Abortion, Induced ; Human Females

Serum ; Human Females ; Sleep ; Prolactin

Certain human papillomavirus (HPV) types are strongly associated with cervical cancer. Recently-described effective vaccines against these HPV types represent a great medical breakthrough in preventing cervical cancer. In Malaysia, the vaccine has just received regulatory approval. We are likely to face similar barriers to implementing HPV vaccination as reported by countries where vaccination has been introduced. Most women have poor understanding of HPV and its link to cervical cancer. Physicians who will be recommending HPV vaccines may not have extensive knowledge or experience with HPV-related disease. Furthermore, a vaccine against a sexually-transmitted infection may elicit negative reactions from potential recipients or their cares, particularly in a conservative society. Given the high cost of the vaccine, reaching the most vulnerable women is a concern. To foster broad acceptance of HPV vaccine, education must be provided to health care providers, parents and young women about the risks of HPV infection and the benefits of vaccination.
Papillomavirus, Human ; Vaccines ; Human Females ; Vaccination ; Malaysia

A study was conducted in Jakarta on 903 women workers before going abroad through stool examination by Ritchie's technical method. Of the women workers studied, 640 subjects (70.87%) were found to be infected with intestinal parasites either helminthes, protozoa or combination. Out of those infected, 451 (70.47%) subjects were infected with intestinal helminthes, namely Ascaris lumbricoides (38.13%), Trichuris trichiura (28.13%), a combination of Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale (13.59%) and Enterobius vermicularis (4.84%). In addition 319 (49.84%) subjects were infected with intestinal protozoa namely Giardia lamblia (22.03%), Entamoeba histolytica (14.53%), Blastocystis hominis (6.56%) and Entamoeba coli (6.72%). The youngest age to be affected was 14 years old (14.19% of the subjects studied). Majority (72.09%) of the study subjects received junior high school level of education. Home yard (46.51%) and ground under the trees (22.09%) were places favourable for the habits of defaecation, whereas garbage disposal took place in 52.33% home yards and 25.58% creeks. This study revealed that various life style habits and indiscriminate defaecation were the causes of the continuous transmission of intestinal parasitic infections. The different parasites that were found in women workers before going abroad relate to the various epidemiological aspects of intestinal parasites in women workers in Indonesia who came from different islands in the country and possessed different life style patterns, socioeconomic status, geographical condition and cultures.
parasitic ; Human Females ; workforce ; epidemiologic ; Protozoal

Papua New Guinea is in the early stages of an HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is important to understand how the sexual behaviour of Huli men and women will influence the form of the epidemic in the Tari area. High numbers of single and married men migrating out of the Tari area in search of employment, returning with sexually transmitted infections, are one cause for concern. Another is the emergence of a form of prostitution in the Tari area. This paper describes an unusual aspect of female sexual behaviour at Tari in which some women become sexually promiscuous, behaving in a manner that could be labelled prostitution. This behaviour scandalizes their families and results in a debasing of their value as brides. However, the women involved do not see their actions as being part of any form of sex work. Rather, they participate in this behaviour because they are frustrated and angry. The women feel their male kin have not fulfilled customary obligations to them as women; often the women have been raped and their assailants neither apprehended nor punished. As a result the women have come to believe that the meaning and function of bridewealth marriage has changed such that women are like commodities to be bought and sold. They see their behaviour as a form of revenge on their families and on a culture that seemingly no longer values them as persons.
Human Females ; Passenger ; Gender Relations ; Basin ; Prostitution

We conducted a survey among female sex workers in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea to evaluate the frequency of sexually transmitted disease (STD) symptoms they suffered, their STD and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) transmission knowledge and health-seeking behaviours, the forms that their HIV risk perception took, and the types and quantities of educational resources to which they had access and in fact used. This survey was a part of a larger study of sex workers that was carried out in two other cities, Lae, the capital of Morobe Province, and Port Moresby, the nation's capital. We interviewed 190 self-identified female sex workers who had been recruited between January 1999 and October 1999 through peer-mediated contacts. In an average one-week period, the women had intercourse with two customers, two to three times, and one boyfriend once or twice. In the surveyed group, 83% of the women had a history of symptomatic STDs and 73% had gone to an STD clinic for treatment. Of the women who used condoms at all, 7% used them each time they had sex with clients, but only 3% used them each time they had sex with steady partners. The remaining 93% of the women used condoms on some occasions or not at all. Most women (72%) knew about male-female transmission of HIV, but fewer cited other sexual and non-sexual modes of transmission. The majority of the women (71%) felt that they were of low or unknown risk of acquiring HIV infection. When asked where or to whom they would go when concerned about AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) or STDs, most women (93%) said that they would go to a health care provider. Evaluating the sex workers' understanding of STDs and HIV has been essential in designing education and intervention projects so as better to address the future morbidity and mortality associated with STDs and AIDS.
Human Females ; seconds ; HIV ; Prostitute ; Gender

Over the years many approaches have been used in communication for behavioral changes in nutrition. The overall aim of this study was to provide practical insights into how participatory, audience-centered communication activities can be effectively used for imparting information and for behavioral change promotion on the topic of dietary diversity and micronutrient nutrition, among reproductive-age women in Vietnam. The communication initiatives for improving nutrition knowledge and practices of the women in two selected communes (Dongky and Donglac) in Bacgiang province were carried out from January, 2003 to December, 2005. The Dongky commune was selected as the intervention commune, while the Donglac commune served as the control. In the intervention commune of Dongky the problems and strategies of nutrition communication and education were defined, IEC materials and some seeds of iron-rich vegetables and fruits were provided. Besides that, a contest on nutrition knowledge at a primary school and a competition between nutrition collaborators were held. The results of the study showed that food consumption of the women in both communes improved compared to levels at the baseline survey, especially in the intervention commune. The total knowledge scores and the nutrition practices of the women in the Dongky commune significantly improved compared to the data at baseline and were higher compared to that of the control commune.
commune ; Nutritional status ; Human Females ; Communication ; seconds

The purpose of this study was to shed light on the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a rural community and examine whether or not serum adipocytokine levels are associated with the Diagnostic Criteria for MetS and how many MetS components laid down in the standards subjects have. The subjects were 2,858 people (1,744men and 1,114 women, mean age 49.8+/-9.9 yrs) who had participated in our health screening program between April and December, 2005. After obtaining informed consent from them, we measured serum leptin, adiponectin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, while performing routine blood tests. In the present study, these measurements were used in combination with the number of MetS components applicable to the conditions of our subjects. Two hundred men (11.5%) and 25 women (2.2%) were diagnosed with MetS. The number of MetS women was extremely small. Those women who were above the standard waist circumference of above 90cm accounted for 8.7% of the total. Thus, most women subjects were excluded as MetS candidates here. The leptin levels of the MetS group were higher than those of the non-MetS group in accordance with the number of applicable components in the diagnostic standards for MetS. Especially, the MetS group which met three MetS criteria showed significantly high leptin levels (p/5=0.0081) of 5.26+/-1.86 (ng/ml) compared to 3.31+/-1.44 (ng/ml) of the non-MetS group with waist circumference below 85cm. On the other hand, no significant difference was noted between the groups in adiponectin level. However, in contrast to leptin levels, adiponectin levels were lower in the group having three MetS components than the non-MetS group 4.37+/-1.57 (ng/ml) as against 5.52+/-3.34 (ng/ml). High-sensitivity CRP levels did not show any significant difference between the two groups.As regards the cutoff value of women's waist circumference, further study needs to be done. It was suggested that serum leptin levels might be closely related to the diagnostic criteria for MetS and the number of MetS components applicable.
Human Females ; Leptin ; ng/mL ; seconds ; adiponectin

Two duplex PCR assays were established for the detection of C. trachomatis (Ct), N. gonorrhoeae (GC), M. hominis (Mh), and U. urealyticum (Uu). These assays were used on clinical specimens obtained from women with Premature Rupture of Membrane or Post Partum Fever, from preterm infants, as well as from women with uneventful pregnancies and their babies delivered vaginally at term. The analytical sensitivity of the duplex PCR assays with internal controls incorporated is 7.0, 19.0, 5x10(3) and 7x10(2) genome copies per reaction for Ct, GC, Mh and Uu respectively. Specificity was demonstrated by the amplification of only target DNA in the presence of other organisms. Among 40 women with normal, at term, deliveries, there were 6 positives for Ct, 2 for GC and 1 for Uu. None of these women had signs of genital tract infection. The Mh/Uu PCR was positive in 11 of 40 PROM cases, with 7 women positive for Uu, 2 for Mh and 2 others for both organisms. Of 40 blood cultures taken from post-partum maternal infections, 6 were positive for Ct and 1 for Mh. Respiratory secretions from 30 premature neonates yielded 5 positives for Uu and one each for Mh and Ct. In contrast, there was only 1 positive result (for Mh) in 30 mature neonates. With 1 exception, all mycoplasma and ureaplasma positives were confirmed by culture and the concordance between paired tracheal aspirates and nasopharyngeal swabs from neonates was 96.7%. These results show the potential use of the duplex PCR assays for the diagnosis of maternal and neonatal disease caused by the four urogenital pathogens.
Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Human Females ; seconds ; Neisseria gonorrhoeae ; Infant, Newborn

seconds ; Human Females ; Social Problems ; Rehabilitation aspects ; Case Report