This month’s featured editorial
Parental involvement laws and parent–daughter communication: policy without proof
Robert D. Webster, Amy N. Neustadt, Amy K. Whitaker, Melissa L. Gilliam
pages 310-313
The number of states with parental involvement (PI) laws in effect has more than tripled over the past 20 years. Currently, 34 states enforce a PI law. Parental involvement law is an umbrella term for both parental consent and parental notification laws. Parental consent laws require one or both parents of a minor to give permission, in most cases written, prior to their daughter obtaining an abortion. Parental notification laws require one or both parents to be informed prior to their daughter obtaining an abortion. One of the main debates centers on the benefit or harm of PI laws to parent–daughter communication. Those who support PI laws argue that such laws benefit the daughter by promoting communication about the abortion decision, thereby helping the minor make better decisions about pregnancy resolution. This argument is in line with public support for PI laws. National polls consistently find that approximately three quarters of those surveyed support PI laws. In contrast, those who question these laws argue that legally mandated communication may harm the daughter by worsening the overall parent–daughter relationship, delaying access to medical care or putting her at risk for violence or abuse. Twenty of the leading medical and health care organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Adolescent Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Public Health Association, have policies explicitly supporting parental involvement in adolescent health care, but not at the expense of a minor's right to confidential care when considering an abortion. Concerns about the effect of PI laws on communication reflect larger questions of whether these laws benefit or harm adolescents. Read more. .
Review Article
Metabolism and pharmacokinetics of contraceptive steroids in obese women: a review
Alison B. Edelman, Ganesh Cherala, Frank Z. Stanczyk
pages 314-323
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Original research article
Obstetrician–gynecologist physicians' beliefs about emergency contraception: a national survey
Ryan E. Lawrence, Kenneth A. Rasinski, John D. Yoon, Farr A. Curlin
pages 324-330
Background: Although emergency contraception (EC) is available without a prescription, women still rely on doctors' advice about its safety and effectiveness. Yet little is known about doctors' beliefs and practices in this area.
Conclusion: Gender, religion and divergent beliefs about EC's effects shape physicians' beliefs and practices.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
How commonly do US abortion clinics offer contraceptive services?
Megan L. Kavanaugh, Rachel K. Jones, Lawrence B. Finer
pages 331-336
Background: About half of US women having abortions have already had at least one prior abortion. Facilitating access to contraception may help these women avoid subsequent unintended pregnancies. Information is needed to document the availability of contraceptive services in abortion care settings in the United States.
Conclusion: Although almost all large, non-hospital abortion providers in the United States are able to provide some level of contraceptive care to their abortion patients, the degree to which they are able to do so is influenced by a wide range of factors.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Patterns of contraceptive use before and after an abortion: results from a nationally representative survey of women undergoing an abortion in France
Caroline Moreau, James Trussell, Julie Desfreres, Nathalie Bajos
pages 337-344
Background: Using a large national survey of women undergoing an abortion in France, we explore their contraceptive use surrounding an abortion.
Conclusions: Abortion offers an opportunity to improve contraceptive uptake and a chance for providers to adjust their prescriptions according to the difficulties women experience in their use of contraceptives.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Uptake and adherence to long-acting reversible contraception post-abortion
Sally B. Rose, Beverley A. Lawton, Selina A. Brown
pages 345-353
Background: This study aimed to increase use of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods by women post-abortion.
Conclusion: Uptake of LARC by women post-abortion can be achieved by increasing access to these methods — by eliminating cost and raising awareness and benefits of long-acting methods among both clinicians and patients.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Operative management of intrauterine device complications: a case series report
David K. Turok, Shawn E. Gurtcheff, Keri Gibson, Erin Handley, Sara Simonsen, Patricia A. Murphy
pages 354-357
Background: There is limited information about the number of intrauterine device (IUD) users requiring operative intervention for device-related complications. This is an evaluation of cases requiring in-hospital operative intervention for IUD perforations, removals and pregnancy-related complications.
Conclusion: The majority of operative procedures were performed for intrauterine IUDs, most of which were appropriately positioned IUDs with missing or short strings. In-office techniques for obtaining analgesia and dilation as well as appropriate devices for removal of T-shaped IUDs should make this practice rare.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Endometrial safety of a novel monophasic combined oral contraceptive containing 0.02 mg ethinylestradiol and 2 mg chlormadinone acetate administered in a 24/4-day regimen over six cycles
Thomas Rabe, Elena Hartschuh, Torsten Wahlstrom, Kornelia Höschen, Simone König
pages 358-365
Background: This study was conducted to examine whether small doses of ethinylestradiol (EE, 0.02 mg) and chlormadinone acetate (CMA, 2 mg) administered in a novel 24/4-day regimen during six cycles would suffice to suppress proliferation and to cause secretory changes in the endometrium.
Conclusions: The 24/4-day regimen of 0.02 mg EE/2 mg CMA provided effective and reversible endometrial effects with secretory transformation or suppression without inducing pathological changes.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
A combined oral contraceptive containing 30 mcg ethinyl estradiol and 3.0 mg drospirenone does not impair endothelium-dependent vasodilation
Jessica R. Meendering, Britta N. Torgrimson, Nicole P. Miller, Paul F. Kaplan, Christopher T. Minson
pages 366-372
Background: Ethinyl estradiol (EE) increases endothelium-dependent vasodilation in young women, but certain progestins paired with EE in combination oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) have been shown to antagonize the vasodilatory effects of EE. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how endothelial function, serum biomarkers and resting blood pressures change across an OCP cycle in women using a monophasic OCP formulation containing the progestin drospirenone.
Conclusion: These data suggest that the combination of 30 mcg EE and 3.0 mg drospirenone used in the active phase of this OCP increases endothelium-dependent vasodilation compared to a placebo phase.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
A randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study to compare two regimens of levonorgestrel for emergency contraception in Nigeria
Olukayode A. Dada, Emily M. Godfrey, Gilda Piaggio, Helena von Hertzen, On behalf of the Nigerian Network for Reproductive Health Research and Training
pages 373-378
Background: Unplanned pregnancies are common in Nigeria. Much of the unplanned pregnancies is due to low contraceptive prevalence and high contraceptive user failure rates. High user failure rates suggest the important role of emergency contraception to prevent unplanned pregnancy.
Conclusions: This study shows the simplified emergency contraceptive regimen of single-dose levonorgestrel is not inferior in efficacy to the two-dose regimen among Nigerian women.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
The effects of mifepristone on the expressions of osteopontin, interleukin-6 and leukemia inhibitory factor in the villi of early pregnant women
Kaiyan Pei, Cuihua Yu, Xinquan Shi, Mengchun Jia
pages 379-384
Background: The autocrine, paracrine and hormonal effects of osteopontin (OPN), leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) suggest that these cytokines may play key roles at the maternal–fetal interface. This study was performed to determine the effects of mifepristone on OPN, LIF and IL-6 mRNA and protein expressions in the villi in early pregnancy.
Conclusion: OPN, IL-6 and LIF may have critical roles in human pregnancy maintenance. These three factors may be involved in the immunological reaction initiated by mifepristone.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Spermatotoxicity of a protein isolated from the root of Achyranthes aspera: a comparative study with gossypol
Mohanan Nair Mohana Kumari Anuja, Ramachandran Nair Saraswathy Amma Nithya, Chellam Rajamanickam, Indira Madambath
pages 385-390
Background: A previous study showed that 50% ethanolic extracts of the roots of Achyranthes aspera possess spermatotoxic effects.
Conclusion: The 58-kDa protein isolated from A. aspera possesses spermatotoxic effects comparable to gossypol.
Read abstract
Login to read full article
Letters to the Editor
Update on the cost-effectiveness of contraceptives in the United States
James Trussell
page 391
Login to read letter
Irit Sinai
pages 391-392
Login to read letter
Authors' response to Sinai
Rachel K. Jones, Julie Fennell, Jenny A. Higgins, Kelly Blanchard
page 392
Login to read letter
Author response to the commentary “Evaluating research on abortion and mental health”
Vignetta Eugenia Charles, Chelsea Polis, Srinivas Sridhara, Robert Wm. Blum
pages 392-393
Login to read letter
Response to Charles et al.
Julia R. Steinberg, Nancy F. Russo
pages 393-394
Login to read letter
