Reproductive health in Southeast Asian women: current situation and the influence factors

Contraceptive uses among married women in Bangladesh: a systematic review and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

Although Bangladesh's economy has shown significant improvement over the past two decades, the high population growth rate has hindered development efforts. This study aimed to review the prevalence of different contraceptive methods used among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh, which could help control the population growth rate.

METHODS

We conducted an extensive literature review and meta-analysis of 82 articles, identifying 20 articles for analysis. The analyses included heterogeneity and publication bias in published papers.

RESULTS

The pooled prevalence of various contraceptive methods was as follows: condom use, 7.13%; Female Sterilization, 8.09%; injectables, 12.76%; intrauterine devices (IUDs), 3.76%; male sterilization, 2.34%; periodic abstinence, 6.71%; pills, 33.21%; and withdrawal, 3.27%. Modern contraceptive methods accounted for 62.91% of usage, while traditional methods constituted 8.79%. On average, only 1.95% of women opted for the implant method. The overall prevalence of contraceptive method usage was 59.48%, with 60.59% in urban areas and 54.54% in rural areas. We found statistically significant heterogeneity for all contraceptive methods used by women in Bangladesh. The funnel plot and Egger's test showed no publication bias for any of the contraceptive methods, except condoms (Z = 2.34, P = 0.0194). The contraceptive methods used by women in rural areas also showed publication bias (Z = -3.04, P = 0.0024).

CONCLUSION

A renewed commitment from government bodies and independent organizations is needed to implement and monitor family planning strategies to ensure adherence to and provision of the most appropriate contraceptive method for couples.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae Cases at AMC Muhammadiyah Hospital Indonesia: The Importance of Screening and Health Service Improvement to Prevent its Transmission and Complications

BACKGROUND: Gonorrhoeae is a type of sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) bacteria. It is a commonly reported bacterial STD with rising cases in men and women in Indonesia. Gonorrhoeae is commonly asymptomatic. Therefore, the disease is often left undiagnosed, untreated, and causes further complications. AIM: This study aims to describe the incidence and distribution of gonorrhoeae in AMC Muhammadiyah Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The importance of screening and health service improvement toward preventing transmission and complications are also discussed. METHODS: It is a descriptive observational study and aims to identify the percentage of NG in patients with clinical symptoms of STDs. The non-randomized sampling technique was used with 710 respondents. The inclusion criteria were women aged 15-44 years with STD symptoms who underwent vaginal smear examinations for NG, Bacterial Vaginosis (BV), yeast cells-pseudohyphae Candida sp, and were willing to be respondents. The exclusion criteria were women with STDs and HIV. Microscopic characteristics of NG were examined by Gram staining the vaginal swab samples from the respondents. RESULTS: It was found that 623 (87.7%) out of 710 respondents had NG with clinical symptoms of leukorrhea and itchiness. The vaginal smear results also found bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis. CONCLUSIONS: Screening and health facilities providing STI-related services are essential to prevent the transmission of gonorrhoeae and reduce the high incidence and severity of gonorrhoeae in reproductive health.