11th ESC Seminar

Myth and truth about family planning and contraception among Lithuanian teenagers

L. Oboleviciute, D. Vaitkiene, G. Kemekliene, G. Denafaite
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaunas, Lithuania, lina.obolev@gmail.com

Objective: To determine the level of knowledge of family planning and contraception among Lithuanian adolescents and to investigate how this knowledge is related to the adolescents‘ gender, sexual behaviour, place of living and school rank.

Design & methods: 896 Lithuanian students of either sex, entering grade 11 or 12 at an urban or provincial secondary school during the 2008-2009 school year participated in a confidential questionnaire survey. Schools-participators were selected from the Lithuanian Schools Rank List 2008. Every of 8 schools was of different rank position, 4 of them were secondary schools and 4 gymnasiums, 5 were urban (n=441) and 3 provincial (n=455) schools. The questionnaire consisted of 14 multiple choice questions to identify determinants of sexual activity prevalence, age at first sexual debut and family planning use and 12 propositions-myths to reveal students‘ knowledge.

Results: Knowledge of family planning and contraception was evaluated by correctly answered statements myths average (CAMA), that was 9.1 (±1.7) in general out of 12 possible. The urban students showed better results than the provincial ones (CAMA 9.28 (±1.7) vs. 8.98 (±1.7); p=0.008). CAMA of female students was significantly higher than of the males (9.42 (±1.6) vs. 8.78 (±1.8); p<0.001). The awareness of urban girls was more accurate than of provincial ones (CAMA 9.65 (±1.4) vs. 9.21 (±1.7); p=0.002), whereas boys did not show a significant difference dependant on living place. Pupils of 12 grade were better informed than those of 11 grade (9.30 (±1.6) vs. 8.98 (±1.8); p=0.005). Sexually active students knowledge pertaining family planning and contraception was inferior to the sexually inactive teenagers (CAMA 8.96 (±1.8) vs. 9.26 (±1.7); p=0.023). Female students were significantly better in identifying almost all claims as folk myths. Adolescents attending higher ranked schools were more knowledgeable than the ones from lower ranked schools (p<0.005).

Conclusion: Urban students are more knowledgeable of family planning and contraception compared to provincial students. Female adolescents are better informed about family planning and contraception than males. Awareness about family planning and contraception correlates directly with the school ranking position. Knowledge of reproductive system’s health and family planning does not promote teenagers’ sexual activity.

Best Poster Award

Combined oral contraception in women with idiopathic hyperprolactinemia

L.V. Suturina, L.M. Lazareva, A.V. Labygina, O.Ya. Leshchenko, E.S. Shaul’skaya
Scientific Center of family health and human reproduction problems, Siberian branch of Russian academy of medical sciences, Irkutsk, Russia, lsuturina@mail.ru

Objective: to study serum prolactin changes in hyperprolactinemic women using combined oral contraceptives.

Design & methods: prospective, non-randomized observational study in parallel groups, performed in 145 hyperprolactinemic women (aged 26,3±1,4 years, with baseline serum prolactin level: 734,64 ± 43,5 mIU/l), who were devided into 8 groups depended on oral contraceptive type: 20 mcg of ethinylestradiol (EE) and 150 mcg of desogestrel (1st group, n=20); 20 mcg of EE and 75 mcg of gestoden (2nd group, n=30); 30 mcg of EE and 150 mcg of desogestrel (3d group, n=19); 30 mcg of EE and 75 mcg of gestoden (4th group, n=16); 30 мcg of EE and 2 mg of dienogest (5th group, n=13); 30 мcg of EE and 3 mg of drosperinone (6th group, n=32); 30 mcg of EE and 2 mg of chlormadinone acetate (7th group, n=7) and 35 mcg of EE and 2mg of cyproterone acetate (8th group, n=8). Women of all groups had similar hormonal and age characteristics at baseline (all p>0,05). Prolactin was measured at baseline, 3d, 6th and 12th months of COC using. The data obtained were analized by non-parametric statistical tests, the results are presented by mean average value and standard deviation.

Results: During COC intake non-significant increase of serum prolactin was registered in 22% of all women, without any differences depended on COC type. It was shown that in women of the 1st, 2nd and 6th group prolactin means were significantly lower after 3 months of COC intake in comparison with baseline, without any changes after the 6th and 12th months; in women of the 3d group prolactin level was decreased, but only after 6 months of COC intake; in the 4th group of women decrease of prolactin level was shown after 3 months of COC intake, and after 6 months the majority of women became normoprolactinemic. No any differences of prolactin means were shown in women of the 5th , 7th and 8th groups during COC intake, but it should be taken into account that number of women in the 7th and 8th groups was limited.

Conclusion: COC intake did not cause significant prolactin raise in women with non-tumor moderate hyperprolactinemia. Moreover, It was shown that prolactin levels even decreases after 3 month of COC intake in groups of hyperprolactinemic women used COC contained 20 mcg of EE+150 mcg of desogestrel / 75 mcg of gestoden or 30 мcg of EE+75 mcg of gestoden /3 mg of drosperinone, and after 6 month – in case of intake 30 mcg of EE+150 mcg of desogestrel contaned COCs