Researchers from the University of Southampton have helped construct an online interactive world map which gives stark facts and figures about the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and following the birth of their child.
Social scientists Professor Zo?« Matthews and Dr Sarah Neal are working in collaboration with the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood and the University of Aberdeen on a joint project worth in excess of ??160,000 called 'The Atlas of Birth', which also includes a book, short film and flyers.
"We are using data from the United Nations and the World Health Organization to give a comprehensive picture of maternal health from around the world. Part of the project involves presenting the information in an easy-to-use online map, to help get key facts direct to policymakers," comments Professor Matthews of the University's Centre for Global Health, Population, Poverty and Policy.
Funded by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and the Norwegian government, the project includes statistics on a wide range of issues including maternal deaths, pregnancies to very young girls and midwife contact.
Latest figures from the WHO show more than 99 percent of maternal deaths occur in developing countries and most of these in a handful of nations. Most of the very high rates of death are seen in sub-Saharan Africa, but India has the highest number of deaths, with 63,000 women dying every year.
Women in developing countries often become a mother very young, experience many closely spaced births, and run a risk as high as one in 11 of dying in childbirth across their lifetimes. In particular, girls under the age of 15 are five times more likely to die giving birth than women in their 20s.
Care from a midwife or professional with midwifery skills during birth is key to saving lives of both mothers and newborns. Despite this, the figures show two thirds of women in the poorest countries deliver without a midwife or other health worker.
"This interactive map will enable advocates across the world to quickly and effectively lobby governments, influence policymakers and inform the media, as public pressure grows to end the tragic and almost always preventable deaths of girls and women in childbirth," comments Brigid McConville, Director of the WRA in the UK.
The new online world map was unveiled at the PMNCH Partner's Forum in Delhi, India (Nov 2010).
Source: Southampton University
суббота, 29 октября 2011 г.
суббота, 22 октября 2011 г.
Are There Any Factors That Can Influence The Probability Of Giving Birth To A Baby Boy Or Girl?
A slightly greater number of males than females are born worldwide every year. In recent decades, although there are still more baby boys born than girls, there has been an apparent decline in the ratio of male to female newborns in several industrialized countries, including Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, Japan and the United States. That has led researchers to ask: Are there any factors that can influence the probability of giving birth to a baby boy or girl? A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, found that mothers who experienced an increase in weight from the beginning of the first pregnancy to the beginning of the second pregnancy may be slightly more likely to give birth to a baby boy during their second pregnancy. The study appears online September 24, 2007 in the journal Fertility & Sterility.
"The results are provocative because few biological factors are known in humans to influence the chances of either conceiving or carrying to term a baby boy or girl. Our study suggests that maternal nutritional factors might play a role," said Eduardo Villamor, assistant professor of international nutrition at HSPH and lead author of the study.
Some prior studies had looked at what factors might influence the sex ratio, but evidence of causality has been weak. Parental smoking, for example, has been associated with both lower and higher sex ratios. Maternal nutritional status had been studied, but there was little evidence to support a causal relationship with the sex ratio. One of the hypotheses that the authors of this study wanted to test was whether the increase in maternal obesity in several industrialized countries could play a role in the declining sex ratio. Their study found the opposite--maternal weight gain seemed to favor the birth of boys.
The study population, drawn from the Swedish Birth Registry, included 220,889 women who had successive pregnancies between 1992 and 2004 (live births and stillbirths were included). The researchers analyzed the change in women's body mass index (BMI) between the first and second pregnancies. (BMI is weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.) The male to female sex ratio of the second pregnancy increased linearly with the amount of weight change from the first to second pregnancy, from 1.024 in women who lost more than 1 unit BMI to 1.080 in women who gained 3 or more units (a male to female sex ratio of 1.000 would indicate an equal number of boys and girls being born). The trend was independent of obstetric complications, maternal smoking, parental age, length of the interpregnancy interval and the sex or survival status of the first-born child.
The data suggest that interpregnancy weight gain appears related to a slight increase in the probability of giving birth to a baby boy during a second pregnancy. The obesity epidemic does not appear to explain the observed decline in the sex ratio in some industrialized countries, which indicates that there are factors still unknown influencing the probability of giving birth to boys or girls.
The authors are careful to note that women should not gain weight to try to influence the sex of their baby. "Weight gain before pregnancy carries significant risks to the mother and the baby, and should not be practiced to influence the odds of having a boy," said Villamor. "Other factors of which weight gain is only an indicator could be at play here."
Sven Cnattingius, professor of reproductive epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, was senior author of the study.
The study was supported by grants from the Karolinska Institutet. Villamor is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Nutrition at HSPH.
Click here for link to abstract.
"Interpregnancy Weight Gain and the Male-to-Female Sex Ratio of the Second Pregnancy: A Population-Based Cohort Study," Eduardo Villamor, P?¤r Spar?©n, Sven Cnattingius, Fertility & Sterility, online September 24, 2007.
Source: Todd Datz
hsph.harvard.edu/
"The results are provocative because few biological factors are known in humans to influence the chances of either conceiving or carrying to term a baby boy or girl. Our study suggests that maternal nutritional factors might play a role," said Eduardo Villamor, assistant professor of international nutrition at HSPH and lead author of the study.
Some prior studies had looked at what factors might influence the sex ratio, but evidence of causality has been weak. Parental smoking, for example, has been associated with both lower and higher sex ratios. Maternal nutritional status had been studied, but there was little evidence to support a causal relationship with the sex ratio. One of the hypotheses that the authors of this study wanted to test was whether the increase in maternal obesity in several industrialized countries could play a role in the declining sex ratio. Their study found the opposite--maternal weight gain seemed to favor the birth of boys.
The study population, drawn from the Swedish Birth Registry, included 220,889 women who had successive pregnancies between 1992 and 2004 (live births and stillbirths were included). The researchers analyzed the change in women's body mass index (BMI) between the first and second pregnancies. (BMI is weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.) The male to female sex ratio of the second pregnancy increased linearly with the amount of weight change from the first to second pregnancy, from 1.024 in women who lost more than 1 unit BMI to 1.080 in women who gained 3 or more units (a male to female sex ratio of 1.000 would indicate an equal number of boys and girls being born). The trend was independent of obstetric complications, maternal smoking, parental age, length of the interpregnancy interval and the sex or survival status of the first-born child.
The data suggest that interpregnancy weight gain appears related to a slight increase in the probability of giving birth to a baby boy during a second pregnancy. The obesity epidemic does not appear to explain the observed decline in the sex ratio in some industrialized countries, which indicates that there are factors still unknown influencing the probability of giving birth to boys or girls.
The authors are careful to note that women should not gain weight to try to influence the sex of their baby. "Weight gain before pregnancy carries significant risks to the mother and the baby, and should not be practiced to influence the odds of having a boy," said Villamor. "Other factors of which weight gain is only an indicator could be at play here."
Sven Cnattingius, professor of reproductive epidemiology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, was senior author of the study.
The study was supported by grants from the Karolinska Institutet. Villamor is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Nutrition at HSPH.
Click here for link to abstract.
"Interpregnancy Weight Gain and the Male-to-Female Sex Ratio of the Second Pregnancy: A Population-Based Cohort Study," Eduardo Villamor, P?¤r Spar?©n, Sven Cnattingius, Fertility & Sterility, online September 24, 2007.
Source: Todd Datz
hsph.harvard.edu/
суббота, 15 октября 2011 г.
Positive Phase II Results With Orally Active GnRH Receptor Antagonist In Endometriosis - Neurocrine Biosciences Inc
Neurocrine Biosciences,
Inc. (Nasdaq: NBIX) today announced positive results of its 'proof of
concept', safety, efficacy and dose-finding Phase II clinical trial using
its proprietary, orally-active small molecule Gonadotropin-Releasing
Hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist (NBI-56418).
The 3-month data comes from a multi-center, randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial involving patients with a confirmed diagnosis of
endometriosis. The study followed a parallel-group design in which 76
subjects were randomized to one of three treatment groups: placebo, 75 mg
of NBI-56418, or 150 mg of NBI-56418 each administered once daily. Dosing
started on Day 2 to Day 7 of the menstrual cycle and continued over 12
weeks with assessments of symptoms and signs of disease conducted at 4-week
intervals using the Composite Pelvic Sign and Symptoms Score (CPSSS).
Assessment of pain intensity was measured daily by a Visual Analog Scale
(VAS) and collected by electronic diary. Full data regarding treatment
impact on menses, hormones and a variety of metabolic biomarkers will be
available at the completion of the ongoing 3-month safety follow-up period.
The primary endpoint of the study was reduction in the CPSSS, a
validated clinical endpoint assessing subjective and objective elements of
endometriosis. For the CPSSS, which has a maximum possible value of 15,
mean values at baseline were 9.1, 8.5 and 8.0 for the placebo, 75 mg and
150 mg groups respectively. After treatment, there were reductions of 3.7
(placebo), 3.9 (75 mg) and 5.0 (150 mg) points in the score at week 12.
A patient-completed VAS was used to record pain intensity on a daily
basis. Mean values for each 4-week interval were analyzed. This reveals
dose-related improvements of 5 (placebo), 14 (75 mg) and 21 (150 mg) from
baseline means of 31.2, 34.9 and 33.5 respectively. From a safety
perspective, preliminary information on the adverse event rates show that
there is little difference in the percentage of patients with an adverse
event across treatment groups. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in
39%; 36%; and 26% of the patients in the placebo, 75 mg and 150 mg groups
respectively. There was no increase in hot flashes in the NBI-56418 treated
groups compared with placebo.
"We are pleased with the results demonstrating a robust treatment
effect with NBI-56418 as shown by two clinical outcome measures. The
reductions in scores at the highest dose were at the levels expected for
peptide agonists such as Lupron Depot(R), which while efficacious, can lead
to numerous undesirable side effects and limit utility. While not fully
analyzed, preliminary results show that our GnRH antagonist demonstrated
reductions in pain scores at the earlier time points in the study," said
Chris O'Brien, M.D., Senior Vice President of Clinical Development for
Neurocrine Biosciences.
"We have met our 'proof of concept' criteria in the clinical setting
with our GnRH antagonist. Since the effects of estradiol reduction have
been previously well correlated with a reduction of pain and other symptoms
of endometriosis, we believe our oral GnRH antagonist will have significant
therapeutic application in endometriosis. These new data are encouraging
and suggest that sufficient estradiol suppression has been achieved for
pain reduction while potentially avoiding reduction in bone mineral density
and the other undesirable metabolic consequences of GnRH agonist
therapies," said Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D. Executive Vice President of
Research and Development for Neurocrine Biosciences.
"Based on these data, we are moving ahead to select the dosing regimen
for an expanded six-month study in patients with endometriosis. This Phase
IIb study will include several hundred patients and is expected to be
initiated in the 3rd Quarter of 2006," added Wierenga.
Additional Phase II Clinical Studies Underway with GnRH for
Endometriosis
Neurocrine is continuing to enroll patients in a second Phase II study
in patients with endometriosis that was initiated in December 2005 to
explore once vs. twice daily dosing. This study, a multi-dose,
double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, is enrolling 72 patients and is
designed to assess safety and efficacy over a three-month period. The
primary endpoint of reduction in endometriotic pain will be measured by the
CPSSS. Preliminary results are expected to be announced in the 4th Quarter
of 2006.
Neurocrine will be initiating a Phase IIb study in the 3rd quarter of
2006 in which patients with endometriosis will receive NBI-56418 for six
months. In addition to confirming the effect of NBI-56418 on endometriotic
pain, this study is designed to assess the impact of treatment on bone
mineral density. The six-month results, together with data from ongoing
Phase II studies will be the basis for securing agreement to a registration
plan acceptable to the FDA, estimated to occur next year. Finally, the
company recently started a Phase I study in male volunteers as part of the
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia development program. The Company expects to
provide more details on the six month trial together with ongoing results
from the Phase I trial in the 3rd Quarter of 2006.
Background
Nearly 7 million women in the US have endometriosis, many with severe
or moderate symptoms. Many patients are believed to be misdiagnosed or
undiagnosed. The impact of endometriosis on the lives of sufferers can be
significant -- adversely affecting the ability of patients to maintain
relationships and employment.
Surgery and medical treatments are currently available for women with
endometriosis. Surgery is not acceptable to many patients. Although
indicated for endometriosis, medical therapies such as the injectable GnRH
agonists leuprolide or injectable progesterone are associated with a range
of potentially unacceptable side effects including bone loss. Consequently,
prescribing physicians often reserve these medical interventions for
patients with severe endometriosis. For the majority of endometriosis
patients suffering from moderate or mild symptoms, the remaining treatment
options, oral contraceptives and analgesics, are only partially effective.
Based on the large number of endometriosis sufferers and the
significant level of unmet need, we believe a highly attractive commercial
opportunity exists for a new product that is able to offer patients and
prescribers effective control of endometriosis symptoms with limited side
effects.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. is a product-based biopharmaceutical
Company focused on neurological and endocrine diseases and disorders. Our
product candidates address some of the largest pharmaceutical markets in
the world including insomnia, anxiety, depression, diabetes, irritable
bowel syndrome, and autoimmunity. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. news
releases are available through the Company's website via the Internet at
neurocrine
In addition to historical facts, this press release may contain
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements are risks
and uncertainties associated with Neurocrine's business and finances in
general including the risks and uncertainties associated with, or arising
out of, drug discovery, pre-clinical and clinical development of
pharmaceutical products. Specifically, the Company faces risks and
uncertainties arising out of it GnRH clinical development program including
risk that its lead candidate, NBI-56418, will not proceed to later stage
clinical trials; risk that should NBI-56418 may prove unsuitable for
continued development, the Company will not be successful in identifying
alternative GnRH antagonist products that are safe and effective; risk
relating to the Company's dependence on contract manufacturers for GnRH
antagonist product clinical drug supply and compliance with regulatory
requirements for marketing approval; risks that the Company may be
dependent on corporate collaborators for commercial manufacturing and
marketing and sales activities for its GnRH antagonist products;
uncertainties relating to patent protection for the Company's GnRH
antagonist products and intellectual property rights of third parties;
risks and uncertainties relating to competitive products and technological
changes that may limit demand for the Company's GnRH antagonist products;
risk that the Company will be unable to raise additional funding required
to complete development of its GnRH antagonist product candidates; and the
other risks described in the Company's report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2005. Neurocrine undertakes no obligation to update the
statements contained in this press release after the date hereof.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
neurocrine
View drug information on Estradiol Transdermal System; Lupron Depot.
Inc. (Nasdaq: NBIX) today announced positive results of its 'proof of
concept', safety, efficacy and dose-finding Phase II clinical trial using
its proprietary, orally-active small molecule Gonadotropin-Releasing
Hormone (GnRH) receptor antagonist (NBI-56418).
The 3-month data comes from a multi-center, randomized, double-blind,
placebo-controlled trial involving patients with a confirmed diagnosis of
endometriosis. The study followed a parallel-group design in which 76
subjects were randomized to one of three treatment groups: placebo, 75 mg
of NBI-56418, or 150 mg of NBI-56418 each administered once daily. Dosing
started on Day 2 to Day 7 of the menstrual cycle and continued over 12
weeks with assessments of symptoms and signs of disease conducted at 4-week
intervals using the Composite Pelvic Sign and Symptoms Score (CPSSS).
Assessment of pain intensity was measured daily by a Visual Analog Scale
(VAS) and collected by electronic diary. Full data regarding treatment
impact on menses, hormones and a variety of metabolic biomarkers will be
available at the completion of the ongoing 3-month safety follow-up period.
The primary endpoint of the study was reduction in the CPSSS, a
validated clinical endpoint assessing subjective and objective elements of
endometriosis. For the CPSSS, which has a maximum possible value of 15,
mean values at baseline were 9.1, 8.5 and 8.0 for the placebo, 75 mg and
150 mg groups respectively. After treatment, there were reductions of 3.7
(placebo), 3.9 (75 mg) and 5.0 (150 mg) points in the score at week 12.
A patient-completed VAS was used to record pain intensity on a daily
basis. Mean values for each 4-week interval were analyzed. This reveals
dose-related improvements of 5 (placebo), 14 (75 mg) and 21 (150 mg) from
baseline means of 31.2, 34.9 and 33.5 respectively. From a safety
perspective, preliminary information on the adverse event rates show that
there is little difference in the percentage of patients with an adverse
event across treatment groups. Treatment-related adverse events occurred in
39%; 36%; and 26% of the patients in the placebo, 75 mg and 150 mg groups
respectively. There was no increase in hot flashes in the NBI-56418 treated
groups compared with placebo.
"We are pleased with the results demonstrating a robust treatment
effect with NBI-56418 as shown by two clinical outcome measures. The
reductions in scores at the highest dose were at the levels expected for
peptide agonists such as Lupron Depot(R), which while efficacious, can lead
to numerous undesirable side effects and limit utility. While not fully
analyzed, preliminary results show that our GnRH antagonist demonstrated
reductions in pain scores at the earlier time points in the study," said
Chris O'Brien, M.D., Senior Vice President of Clinical Development for
Neurocrine Biosciences.
"We have met our 'proof of concept' criteria in the clinical setting
with our GnRH antagonist. Since the effects of estradiol reduction have
been previously well correlated with a reduction of pain and other symptoms
of endometriosis, we believe our oral GnRH antagonist will have significant
therapeutic application in endometriosis. These new data are encouraging
and suggest that sufficient estradiol suppression has been achieved for
pain reduction while potentially avoiding reduction in bone mineral density
and the other undesirable metabolic consequences of GnRH agonist
therapies," said Wendell Wierenga, Ph.D. Executive Vice President of
Research and Development for Neurocrine Biosciences.
"Based on these data, we are moving ahead to select the dosing regimen
for an expanded six-month study in patients with endometriosis. This Phase
IIb study will include several hundred patients and is expected to be
initiated in the 3rd Quarter of 2006," added Wierenga.
Additional Phase II Clinical Studies Underway with GnRH for
Endometriosis
Neurocrine is continuing to enroll patients in a second Phase II study
in patients with endometriosis that was initiated in December 2005 to
explore once vs. twice daily dosing. This study, a multi-dose,
double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, is enrolling 72 patients and is
designed to assess safety and efficacy over a three-month period. The
primary endpoint of reduction in endometriotic pain will be measured by the
CPSSS. Preliminary results are expected to be announced in the 4th Quarter
of 2006.
Neurocrine will be initiating a Phase IIb study in the 3rd quarter of
2006 in which patients with endometriosis will receive NBI-56418 for six
months. In addition to confirming the effect of NBI-56418 on endometriotic
pain, this study is designed to assess the impact of treatment on bone
mineral density. The six-month results, together with data from ongoing
Phase II studies will be the basis for securing agreement to a registration
plan acceptable to the FDA, estimated to occur next year. Finally, the
company recently started a Phase I study in male volunteers as part of the
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia development program. The Company expects to
provide more details on the six month trial together with ongoing results
from the Phase I trial in the 3rd Quarter of 2006.
Background
Nearly 7 million women in the US have endometriosis, many with severe
or moderate symptoms. Many patients are believed to be misdiagnosed or
undiagnosed. The impact of endometriosis on the lives of sufferers can be
significant -- adversely affecting the ability of patients to maintain
relationships and employment.
Surgery and medical treatments are currently available for women with
endometriosis. Surgery is not acceptable to many patients. Although
indicated for endometriosis, medical therapies such as the injectable GnRH
agonists leuprolide or injectable progesterone are associated with a range
of potentially unacceptable side effects including bone loss. Consequently,
prescribing physicians often reserve these medical interventions for
patients with severe endometriosis. For the majority of endometriosis
patients suffering from moderate or mild symptoms, the remaining treatment
options, oral contraceptives and analgesics, are only partially effective.
Based on the large number of endometriosis sufferers and the
significant level of unmet need, we believe a highly attractive commercial
opportunity exists for a new product that is able to offer patients and
prescribers effective control of endometriosis symptoms with limited side
effects.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. is a product-based biopharmaceutical
Company focused on neurological and endocrine diseases and disorders. Our
product candidates address some of the largest pharmaceutical markets in
the world including insomnia, anxiety, depression, diabetes, irritable
bowel syndrome, and autoimmunity. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. news
releases are available through the Company's website via the Internet at
neurocrine
In addition to historical facts, this press release may contain
forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and
uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements are risks
and uncertainties associated with Neurocrine's business and finances in
general including the risks and uncertainties associated with, or arising
out of, drug discovery, pre-clinical and clinical development of
pharmaceutical products. Specifically, the Company faces risks and
uncertainties arising out of it GnRH clinical development program including
risk that its lead candidate, NBI-56418, will not proceed to later stage
clinical trials; risk that should NBI-56418 may prove unsuitable for
continued development, the Company will not be successful in identifying
alternative GnRH antagonist products that are safe and effective; risk
relating to the Company's dependence on contract manufacturers for GnRH
antagonist product clinical drug supply and compliance with regulatory
requirements for marketing approval; risks that the Company may be
dependent on corporate collaborators for commercial manufacturing and
marketing and sales activities for its GnRH antagonist products;
uncertainties relating to patent protection for the Company's GnRH
antagonist products and intellectual property rights of third parties;
risks and uncertainties relating to competitive products and technological
changes that may limit demand for the Company's GnRH antagonist products;
risk that the Company will be unable to raise additional funding required
to complete development of its GnRH antagonist product candidates; and the
other risks described in the Company's report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2005. Neurocrine undertakes no obligation to update the
statements contained in this press release after the date hereof.
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.
neurocrine
View drug information on Estradiol Transdermal System; Lupron Depot.
суббота, 8 октября 2011 г.
Latest WHO Handbook Presents Family Planning Options For Women Around The World
The recently released Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers includes a chapter on fertility-awareness based methods of family planning highlighting the Standard Days Method and the TwoDay Method, two family-planning methods developed by Georgetown University Medical Center's Institute for Reproductive Health, as effective, easy-to-use and without the health risks of chemically based family planning methods such as birth control pills.
The publication, developed by the World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins University, and the United States Agency for International Development, is used by family planning providers worldwide, especially in developing countries.
"With the inclusion of the Standard Days and TwoDay Methods in the WHO family planning handbook for providers, we anticipate that many more providers around the world will offer fertility awareness methods, thereby increasing women's access to these effective, easy-to-use, low-cost options," said Victoria Jennings, Ph.D., co-developer of the methods and director of the Institute for Reproductive Health. She is also professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
Utilizing data from sophisticated computer modeling of reproductive physiology and field studies, the Georgetown researchers developed the Standard Days Method and CycleBeads™, the simple visual aid used by women who follow the Standard Days Method. They enable a woman to identify the 12-day "fertile window" of her menstrual cycle. These 12 days take into account the life span of the woman's egg (about 24 hours) and the viable life of sperm (about 5 days) as well as the variation in the actual timing of ovulation. In a clinical trial, the Standard Days Method proved to be more than 95 percent effective with correct use, similar to other user-directed methods such as the pill. Because this natural method identifies all of the fertile days, it also helps couples who want a pregnancy to achieve their goal.
To use CycleBeads to follow the Standard Days Method, a woman moves a black rubber ring over a series of color-coded beads that represent her fertile and low fertility days. The day a woman starts her period she puts the rubber ring on CycleBeads' red bead. Each day she moves the ring one bead, always in the direction of the arrow. When the ring is on the red bead or a dark bead, there is very low likelihood of pregnancy. When the ring is on a glow-in-the-dark white bead - Days 8 through 19 - there is a high likelihood of getting pregnant. CycleBeads also helps a woman know if her cycle length is in the range (26-32 days long) for using this method effectively.
The TwoDay Method employs a very different approach to identifying the fertile days of a woman's menstrual cycle. TwoDay Method users monitor the presence or absence of cervical secretions. Women then use a simple formula to determine whether they should consider themselves fertile on a specific day. Georgetown studies have found this method to be 96 percent effective.
Additional information on the Standard Days Method and the TwoDay Method, including details for on-line training for healthcare providers, is available from the Institute for Reproductive Health at irh. In addition to being available from a growing number of reproductive health providers worldwide, CycleBeads can be purchased at retail outlets or over the internet at cyclebeads.
The WHO Global Family Planning Handbook can be found online at fphandbook. The Fertility Awareness Chapter (17) is located on pages 239-254.
About The Institute for Reproductive Health
The Institute for Reproductive Health is dedicated to helping women and men make informed choices about family planning and providing them with simple and effective natural options. As part of Georgetown University's School of Medicine, the Institute conducts research to develop natural methods of family planning and test them in service delivery settings. irh
About Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through our partnership with MedStar Health). Our mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing and Health Studies, both nationally ranked, the world-renowned Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization (BGRO).
gumc.georgetown.edu
The publication, developed by the World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins University, and the United States Agency for International Development, is used by family planning providers worldwide, especially in developing countries.
"With the inclusion of the Standard Days and TwoDay Methods in the WHO family planning handbook for providers, we anticipate that many more providers around the world will offer fertility awareness methods, thereby increasing women's access to these effective, easy-to-use, low-cost options," said Victoria Jennings, Ph.D., co-developer of the methods and director of the Institute for Reproductive Health. She is also professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
Utilizing data from sophisticated computer modeling of reproductive physiology and field studies, the Georgetown researchers developed the Standard Days Method and CycleBeads™, the simple visual aid used by women who follow the Standard Days Method. They enable a woman to identify the 12-day "fertile window" of her menstrual cycle. These 12 days take into account the life span of the woman's egg (about 24 hours) and the viable life of sperm (about 5 days) as well as the variation in the actual timing of ovulation. In a clinical trial, the Standard Days Method proved to be more than 95 percent effective with correct use, similar to other user-directed methods such as the pill. Because this natural method identifies all of the fertile days, it also helps couples who want a pregnancy to achieve their goal.
To use CycleBeads to follow the Standard Days Method, a woman moves a black rubber ring over a series of color-coded beads that represent her fertile and low fertility days. The day a woman starts her period she puts the rubber ring on CycleBeads' red bead. Each day she moves the ring one bead, always in the direction of the arrow. When the ring is on the red bead or a dark bead, there is very low likelihood of pregnancy. When the ring is on a glow-in-the-dark white bead - Days 8 through 19 - there is a high likelihood of getting pregnant. CycleBeads also helps a woman know if her cycle length is in the range (26-32 days long) for using this method effectively.
The TwoDay Method employs a very different approach to identifying the fertile days of a woman's menstrual cycle. TwoDay Method users monitor the presence or absence of cervical secretions. Women then use a simple formula to determine whether they should consider themselves fertile on a specific day. Georgetown studies have found this method to be 96 percent effective.
Additional information on the Standard Days Method and the TwoDay Method, including details for on-line training for healthcare providers, is available from the Institute for Reproductive Health at irh. In addition to being available from a growing number of reproductive health providers worldwide, CycleBeads can be purchased at retail outlets or over the internet at cyclebeads.
The WHO Global Family Planning Handbook can be found online at fphandbook. The Fertility Awareness Chapter (17) is located on pages 239-254.
About The Institute for Reproductive Health
The Institute for Reproductive Health is dedicated to helping women and men make informed choices about family planning and providing them with simple and effective natural options. As part of Georgetown University's School of Medicine, the Institute conducts research to develop natural methods of family planning and test them in service delivery settings. irh
About Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center is an internationally recognized academic medical center with a three-part mission of research, teaching and patient care (through our partnership with MedStar Health). Our mission is carried out with a strong emphasis on public service and a dedication to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis -- or "care of the whole person." The Medical Center includes the School of Medicine and the School of Nursing and Health Studies, both nationally ranked, the world-renowned Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Biomedical Graduate Research Organization (BGRO).
gumc.georgetown.edu
суббота, 1 октября 2011 г.
2.5 Million Child Lives A Year Could Be Saved By Prioritizing Low-Cost, Simple Health Measures
Almost a third of the children under age five who die each year could be saved if governments rebalance health spending to ensure low-cost, simple interventions such as safe water and hygiene, bed nets and basic maternal and newborn care, leading aid agency World Vision said today. Currently, 8.8 million children a year die before age five, most of preventable causes.
A new report by the Christian humanitarian agency calls for scaling up simple preventive health measures for mothers and children, particularly at the community level. This must be a priority to make rapid progress against the top child killers of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria, the international analysis shows. Citing interventions that can cost pennies, the study concludes that more strategic use of funding and resources would keep millions of children from dying before they reach their fifth birthdays.
"Our world is in the grip of a chronic humanitarian crisis with more than 24,000 children dying each day," said World Vision International's President Kevin Jenkins. "Yet we know that even in the poorest countries, most child deaths are not inevitable."
"The truth is politics, not poverty, is what is killing these children. For many politicians, saving infants and children from illness and death is simply not a priority. Our campaign will mobilize and equip people worldwide to hold their leaders to account for ensuring child health now," said Jenkins.
The report comes as World Vision launches Child Health Now, its first global advocacy campaign, for the 100 countries in which it works. The five-year initiative aims to help reduce child mortality by two-thirds by 2015 through ensuring government leaders deliver on their commitments to help meet this goal.*
"At least 2.5 million children's lives could be saved each year by implementing low-cost, simple interventions such as water and hygiene, bed nets, and basic maternal and newborn care," said World Vision's Jenkins. "As many as six million children could be saved yearly by combining these approaches with more strategic allocation of resources to meet needs at the community level, and by fulfilled global donor commitments."
In the U.S., government leaders have the opportunity to build on the country's global health funding leadership by appropriating the resources promised in last year's Global AIDS, TB and Malaria bill, and moving on to pass the newly introduced Global Child Survival Act of 2009, which calls for a clear, coordinated strategy to save the lives of newborns, infants and children in developing countries.
Recent history shows substantial progress is achievable: child deaths have been cut by more than half since 1960, when 20 million children died from preventable causes. Child mortality has decreased in all regions of the world because of increased access to interventions such as oral rehydration therapy and immunizations - and further progress can be made by expanding those approaches, emphasizing hand washing with soap and providing needed vitamins, among other basic steps
Report author Regina Keith, World Vision's senior health campaign adviser, said much health funding - both from donor nations and developing countries' budgets - is spent in ways that fail to have the greatest impact.
"Prevention is better, and cheaper, than treating children once they get ill," said Keith. "Yet an estimated 270 million children live in what amounts to a health care desert, lacking access to even the most basic provision, while millions more face patchy, low-quality systems they can't afford. If countries want to ensure the survival of their next generation, they must focus on providing low-cost, simple interventions to keep these young children healthy."
Source: Geraldine Ryerson-Cruz
World Vision
A new report by the Christian humanitarian agency calls for scaling up simple preventive health measures for mothers and children, particularly at the community level. This must be a priority to make rapid progress against the top child killers of pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria, the international analysis shows. Citing interventions that can cost pennies, the study concludes that more strategic use of funding and resources would keep millions of children from dying before they reach their fifth birthdays.
"Our world is in the grip of a chronic humanitarian crisis with more than 24,000 children dying each day," said World Vision International's President Kevin Jenkins. "Yet we know that even in the poorest countries, most child deaths are not inevitable."
"The truth is politics, not poverty, is what is killing these children. For many politicians, saving infants and children from illness and death is simply not a priority. Our campaign will mobilize and equip people worldwide to hold their leaders to account for ensuring child health now," said Jenkins.
The report comes as World Vision launches Child Health Now, its first global advocacy campaign, for the 100 countries in which it works. The five-year initiative aims to help reduce child mortality by two-thirds by 2015 through ensuring government leaders deliver on their commitments to help meet this goal.*
"At least 2.5 million children's lives could be saved each year by implementing low-cost, simple interventions such as water and hygiene, bed nets, and basic maternal and newborn care," said World Vision's Jenkins. "As many as six million children could be saved yearly by combining these approaches with more strategic allocation of resources to meet needs at the community level, and by fulfilled global donor commitments."
In the U.S., government leaders have the opportunity to build on the country's global health funding leadership by appropriating the resources promised in last year's Global AIDS, TB and Malaria bill, and moving on to pass the newly introduced Global Child Survival Act of 2009, which calls for a clear, coordinated strategy to save the lives of newborns, infants and children in developing countries.
Recent history shows substantial progress is achievable: child deaths have been cut by more than half since 1960, when 20 million children died from preventable causes. Child mortality has decreased in all regions of the world because of increased access to interventions such as oral rehydration therapy and immunizations - and further progress can be made by expanding those approaches, emphasizing hand washing with soap and providing needed vitamins, among other basic steps
Report author Regina Keith, World Vision's senior health campaign adviser, said much health funding - both from donor nations and developing countries' budgets - is spent in ways that fail to have the greatest impact.
"Prevention is better, and cheaper, than treating children once they get ill," said Keith. "Yet an estimated 270 million children live in what amounts to a health care desert, lacking access to even the most basic provision, while millions more face patchy, low-quality systems they can't afford. If countries want to ensure the survival of their next generation, they must focus on providing low-cost, simple interventions to keep these young children healthy."
Source: Geraldine Ryerson-Cruz
World Vision
Подписаться на:
Сообщения (Atom)