Contraception prescribing in England during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: National lockdowns in England due to COVID-19 resulted in rapid shifts in healthcare provision, including in primary care where most contraceptive prescriptions are issued. This study aimed to investigate contraception prescribing trends in primary care during the pandemic and the impact of socioeconomic deprivation. METHODS: Prescribing data were accessed from the English Prescribing Dataset for the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (1 March 2020-28 February 2021) and the year prior (1 March 2019-29 February 2020). Data were analysed by geographical region (London, Midlands and East of England, North of England, South of England) and contraceptive type (progestogen-only pill (POP), combined oral contraception (COC), emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) and contraceptive injections). Differences in prescribing rates were calculated using Poisson regression. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated for the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) scores for each Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) in the North East and North Cumbria (NENC). RESULTS: Contraception prescribing rates decreased overall during the COVID-19 pandemic in England (Poisson regression coefficient (ß)=-0.035), with a statistically significant (p<0.01) decrease in all four regions. Prescriptions decreased for COC (ß=-0.978), contraceptive injections (ß=-0.161) and EHC (ß=-0.2005), while POP (ß=0.050) prescribing rates increased. There was a weak positive correlation between IMD and prescribing rates in NENC (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Contraception provision was impacted by COVID-19 with an overall decrease in prescribing rates. The deprivation results suggest that this may not be a significant contributing factor to this decrease. Further research is recommended to better understand these changes, and to ensure that services respond appropriately to population needs.

Feasibility of e-commerce pharmacy provision and acceptability of levonorgestrel 1.5 mg for pericoital use in urban and peri-urban settings in Kenya: a prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: An 'on-demand' contraceptive pill may suit women having infrequent sex. We assessed the feasibility of e-commerce pharmacy provision and acceptability of levonorgestrel (LNG) 1.5 mg for pericoital use in Kenya. METHODS: A 12-month prospective, single-arm, open-label, interventional study conducted from August 2020 to August 2021. A total of 897 women aged 18-49 years at risk of pregnancy and having infrequent sex (ie, six times or fewer coital frequency/month) were screened and enrolled. We undertook univariate and bivariate analysis on multiple data points: enrolment dataset, bimonthly surveys, extended survey around 6-month follow-up, and e-commerce pharmacy sales log. RESULTS: A total of 2291 pericoital LNG 1.5 mg pill doses were dispensed to 300 women over a 12-month period mainly via the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) platform. Of the 266 women who obtained the pill and completed the survey, most (83%) were satisfied/very satisfied with e-commerce platform services, citing convenience and ease of use. The pill was also acceptable. Of the 266 women who used it at least once, 94% were satisfied/very satisfied, likely to continue using and would recommend it to others; 86% used it within 24 hours before/after sex as recommended and most of the time they had sex; and 147 (55%) experienced side effects, mainly nausea, headache, changes in menstrual pattern, cramps and dizziness that were mild and tolerable. CONCLUSIONS: E-commerce pharmacy provision of LNG 1.5 mg for pericoital use is feasible. In addition, a pericoital LNG 1.5 mg pill is acceptable among women having infrequent sex and could potentially address their unmet family planning needs.

Emergency contraception from the pharmacy 20 years on: a mystery shopper study.

BACKGROUND: Emergency contraception (EC) was approved in the UK as a pharmacy medicine for purchase without prescription in 2001. Twenty years later we conducted a study to characterise routine practice pharmacy provision of EC. STUDY DESIGN: Mystery shopper study of 30 pharmacies in Edinburgh, Dundee and London participating in a clinical trial of contraception after EC. METHODS: Mystery shoppers, aged ≥16 years, followed a standard scenario requesting EC. After the pharmacy visit, they completed a proforma recording the duration of the consultation, where it took place, and whether advice was given to them about the importance of ongoing contraception after EC. RESULTS: Fifty-five mystery shopper visits were conducted. The median reported duration of the consultation with the pharmacist was 6 (range 1-18) min. Consultations took place in a private room in 34 cases (62%) and at the shop counter in the remainder. In 27 cases (49%) women received advice about ongoing contraception. Eleven women (20%) left the pharmacy without EC due to lack of supplies or of a trained pharmacist. Most women were generally positive about the consultation. CONCLUSIONS: While availability of EC from UK pharmacies has undoubtedly improved access, the necessity to have a consultation, however helpful, with a pharmacist introduces delays and around one in five of our mystery shoppers left without getting EC. Consultations in private are not always possible and little advice is given about ongoing contraception. It is time to make EC available without a pharmacy consultation.

Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECP) Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Women Working in the Entertainment Industry and Men in the Trucking Industry, Bhutan.

Emergency contraceptive pills (ECP) were recently made available over the counter in Bhutan. We evaluated knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning ECP in 2 populations at risk for HIV and STI (sexually transmitted infections): entertainment women (drayang) and male truck drivers and helpers (truckers). Of 179 drayang and 437 truckers intercepted at venues, 73.7 and 21.1%, respectively, had heard of ECP; 47.0% of drayang had used them. Their concerns about ECP use included harm to the body, impact on future pregnancy, side effects, and HIV/STI risk. Education programs are needed in Bhutan to increase awareness of ECP for unplanned pregnancy and condoms to prevent HIV and STI.

Determinants of emergency contraception non-use among women in unplanned or ambivalent pregnancies / Determinantes del no uso de la anticoncepción de emergencia entre mujeres con embarazo no planeado u ambivalente / Determinantes do não uso da anticoncepção de emergência entre mulheres com gravidez não planejada ou ambivalente

Objective To analyze the determinants of emergency contraception non-use among women in unplanned and ambivalent pregnancies. Method Cross-sectional study with a probabilistic sample of 366 pregnant women from 12 primary health care units in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A multinomial logistic regression was performed, comparing three groups: women who used emergency contraception to prevent ongoing pregnancies (reference); women who made no use of emergency contraception, but used other contraceptive methods; and women who made no use of any contraceptive methods at all. Results Cohabitation with a partner was the common determinant of emergency contraception non-use. No pregnancy risk awareness, ambivalent pregnancies and no previous use of emergency contraception also contributed to emergency contraception non-use. Conclusion Apart from what is pointed out in the literature, knowledge of emergency contraception and the fertile period were not associated to its use. .

Objetivo Analizar los determinantes del no uso de la anticoncepción de emergencia entre las mujeres con embarazo no planeado o ambivalente. Método Estudio transversal en una muestra probabilística de 366 mujeres embarazadas de 12 Unidades Básicas de Salud de São Paulo. Mediante regresión logística multinomial, se comparó tres grupos de mujeres: aquellas que usaron la anticoncepción de emergencia para prevenir el embarazo en curso (referencia), aquellas que usaron algún método anticonceptivo, pero no la anticoncepción de emergência; y aquellas que no usaron ningún método. Resultados Los hallazgos mostraron que vivir com la pareja fue el determinante común del no uso de la anticoncepción de emergencia. No tener conciencia del riesgo de embarazo, estar en un embarazo ambivalente y nunca tener utilizado la anticoncepción de emergencia también fueron associados con su no uso para prevenir el embarazo en curso. Conclusión Contrariamente a lo que reporta la literatura, el conocimiento de la anticoncepción de emergencia y el período fértil no mostró asociación con el no uso. .

Objetivo Analisar os determinantes do não uso da anticoncepção de emergência entre mulheres com gravidez não planejada ou ambivalente. Método Estudo transversal com amostra probabilística de 366 gestantes de 12 Unidades Básicas de Saúde da cidade de São Paulo. Por meio de regressão logística multinomial, compararam-se três grupos de mulheres: as que usaram anticoncepção de emergência para prevenir a gravidez em curso (referência); as que usaram algum método contraceptivo, mas não anticoncepção de emergência; e as que não usaram nenhum método. Resultados Os achados mostraram que morar com o parceiro foi o determinante comum do não uso da anticoncepção de emergência. Não ter consciência do risco de engravidar, estar em uma gravidez ambivalente e nunca ter usado anticoncepção de emergência também foram associados ao seu não uso para prevenir a gravidez em curso. Conclusão Diferentemente do que relata a literatura, o conhecimento sobre anticoncepção de emergência e sobre o período fértil não mostrou qualquer associação ao não uso. .

Discourse of the collective subject: social representations and communication interventions / Discurso del sujeto colectivo, representaciones sociales intervenciones comunicativas / Discurso do sujeito coletivo: representações sociais e intervenções comunicativas

We present herein the Discourse of the Collective Subject method as a way to retrieve social representations. We sought to reconstitute these social representations through DCS maintaining the link between their individual and collective dimensions. The Discourse of the Collective Subject were obtained through an empirical study and they are herein called speaking and spoken products. They are speaking products because social representations are discursive practices, current behaviors of social agents. They are also spoken products because society (or the others), while socially-shared cognitive schemes, are always present in individual speeches. The social representations reconstructed by Discourse of the Collective Subject allow common people to identify with them, enabling its use in practices of social intervention.

Se presenta el método del Discurso del Sujeto Colectivo como método de rescate de las representaciones sociales. A través de él, se buscó reconstituir dichas representaciones preservando las dimensiones individuales y colectivas articuladas. En este sentido los Discursos del Sujeto Colectivo fueron obtenidos en una investigación empírica y son denominados aquí como productos hablando/hablado. Las consideramos como productos hablando porque las representaciones sociales son prácticas discursivas, comportamientos habituales de los agentes sociales y son productos hablado porque la sociedad (o el "otro"), como esquemas cognitivos socialmente compartidos, están siempre presentes en los discursos individuales. Las representaciones sociales reconstruidas por Discursos del Sujeto Colectivo permiten que el sujeto común se identifique con ellas, lo que viabiliza su uso en las prácticas de intervención social.

Apresentamos aqui o método do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo como um modo de resgatar representações sociais. Através dele, buscamos reconstituir essas representações sociais preservando suas dimensões individual e coletiva articuladas. Os Discursos do Sujeito Coletivo foram obtidos em uma pesquisa empírica e são aqui denominados produtos falando e falado. Eles são produtos falando porque representações sociais são práticas discursivas, comportamentos reais de agentes sociais. Eles são também produtos falados porque a sociedade (ou os "outros"), enquanto esquemas cognitivos 'socialmente compartilhados, estão sempre presentes nas falas individuais. As representações sociais reconstituídas pelo Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo permitem que o sujeito comum se identifique com elas, viabilizando sua utilização em práticas de intervenção social. .

Profile of the free distribution of emergency contraception for adolescents in São Paulo's counties

Descreve-se a postura adotada por municípios do estado de São Paulo que receberam lotes de contracepção de emergência do Ministério da Saúde em 2005 e 2006, com relação à entrega para adolescentes. Utilizando levantamento quantitativo, realizado com questionários semi-estruturados enviados por e-mail às secretarias municipais de saúde, foram examinados: fluxos, serviços e profissionais de saúde envolvidos e critérios de dispensa. Do total, 91,0 por cento responderam à pesquisa, demonstrando que 85,4 por cento iniciaram a oferta do método para adolescentes menores de 18 anos, principalmente em prontos socorros (69,1 por cento). Em unidades básicas tradicionais e de saúde da família houve menor integração, 65,3 por cento e 37,6 por cento, respectivamente, e em serviços especiais de atenção a adolescentes, apenas 31,9 por cento municípios ofertam (percentagens não excludentes). A entrega, geralmente, é feita por médicos e/ou enfermeiros, porém 30 por cento sub-utiliza o potencial da enfermagem. Atende-se, fundamentalmente, os casos de violência sexual e, excluído-se esse evento, há queda de 10 a 30 pontos percentuais no fornecimento em casos de falha ou não uso de contraceptivo regular. Conclui-se que há seletividade na dispensa método, baixa oferta na Atenção Básica, não facilitando acesso de adolescentes nas situações de risco gravídico mais recorrentes em seu cotidiano, contrariando orientações do Ministério da Saúde. Essa postura está ligada à falta de atualização sobre legislações e normas federais vigentes quanto à Saúde Sexual e Reprodutiva deste público, pelo desconhecimento do mecanismo de ação do método (por vezes, identificado como perigoso ou abortivo) e por preconceitos quanto à prática sexual adolescente, provocando a aquisição em farmácias e usos errôneos.

Profile of the free distribution of emergency contraception for adolescents in São Paulo's counties / Perfil da distribuição da contracepção de emergência para adolescentes em municípios do Estado de São Paulo

The position adopted by São Paulo's counties, which received amounts of emergency contraception from the Federal Health Department in 2005 and 2006, is described in relation to the distribution of these to adolescents. Using quantitative surveys carried out with semi-structured questionnaires sent by e-mail to the Municipal Health Offices: influxes, services and health care professionals and the criteria of dispensation were examined. Of the total, 91.0 percent answered to the research, demonstrating that 85.4 percent began to offer the method to adolescents less than 18 years old, especially at emergency rooms (69.1 percent). At public health care clinics traditional and public family health care clinics there was less integration, 65.3 percent and 37.6 percent, and in services specialized in adolescent care only 31.9 percent of the counties offer them (percentages not excludent). Usually, the distribution is carried out by doctors and/or nurses, but 30 percent of clinics sub-utilize the nursing potential. Cases of sexual violence are fundamentally attended to, but excluding these cases, there is a drop of 10 to 30 percentage points in the distribution of emergency contraceptive to adolescents in cases of the failure or non-use of the regular contraceptive. The conclusion is that there exists selectivity in the method's dispensation, very scarcely offered in Basic Adolescent Health Care Services, which makes it difficult for adolescents to have access to emergency birth control in situations where pregnancy is a risk. This selective behavior among health care professionals has become common practice and goes against the initial objectives of the Federal Health Department. This position is due in part to health care professionals not being up to date on the laws and federal norms concerning Sexual and Reproductive Health, and also to the lack of knowledge of the method's mechanism action (sometimes identified as dangerous or abortive), ...(AU)

Descreve-se a postura adotada por municípios do estado de São Paulo que receberam lotes de contracepção de emergência do Ministério da Saúde em 2005 e 2006, com relação à entrega para adolescentes. Utilizando levantamento quantitativo, realizado com questionários semi-estruturados enviados por e-mail às secretarias municipais de saúde, foram examinados: fluxos, serviços e profissionais de saúde envolvidos e critérios de dispensa. Do total, 91,0 por cento responderam à pesquisa, demonstrando que 85,4 por cento iniciaram a oferta do método para adolescentes menores de 18 anos, principalmente em prontos socorros (69,1 por cento). Em unidades básicas tradicionais e de saúde da família houve menor integração, 65,3 por cento e 37,6 por cento, respectivamente, e em serviços especiais de atenção a adolescentes, apenas 31,9 por cento municípios ofertam (percentagens não excludentes). A entrega, geralmente, é feita por médicos e/ou enfermeiros, porém 30 por cento sub-utiliza o potencial da enfermagem. Atende-se, fundamentalmente, os casos de violência sexual e, excluído-se esse evento, há queda de 10 a 30 pontos percentuais no fornecimento em casos de falha ou não uso de contraceptivo regular. Conclui-se que há seletividade na dispensa método, baixa oferta na Atenção Básica, não facilitando acesso de adolescentes nas situações de risco gravídico mais recorrentes em seu cotidiano, contrariando orientações do Ministério da Saúde. Essa postura está ligada à falta de atualização sobre legislações e normas federais vigentes quanto à Saúde Sexual e Reprodutiva deste público, pelo desconhecimento do mecanismo de ação do método (por vezes, identificado como perigoso ou abortivo) e por preconceitos quanto à prática sexual adolescente, provocando a aquisição em farmácias e usos errôneos.(AU)

Anticoncepción hormonal

Se realizó una revisión de los anticonceptivos hormonales con énfasis en aspectos que van desde su descubrimiento, el mecanismo de acción, los diferentes tipos y formas de utilización, así como el esquema de administración terapéutica en algunas entidades, sus indicaciones, ventajas y contraindicaciones.

: A review of the hormonal contraceptives was carried out, emphasizing on features from their discovery, trigger mechanism, different kinds, and ways to use them, as well as the scheme of the therapeutical administration in some entities, its indications, advantages, and contraindications.