex combination of children are strong determinants of choice of contraception.

ErbB-2 expression and its association with other biological parameters of breast cancer among Indian women.

Objectives: Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor family genes, which include ErbB-1, 2, 3 and 4, has been implicated in a number of cancers. We have studied the extent of ErbB-2 overexpression among Indian women with sporadic breast cancer. Methods: Immmunohistochemistry and genomic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to study the ErbB2 overexpression. ErbB2 status was correlated with other clinico-pathological parameters, including patient survival. Results: ErbB-2 overexpression was detected in 43.2% (159/368) of the cases by immunohistochemistry. For a sub-set of patients (n = 55) for whom total DNA was available, ErbB-2 gene amplification was detected in 25.5% (14/55) of the cases by genomic PCR. While the ErbB2 overexpression was significantly higher in patients with lymphnode (χ2 = 12.06, P≤ 0.001), larger tumor size (χ2 = 8.22, P = 0.042) and ductal carcinoma (χ2 = 15.42, P ≤ 0.001), it was lower in patients with disease-free survival (χ2 = 22.13, P ≤ 0.001). Survival analysis on a sub-set of patients for whom survival data were available (n = 179) revealed that ErbB-2 status (χ2 =25.94, P ≤ 0.001), lymphnode status (χ2 = 12.68, P ≤ 0.001), distant metastasis (χ2 = 19.49, P ≤ 0.001) and stage of the disease (χ2 = 28.04, P ≤0.001) were markers of poor prognosis. Conclusions: ErbB-2 overexpression was significantly greater compared with the Western literature, but comparable to other Indian studies. Significant correlation was found between ErbB-2 status and lymphnode status, tumor size and ductal carcinoma. ErbB-2 status, lymph node status, distant metastasis and stage of the disease were found to be prognostic indicators.

An unusual presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem connective tissue disease caused by the damage of tissues and cells by pathogenic auto-antibodies and immune complexes. A 27-year-old female presented with chronic diarrhoea was diagnosed as intestinal tuberculosis. But further evaluation diagnosed it a case of SLE and diarrhoea subsided with treatment. The case is reported because of its atypical presentation.

Recurrent haematuria in coexisting IgA nephropathy and interstitial nephritis.

We report here a case of recurrent hematuria in a young man who presented with deteriorating renal function due to interstitial nephritis, secondary to, probably enteric fever. Immunofluorescence studies showed IgA nephropathy and ultrastructural studies revealed thin basement membrane nephropathy.

Level of serum and renal histamine and diamine oxidase activity in lead acetate treated rats.

The levels of histamine and Diamine oxidase activity in renal tissue and serum were determined in lead acetate treated rats. The results show a significant lowering in the level of renal histamine with a rise in diamine oxidase activity in serum as well as in renal tissue.

Bilateral adrenalectomy or subdiaphragmatic vagotomy on gastric tissue histamine concentration in albino rats.

Gastric tissue histamine concentration was determined 14 days after mock subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, mock bilateral adrenalectomy and bilateral adrenalectomy in four different groups of animals and the results were compared with those of control rats. The results show that neither of the experimental situations of mock subdiaphragmatic vagotomy, subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and mock bilateral adrenalectomy could bring about any significant change in gastric tissue histamine concentration fourteen days after the respective operations, whereas, following bilateral adrenalectomy, the gastric tissue histamine concentration went up to two and half times the basal level during the same period thus indicating that by removal of adrenal influences there was an increase in synthesis and storage of histamine in the stomach wall.