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Some Medical Facts on RH/Contraception
Related to country: Philippines

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Some Medical Facts on RH/Contraception
as shared by Francisco M. dela Tonga, Chairperson, RHAN-Youth



1. Maternal Mortality in the Philippines is worrisome.



Although there are inherent difficulties in measuring maternal deaths accurately, due to non-recording or inaccurate recording (NSO 2004: Deaths in the Philippines 2000; WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF 2000: Maternal Mortality Estimates for 2000), there is agreement among DOH and international authorities that the absolute number in the Philippines—about 4,000 a year—and the very slow decline of the maternal mortality ratio as evidenced between 1990 and 2007—(3% decline)—is problematic and will likely result in the Philippines not meeting the Millennium Development Goal 5 in 2015. In fact, the NEDA Midterm Progress Report on the MDG for 2007 identified maternal mortality reduction as short of target and the DOH has developed a program called Rapid Reduction of Maternal and Neonatal Mortality to cope with the problem.



Since NSO’s Vital Registration, which is the source of DOH’s estimates of mortality, including maternal mortality, is incomplete by their own account (i.e. "no adjustment for under-registration or for delay in the submission of certificates…" NSO 2008: Maternal Death Statistics 2004), it is not advisable to base estimates on these records but on surveys or statistical models. In 2000, the WHO estimated maternal mortality to be at around 4,100 for the year (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA World Bank 2000: Maternal Mortality in 2000. On this scale, Maternal Mortality ranked among the top 10 causes of female mortality for all ages—higher than kidney diseases!



Leading Causes of Female Mortality in 2000 (DOH website)



1. Diseases of the Heart 26,061

2. Diseases of the Vascular System 21,074

3. Malignant Neoplasm 16,817

4. Pneumonia 16,088

5. TB, all forms 8,967

6. Accidents 6,346

7. Perinatal conditions 6,015

8. Diabetes Mellitus 5,600

9. Chronic Lower Resp. diseases 5,134

10. Nephritic/nephritic synd., nephrosis 3,321



The only reason maternal mortality is not monitored and counted carefully in the Philippines is because it does not belong to the "notifiable diseases" list of the DOH. In other countries like the UK , South Africa and Malaysia , every maternal mortality is studied through various maternal death reviews, such as the Confidential Inquiry (WHO 2004: Beyond the Numbers). This is because almost all maternal deaths are preventable by current maternal care modalities and every death thus constitutes a violation of women’s right to life.



The persistence and high levels of maternal mortality worldwide is a testament to the failure of global development strategies, hence its inclusion in the MDGs. It also basically reflects the strength/weakness of countries’ health systems and the systems’ attention to women, esp. poor women.



2. Maternal survival and health affects the survival and health of children, especially newborns.



"In developing countries, a mother’s death in childbirth means that her newborn will almost certainly die and that her older children are more likely to suffer from disease. Moreover, when mothers are malnourished, ill or receive inadequate care, their newborns face a higher risk of disease and premature death. Almost ¼ of newborns in developing countries are born low birth weight, largely due to their mothers’ poor health and nutritional status which results in increased vulnerability to infections and a higher risk of developmental problems.



The quality of care that both mother and newborn receive during pregnancy and delivery and in the early postnatal period is essential to ensuring that women remain healthy and that children get a good start." (Save the Children and Population Bureau 2006).





3. Contraceptives are life-saving to women and children (WHO: Health Benefits of Family Planning)



a. Women’s health

Contraceptive use reduces maternal mortality and improves women’s health by preventing unwanted and high risk pregnancies and reducing the need for unsafe abortions. An estimated 100,000 maternal deaths could be avoided each year if all women who said they want no more children were able to stop childbearing. "



"Some contraceptives also improve women’s health by reducing the likelihood of disease transmission and protecting against cancers and health problems."



"Contraceptives: safe, effective and protective



* Barrier methods, like condom play an important role in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, which can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and in some cases, death. Although no contraceptive is 100% effective at preventing disease transmission, condoms can greatly reduce the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus.
* Hormonal methods, specifically combined oral contraceptives offer significant protection against
o life-threatening diseases such as ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, ectopic pregnancy and pelvic inflammatory disease
o health conditions that impair quality of life such as iron deficiency anemia, benign breast disease, painful menstruation, heavy menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, pelvic pain, and functional ovarian cysts

Progestin-only contraceptives reduce monthly blood loss and therefore help protect against anemia and also have been reported to protect against some STDs and pelvic inflammatory disease. For some conditions, the protective effect remains even after the method is no longer being used.

* Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) or breastfeeding –provides important benefits for nursing infants. Breastfeeding provides special nutritional benefits to the infant and protects against diarrhea, coughs and colds, and other common illnesses."
* Copper-bearing intrauterine device (IUD) may protect against cancer of the lining of the uterus (WHO, USAID, Johns Hopkins, 2007: Family Planning – A Global Handbook for Providers)
* Fertility Awareness-Based Methods or NFP help women learn about their bodies and fertility.. It is also used to identify fertile days by both women who want to become pregnant and women who want to avoid pregnancy. (WHO, USAID)



"Unsafe abortions and their complications are a major cause of maternal death and illness." In the Philippines an estimated 800 women die each year as a result of unsafe or incomplete abortion, and almost 80,000 are hospitalized for complications (Guttmacher- UPPI 2006: Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion in the Philippines). "Infertility due to tubal infections resulting from unsafe abortion is common in some areas. Using contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies helps to reduce the toll of unsafe

abortion."



Pregnancy, itself, is attended with risks, as mentioned in the 1st part of this paper. The risk of dying from each pregnancy, reflected by the maternal mortality ratio, is about 200 per 100,000 (WHO, 2000 estimate), or 2 per 1000, or 1 death per 500 livebirths. This risk increases with additional pregnancy, so a woman with 5 pregnancies will have 5 in 500 o 1 in 100 risk.



These inherent pregnancy risks are compounded by risks due to pre-existing medical conditions like: moderate hypertension, complicated valvular disease, ischemic heart disease, stroke, tuberculosis, moderate diabetes, hepatitis, renal disease, anemia, some sexually transmitted infections, and others. (WHO, USAID…,WHO: Health Benefits)





b. Children’s health

"It had been estimated that expanding contraceptive services to meet the needs of couples who wish to avoid pregnancy but currently not using contraception could prevent as many as 850,000 deaths per year among children under age 5 (World Bank, 1993).



When used to space births at least 2 years apart, contraceptives save children’s lives. When births are spaced less than 2 years apart, particularly less than 18 months, infants are more likely to be premature and to have low birth weigh, 2 factors that lead to increased mortality.



Short birth intervals also decrease the survival of the preceding child. The arrival of a new baby means that breastfeeding stops suddenly and the mother has less time to devote to caring for the older child. A birth interval of less than 12 months raises the overall average risk of death for the preceding child between the ages of 1 and 5 by at least 70 to 80%; a birth within 18 months raises the risk by 50% or more (Hobcroft, 1987).



Postponing first births until the mother is at least 18 years of age is another important factor in reducing child deaths. An infant born to a teen-age mother is more likely to be born early and weigh too little at birth and is 24% more likely to die in the 1st month of life than is an infant born to a mother aged 25-35 years; the increased risk continues until early childhood (Hobcroft, 1991).



Having too many children also places the children’s health at risk. Births of order 4 and higher are associated with higher infant mortality in Latin America and Asia (Ross and Frankenber, 1993). A study in Bangladesh showed that the infant mortality for women who had 5-6 children was about 3x the rate for those with only 2 children (Rahman and Nessa, 1989). A study in Egypt found 38% higher infant mortality among 5th and subsequent births than among 3rd and 4th order births.





4. Contraceptive risks and side effects are real but few.



Like all drugs and medical devices, contraceptives have associated risks and side effects. This way it is not unlike paracetamol, one of the most effective pain and fever-lowering drugs that "no home should be without" or ampicillin, the most "widely prescribed antibiotic." Yet the complete drug literature for paracetamol includes the information that one can have "skin rashes, blood disorder, swollen pancreas, and severe liver damage that can be fatal." The same with the literature on ampicillin which warns about "nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, abdominal pain, allergic reaction, shock and even death." (Bupa Health Care Organization, Medicinenet) The words of caution attached to these 2 drugs do not mean they are per se dangerous, but that they should be used correctly.



"In general, contraceptives pose few serious health risks to users.. Moreover, the use of contraceptive methods is generally far safer than pregnancy. Unintended pregnancies unnecessarily place women at risk. Women in many developing countries will experience an even greater advantage in using contraceptive methods than those in the developed world because pregnancy-related mortality is higher. Nonetheless, use of some contraceptive methods may entail potential risks: such as the risks of serious outcomes like pain, hospitalization, surgery, medical side effects, infections loss of reproductive capacity or in rare cases death. There is also the risk of contraceptive failure – pregnancy in which case a woman needs to asses the dangers that a pregnancy would pose. Then there is the risk to future fertility due to choice of contraceptive method." J. Trussel, Contraceptive Technology, Ch.3, 18th ed?)



Comparative Risks of Different Activities vs Use of Contraceptives in the US (Trussel)



From an accident: 1: 2,900

From being stuck by lightning 1: 2,000,000

Nonsmoker, 35-44 using combined contraceptives 1: 33,000

Smoker, 35-44 using combined contraceptives 1: 5,200

Undergoing sterilization 1: 66,700

Pregnancy 1; 8,700



"Other major health risks from contraceptive use are not only uncommon, but they are also most likely to occur in women who have underlying medical conditions.



"Cardiovascular Disease"



"The combined pill has been associated with and increased risk of heart attack and stroke. This is particularly true in women over age 35 who smoke. However, nonsmoking, nonhypertensive, nondiabetic women of any age who use combined OCs are not at increased risk for MI. The risk of stroke in nonsmoking women under age 35 is not increased use of OCs with less than 50micrograms of estrogen…" (50 mcg is hi dose).



"Cancer"



"…Use of the combined OCs is associated with an increased risk of cancers of the cervix and liver, an increased risk of breast cancer in young women, and a decreased risk of of colorectal cancer. However, there is great uncertainty regarding the causal link if any, between, if any between combined OC use and liver and colorectal cancer, and recent evidence suggests no association between current or former combined OC use and breast cancer. Regardless, the net effect of combined pill use on cancer is negligible.





"Side Effects"



"Side effects can be hormonally, chemically or mechanically induced. Headaches, nausea, dizziness and breast tenderness can be side effects of hormonal methods. Menstrual changes such as spotting and decreased or increased bleeding can be caused by hormonal methods and IUDs. Physical sensations such as decreased penile sensitivity, pressure on the pelvic walls or uterine cramping may be caused by mechanical methods. Other chemically-induced side effects include allergic reactions to latex or copper."



With the great majority of these side effects, instruction and patient education can help users accept and understand what is happening. The appearance of side effects that are not serious is not a medical reason to preclude use of a method.



5. The WHO IARC (InternationalAgenc y on Research on Cancer) classification of combined hormonal contraceptives as "carcinogenic to humans" (Group 1) does not mean that these contraceptives are unsafe.



IARC and its classification of contraceptives



The IARC or International Agency on Research on Cancer is an intergovernmental agency that is part of the WHO that conducts and coordinates research into the causes of cancer. In 1999, the IARC classified COC’s as "carcinogenic to humans" (Grou1) and combined hormonal menopausal therapy as "possibly carcinogenic" (Group 2B).



In 2005, IARC review confirmed the classification of COCs and changed the classification of combined hormonal menopausal therapy to "carcinogenic in humans" (Group 1).



Group 1 category, according to IARC "refers only to the strength of the evidence that an exposure is carcinogenic and not to the extent of its carcinogenic activity (potency) nor to the mechanisms involved. Group 1 is simply used as a category "used when there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in humans.



Other "agents. mixtures and exposures in Group 1 are: alcoholic beverages, acetaminophen, mineral oil, salted fish (Chinese style), salted fish (all styles), furniture and cabinet making and second-hand.





Criticisms Against the IARC



From SOGC (Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada ):



"Summary Statements



1. Review of relevant studies by SOGC experts indicates that oral contraceptives reduce the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer while slightly increasing the risk for cervical cancer and premenopausal breast cancer.



2. For the majority of women, the benefits of oral contraception outweigh the risks.



3. …The risk for premenopausal breast cancer is seen largely in women who use the pill before 1st term pregnancy. Compared to other reproductive tract and lifestyle factors that affect breast cancer risk (e.g. 1 alcoholic drink/day, failure to breastfeed, 1st child after age 35), the increase in risk associated with oral contraceptive is very small. The public impact of this slight increase in risk is small due to the very low background rates of breast cancer in women of this age group.



4. …Use of oral contraceptives in women with positive family history of breast cancer does not increase their risk for breast cancer above that related to their genetic risk. In women with these genetic mutations, use of an oral contraceptive will reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.



5. Cervical cancer may progress more rapidly in women infected with cancer–causing strains of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) if they also use oral contraceptive users. This emphasizes the usefulness of comprehensive cervical cancer screening programs and the usefulness of HPV vaccines. In developed countries where effective screening is in place for years and rates of cervical cancer are low, this is likely to have little public impact.



6. Oral contraceptives have been proven to reduce rates of endometrial and ovarian cancer by 50% or more. This benefit increases with duration of use and persists for up to 20 years after oral contraceptives are stopped.



7. Oral contraceptives have numerous non-contraceptive benefits ( see section 3)





SOGC thinks the IARC is "walking a slippery slope" with its decision to label natural reproductive hormones –estrogen and progesterone –as carcinogens.



"To declare a naturally occurring hormone as carcinogen raises the question: Are all other endogenous hormone growth factors that play a role in the development of cancers now to be labeled as carcinogens? Estrogen causes the growth of epithelial cells in the breast and uterine lining. This stimulation increases the number of cell divisions and indirectly may increase the likelihood of cell mutations that lead to cancer. Whether these hormones should be classified as carcinogens is clearly debatable



"To term any substance carcinogen, let alone a naturally occurring hormone over which women have little control has the potential to generate fear and misunderstanding.…(In Canada), the risks of pregnancy are substantial and failure to use contraception due to unfounded, ill advised fears about side effects of hormones may do far more harm to women than any of the purported adverse effects of the contraceptive methods.





From other ObGyns (SchmidenHPG, Menck and Kulb, Climacteric Issn 13-69-7137 2005 Vol 8



" IARC’s disctinction is to identify potential carcinogens in nutrition. environment and pharmaceutical products. They do not produce risk/benefit analysis for an country or population. Their conclusions are highly controversial in that no proof is presented for a causal relation of estrogen with reproductive cancer be it plausibility according to mechanism of action or experimental evidence in animal model. Equating natural compounds like estradiol with definite carcinogens like asbestos, tobacco smoke as well as indispensable drugs like aspirin and tamoxifen is of no substantial clinical relevance. Thus there is to reason to change current principles with combination contraception and therapy.



From the UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/ Worls Bank HRP, Sept. 2005





…"It is important to note that IARC do not evaluate the over-all risk-benefit profile of compounds in public health terms, even in terms of over-all cancer risk for compounds that have a protective effect on some cancers and increase the risk of some others.



As stated in IARC’s review, the use of COC’s modifies slightly the risk of cancer, increasing it in some sites (cervix, breast, liver), decreasing it in others (endometrium, ovary). Some of these data refer to older higher dose COC preparations.



Assessments based on the risk-benefit calculations are carried out by different teams within WHO. Several WHO committees work on creating evidence-based family planning guidelines and on keeping them up-to-date on a continuous basis. They regularly review the safety of COCs and assess the balance of risks and benefits of COC use and they have determined that for most health women, the health benefits clearly exceed the health risks.

September 22, 2009 | 9:49 PM Comments  0 comments

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