Feasibility and Acceptability of LNG 1.5 mg as an On-Demand Pericoital Contraceptive in Ghana.

Globally, there is a need for more family planning method options as currently, available options do not adequately meet the needs of women, specifically those who have infrequent sex. Levonorgestrel (LNG) 1.5 mg is widely available as emergency contraception pills (ECP), and recent research has shown that certain women take it as their main form of contraception. Furthermore, limited studies have found repeat, on-demand use safe and efficacious. This 12-month prospective, single-arm, interventional study in Ghana tested whether a single LNG 1.5 mg on-demand or pericoital ("around the time of sex") dose contraceptive was acceptable to women who have infrequent sex and if pharmacy provision was feasible. The study sample (1,890) comprised women of reproductive age recruited from urban areas, having infrequent sex (i.e., coital frequency ≤ 6× per month), and not using any other modern methods except condoms or ECP at the time of study inclusion. Results indicated that there is demand and acceptability for a pericoital pill and that pharmacy provision is feasible. Furthermore, precoital use of the pill had high levels of satisfaction and was popular with new users. Adding LNG 1.5 mg for pericoital use to the family planning method mix has the potential to address an important segment of the population currently underserved, decrease unwanted pregnancies, and increase modern contraceptive prevalence rates.

SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Dynamics in Healthcare Workers after mRNA Vaccination.

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, maintaining healthcare worker (HCW) health and safety has been fundamental to responding to the global pandemic. Vaccination with mRNA-base vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has emerged as a key strategy in reducing HCW susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, however, neutralizing antibody responses subside with time and may be influenced by many variables. We sought to understand the dynamics between vaccine products, prior clinical illness from SARS-CoV-2, and incidence of vaccine-associated adverse reactions on antibody decay over time in HCWs at a university medical center. A cohort of 296 HCWs received standard two-dose vaccination with either bnt162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) or mRNA-1273 (Moderna) and were evaluated after two, six, and nine months. Subjects were grouped by antibody decay curve into steep antibody decliners gentle decliners. Vaccination with mRNA-1273 led to more sustained antibody responses compared to bnt162b2. Subjects experiencing vaccine-associated symptoms were more likely to experience a more prolonged neutralizing antibody response. Subjects with clinical SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to vaccination were more likely to experience vaccination-associated symptoms after first vaccination and were more likely to have a more blunted antibody decay. Understanding factors associated with vaccine efficacy may assist clinicians in determining appropriate vaccine strategies in HCWs.

In vitro fertilization cycles stimulated with follitropin delta result in similar embryo development and quality when compared with cycles stimulated with follitropin alfa or follitropin beta.

OBJECTIVE: To study the impact of follitropin delta for ovarian stimulation on embryo development and quality compared with that of follitropin alfa or beta in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) cycles. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: University-affiliated, hospital-based fertility clinic. PATIENTS: A total of 403 IVF/ICSI cycles were conducted from September 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019. Cycles were grouped on the basis of stimulation with follitropin delta vs. follitropin alfa or beta. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Embryo parameters and clinical pregnancy and implantation rates. RESULTS: Ovarian stimulation using follitropin delta resulted in no statistically significant difference in day 3 embryo quality between the control group and follitropin delta group (median 0.50 vs. 0.54 for good quality embryos and median 0.25 vs. 0.20 for intermediate quality embryos). Although on initial analysis there was a lower proportion of good quality blastocysts in the follitropin delta group than in the control group (0.11 vs. 0.22), this difference was no longer present when day 3 after fertilization vitrification and transfer cycles were excluded (0.26 vs. 0.33 follitropin delta vs. control). The clinical pregnancy rates and clinical implantation rates were similar in both groups in fresh transfer cycles. CONCLUSIONS: Stimulation with follitropin delta in IVF/ICSI cycles resulted in similar embryo development and pregnancy rates compared with those of stimulation with follitropin alfa or beta.

Impact of class III obesity on outcomes and complications of transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte pickup.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of class III obesity on outcomes and complications of transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte pickup (OPU). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Hospital-based fertility clinic. PATIENTS: All women undergoing OPU procedures during autologous in vitro fertilization (IVF) and oocyte banking cycles, grouped by patient body mass index (BMI: <25, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, 35-39.9, ≥40 kg/m2). INTERVENTIONS: Transvaginal OPU under conscious sedation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sedation and procedure-related parameters and complications. RESULTS: A total of 2,141 OPU procedures in 1,579 patients were analyzed, including 121 OPU procedures in 94 patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2. There was a statistically significant increase in total fentanyl and midazolam doses and procedure duration as BMI increased. Compared with patients with BMI <25 kg/m2, those with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 were more likely to require additional sedation during the procedure (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-3.49). The rate of difficult access was 28.9% for procedures with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 compared with 5.2% with BMI <25 kg/m2 (aOR 7.57; 95% CI, 4.66-12.29). The OPU was incomplete due to inaccessible follicles through a transvaginal approach in 18.2% of procedures with BMI ≥40 kg/m2 compared with 1.3% with BMI <25 kg/m2 (aOR 16.94; 95% CI, 8.24-34.84). The rates of sedation and procedure-related complications were low, and none occurred in patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: There was no increased risk of complications for women with class III obesity undergoing OPU with conscious sedation. However, the operator was more likely to encounter difficult access and to incompletely aspirate follicles through a transvaginal approach.

Mature Oocyte Cryopreservation for Fertility Preservation.

In recent decades, advances in cancer treatment have led to a dramatic improvement in long term survival. This has led to an increasing focus on quality of life after surviving cancer treatment, with fertility being an important aspect. Given the known reproductive risks of cancer therapies, there has been a growing interest in the field of fertility preservation (also referred to as oncofertility). Mature oocyte cryopreservation is no longer considered experimental and has become a realistic option for reproductive aged women prior to undergoing cancer treatment. Additionally, as cryopreservation techniques improve, mature oocyte cryopreservation is increasing being marketed to healthy women without cancer wishing to delay child bearing, also termed "social egg freezing". This chapter provides a review of the current technology, use, and outcomes of mature oocyte cryopreservation. It also outlines the ethical debate surrounding social egg freezing and directions for future research in female fertility preservation.

A rare complication of suprapubic catheterisation following pelvic reconstructive surgery for urinary incontinence.

Suprapubic (SP) catheterisation is commonly used for drainage of the bladder following pelvic surgery. Although it is a widely employed procedure, it is not without complications, such as infection and blockage. The authors report a rare complication of SP catheterisation involving a persistent SP catheter site fistulous tract and an infected haematoma significantly complicating a patient's postoperative course. Wound debridement, bladder drainage and a prolonged course of antibiotics were employed to successfully treat this complication. The exact mechanism of her complication is only speculative, however to our knowledge no similar cases of a fistula after removal of a SP catheter used for short-term bladder drainage have been reported.

Nutrition and body weights of Canadian children watching television and eating while watching television.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether eating while watching television poses a risk for poor nutrition and excess body weight over and above that of time spent watching television. DESIGN: We analysed data of grade 5 students participating in a comprehensive population-based survey in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. This survey included the Harvard's Youth Food Frequency Questionnaire, students' height and weight measurements, and a parent survey. We applied multivariable linear and logistic random effects models to quantify the associations of watching television and eating while watching television with diet quality and body weight. SETTING: The province of Nova Scotia, Canada. SUBJECTS: Grade 5 students (n 4966). RESULTS: Eating supper while watching television negatively affected the consumption of fruits and vegetables and overall diet quality. More frequent supper while watching television was associated with more soft drink consumption, a higher percentage energy intake from sugar out of total energy from carbohydrate, a higher percentage energy intake from fat, and a higher percentage energy intake from snack food. These associations appeared independent of time children spent watching television. Both watching television and eating while watching television were positively and independently associated with overweight. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that both sedentary behaviours from time spent watching television as well as poor nutrition as a result of eating while watching television contribute to overweight in children. They justify current health promotion targeting time spent watching television and call for promotion of family meals as a means to avoid eating in front of the television.