ABSTRACT
Background: Effective contraception plays a major role in the economic advancement of women. New hormonal products offer more effective solutions with fewer side effects. This study aimed to assess the use, knowledge and attitudes regarding hormonal contraception of female first-year students across various health profession courses. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted during August to October 2017 targeting all female first-year students of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State. Results: Self-administered anonymous questionnaires were completed by 261 students (response rate 81.6%). At the time of the study, 29.6% of the study population reported using hormonal contraceptive products; 51.7% of users cited acne as the indication. Among users of hormonal contraceptives, combined oral contraception was the most commonly used (86.0%), and was regarded as the most effective (33.2%). A third of the students (36.2%) were aware that some medication could influence the effectiveness of combined oral contraception. Half (52.3%) had no knowledge of the subdermal implant and 34.8% did not know what an intrauterine system was. According to 28.2%, post-coital use of hormonal products is not an acceptable method of contraception. Almost 90% (87.3%) indicated that an education intervention regarding hormonal contraception is needed at the university. Conclusion: The study population lacks detailed and sufficient knowledge of critical aspects of contraception, such as relative effectiveness, and factors that affect these; long-acting reversible contraceptives; and emergency contraception. A formal education intervention is proposed
Subject(s)
Contraception, Postcoital , Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal , South Africa , Student Health Services , Students , WomenABSTRACT
A case of congenital webbing with other congenital abnormalities is presented. Initial examination of the features of the case made a diagnosis of iniencephaly seem likely. However, further examination of the radiographs and the physical abnormalities demonstrated too few of the typical features, and the term pseudo-iniencephaly has been used to describe the case. The various aetiological possibilities are discussed, but it is clear that further research into webbing and its concomitant abnormalities would be necessary to provide the answers to the questions posed by this case.
Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Multiple/diagnosis , Bone Diseases, Developmental/diagnosis , Adult , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Foramen Magnum/growth & development , HumansABSTRACT
The orbital muscle consists of smooth muscle fibres interspersed with blood lacunae and is therefore both contractile and erectile. Contraction is under sympathetic control, whereas erection appears to be under parasympathetic (pterygopalatine) influence. Apart from its possible effect on the position of the eyeball in the orbit, the muscle seems to be mainly concerned with directing facial venous blood to or away from the cavernous sinus which acts as a heat exchanger for internal carotid blood.
Subject(s)
Muscle, Smooth/embryology , Oculomotor Muscles/embryology , Orbit/embryology , Face/blood supply , Humans , Muscle Contraction , Muscle, Smooth/anatomy & histology , Muscle, Smooth/physiology , Oculomotor Muscles/anatomy & histology , Oculomotor Muscles/physiology , Orbit/blood supply , VeinsABSTRACT
Extirpation of cranial neural crest cells in presomite to 5 somite chick embryos produces monsters which in all essential respects are identical to human cyclopias. The primary lesion involves damage to the forebrain and consequently the inhibition of the nasal placode and nasal organ development as well as the destruction of the anterior neural crest cells, with the resultant absence of the nasal and interobital septa and of the facial dermal skeleton.
