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Showing results for tags 'Sexual and reproductive health'.
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News ArticleSexual health services in England are at breaking point, according to local councils who are responsible for running the clinics. They say that soaring rates of infections are threatening to overwhelm services and the government needs to provide extra funding. Since 2017, more than two-thirds of council areas saw infection climb. The Department of Health said more than £3.5bn has been allocated to local public health services this year. The Local Government Association (LGA) - representing the councils that provide sexual health clinics - is warning that demand is soaring and services are struggling to keep up. It is calling on the government to provide extra funding, as well as to publish a long-term plan to help prevent and treat sexually transmitted infections. Nearly three-quarters of councils have seen a rise in rates of syphilis cases, and chlamydia infections are up in more than a third of areas. Many of the new cases are younger people, and involve gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, but rates have also increased in heterosexual people. Experts believe there has been a rebound effect after the restrictions connected to Covid, but infections were rising well before the pandemic hit. There has also been a greater effort to test more people and improve access to services which may have led to more cases being identified. Read full story Source: BBC News, 20 January 2024
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Content Article
Fitting coils: developing a safe and supportive service
Patient_Safety_Learning posted an article in Women's health
In this blog, Sexual and Reproductive Health Consultant, Neda Taghinejadi tells us about the coil fitting service she is part of in Oxfordshire. Neda explains how the service has integrated a number of tools, including a triage system to identify more complex cases, to help support a safe and quality service.- Posted
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Content ArticleIn this interview we talk to Trainee Clinical Psychologist, Sabrina Pilav, about her latest research project exploring negative experiences of coil/ intrauterine device (IUD) procedures. Sabrina explains how their in-depth qualitative methodology could contribute to improvements in the future and shares details of how people can participate.
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Content ArticleResearchers at the University of Hertfordshire are carrying out a study to better understand women’s negative experiences of IUD procedures. They hope this research will be used to develop new guidance for patients and professionals that reduces the risk of coil procedures being experienced as distressing. If you are aged 16+, have had a coil fitting/removal in the last 2 years in a UK health settings (GPs, sexual health clinics, gynaecologist, and any other medical setting) that you found distressing, and are able to provide a valid UK phone number (mobile or landline), then you are eligible to participate. Full details of the research and how to take part can be found via the link below or by contacting Sabrina at s.pilav@herts.ac.uk.
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Content ArticleIn this article, inews columnist Kate Lister looks at the andropause, sometimes called the 'male menopause' that can affect men in their later 40s and early 50s. A gradual decline in testosterone levels can contribute to some men developing depression, loss of sex drive, erectile dysfunction and other physical and emotional symptoms. She looks at current research and views around the issue, highlighting her own bias in initially dismissing the idea and linking this to the societal notion that 'only women are hormonal'. She highlights that although the drop in testosterone men experience is not like the sudden hormonal changes that causes the menopause, men can still experience severe symptoms that require treatment with hormone therapy. "Despite my scoffing at the idea, it turns out that the andropause is very much a real thing that can impact some men very badly. The treatment is exactly the same as it is for women struggling with menopause and perimenopause. It’s hormone replacement therapy: this time in the form of testosterone."
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- Mens health
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Content ArticleThis opinion piece is by Luke* who suffers from post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) after he was prescribed a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. Luke introduces the condition, drawing on the experiences that others have shared through PSSD communities, to highlight the devastating impact on patients. He calls for widespread recognition, improved risk communication and better support for sufferers. *Name has been changed
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- Depression
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Content ArticleSexual dysfunction is a common side effect of Serotonergic antidepressants (SA) treatment, and persists in some patients despite drug discontinuation, a condition termed post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD). The risk for PSSD is unknown but is thought to be rare and difficult to assess. This study, published in the Annals of general psychiatry, aims to estimate the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) and PSSD in males treated with SAs.
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Content ArticleA set of enduring conditions have been reported in the literature involving persistent sexual dysfunction after discontinuation of serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressants, 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors and isotretinoin. The objective of this study, published by the International Journal of Safety and Risk in Medicine, was to develop diagnostic criteria for post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) following serotonin reuptake inhibitors, post-finasteride syndrome (PFS) and post-retinoid sexual dysfunction (PRSD).
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Content ArticleWomen across England are being encouraged to help shape future reproductive health policy by sharing their experiences of a range of issues, as the government launches a new landmark survey. Delivering on a key commitment in the Women’s Health Strategy, the Women’s Reproductive Health Survey will seek women’s views across England on issues including periods, contraception, fertility, pregnancy and the menopause. Findings from the survey will then be used to better understand women’s reproductive health experiences over time. The vital information gathered about the lives and experiences of women will inform current and future government decision-making and health policy. There are currently disparities in women’s health across the country, and far too many cases where women’s voices are not being heard. Along with the strategy, the new survey will play a key part in changing this.
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- Womens health
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Content ArticleDoctors are taught from medical school about the benefits of IUDs, and often encourage patients that they are a good contraceptive option. However, recent media attention on the pain that some women suffer when having their IUDs fitted has started conversations about the need for cervical blocks and more honest counselling of women about the procedure. Rebekah Fenton, adolescent medicine fellow at Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, joins us to talk about how she counsels her patients, and why the most important thing is to make sure women are in charge of their reproductive healthcare decisions.
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News ArticleAntidepressants can cause severe, sometimes irreversible, sexual dysfunction that persists even after discontinuing the medication. Sufferers have described it as ‘chemical castration’ – a type of genital mutilation caused by antidepressants, mainly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The condition is known as post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD), a condition largely unrecognised, and the true incidence of which is unknown. David Healy, psychiatrist and founder of RxISK.org said, “I saw my first patient with PSSD in 2000, a 35-year-old lady who told me that three months after stopping treatment, she could rub a hard-bristled brush across her genitals and feel nothing.” David Healy, psychiatrist and founder of RxISK.org said, “I saw my first patient with PSSD in 2000, a 35-year-old lady who told me that three months after stopping treatment, she could rub a hard-bristled brush across her genitals and feel nothing.” Josef Witt-Doerring, psychiatrist and former FDA medical officer said, “This condition is so devastating that it will cause serious changes to your life and to those around you.” Read full story Source: Maryanne Demasi, 13 June 2023
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- Medication
- Patient suffering
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Content Article
PSSD International (Post-SSRI/SNRI Sexual Dysfunction)
Patient_Safety_Learning posted an article in Medication
PSSD International are an international alliance of people experiencing an iatrogenic (meaning caused by a medication or medical treatment) disorder known commonly as Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction or Post SSRI/SNRI Sexual Dysfunction. This potentially permanent disorder arises during or after the use of SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) and SNRI (Serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor) antidepressants. Though characterized by a reduction or removal of sexual functioning, common symptoms also include emotional blunting, cognitive dysfunction, genital numbness and sleep disruption. The causes of PSSD are poorly understood and there are no known reliable treatments. The disorder can arise from brief exposure to SSRIs or SNRIs and can persist for months, years or indefinitely. This page exists to bring together people suffering from this condition and advocate for recognition, research and greater transparency within psychiatry concerning the risks of antidepressants.- Posted
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Content ArticleOn 24 June 2022, the US Supreme Court overruled both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey and returned the question of abortion’s legality to the US. The ruling opens the door to additional State efforts to limit access to medication abortions, prevent third parties from assisting anyone seeking an abortion or punish women who end their pregnancy. This opinion piece in The New England Journal of Medicine looks at the implications of the end of Roe v. Wade beyond abortion, examining how it could affect other aspects of healthcare rights in the USA. The author, Zita Lazzarini from the Division of Public Health Law and Bioethics at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, argues that the Supreme Court's ruling opens the door for state regulation of other healthcare decisions, including those regarding contraception, end-of-life care, care for LGBTQ patients and fertility treatments. She highlights that common forms of birth control including IUDs and emergency contraception are already being targeted by some states as “abortifacients,” and raises concerns that State laws declaring that life begins at fertilization will potentially endow thousands of frozen embryos with rights, imposing impossible burdens on fertility centres and their clients.
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- Sexual and reproductive health
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Content ArticleIn this opinion piece for The Guardian, Professor Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh discusses the global threat of monkeypox—a virus that causes fever, swollen lymph nodes and distinctive rashes on the face, palms, the soles of the feet and genitalia. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the recent outbreak of monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. Professor Sridhar highlights the need to take a collaborative approach across borders to ensure the outbreak is brought under control. She outlines that the most effective strategy in preventing the virus spreading further is to protect the group most at risk from the virus—men who have sex with men (MSM)—through vaccination.
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- Vaccination
- Infection control
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Content ArticleSierra Leone has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world. The risks are even greater for teenage girls who become pregnant, with up to one in ten dying in childbirth. In this blog, Lucy November, co-founder of 2YoungLives, a mentoring project for pregnant teenagers, describes the risks faced by teenage girls in Sierra Leone and the barriers they face to accessing maternity care. She talks about how 2YoungLives is making pregnancy and birth safer for this vulnerable group through mentoring, building community and equipping young mothers to support themselves and their babies.
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Content ArticleThis report represents the views of organisations and experts who responded to the Department of Health & Social Care's call for evidence on its Women's Health Strategy. The call for evidence was released in March 2021. This report focuses on submissions received from 436 organisations and individuals with expertise in women’s health, including the charity sector (34%), academia (22%), industry (10%), clinicians (7%), professional bodies (7%), pressure groups (7%), NHS organisations (3%), parliamentary groups (2%), royal colleges (1%), local government (1%), think tanks (1%) and others (6%).
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- Womens health
- Surgery - Obs & Gynae
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Content ArticleMore and more women are coming forward to share their stories of a painful IUD procedure. In this blog for the BMJ Opinion, Stephanie O’Donohue (Content and Engagement Manager for Patient Safety Learning) argues that healthcare services need to get better at recording these experiences. The ripples of trauma caused by severe pain during IUD procedures If you have had an IUD fitted and would like to share your experience, please visit our community forum and share your views. Related reading The pain of my IUD fitting was horrific…and I’m not alone The normalisation of women’s pain Through the hysteroscope: Reflections of a gynaecologist Improving hysteroscopy safety (Patient Safety Learning, November 2020)
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Content Article
Caitlin Moran: ‘Coil fitting left me traumatised’
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Women's health
BBC Radio 5 live - In Short: Speaking to Naga Munchetty, Caitlin Moran describes her experience of having an IUD fitted that left her with long-lasting mental and physical complications. -
News Article
Statement released by the RCOG and FSRH on women's painful IUD experience
Patient-Safety-Learning posted a news article in News
A statement has been released by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and the Faculty for Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) addressing the concerns raised by women on painful IUD fittings. Dr Diana Mansour, Vice President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) and Dr Edward Morris, President at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists give a statement in support to women who have experienced pain during an IUD fitting, describing their concern and dismay at women's pain being dismissed. Dr Edward Morris calls 'on the UK government to ensure these experiences are recognised and addressed in the new Women’s Health Strategy for England'. Read full story. Source: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 22 June 2021 Related hub content: The pain of my IUD fitting was horrific…and I’m not alone- Posted
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Content ArticleThis study, published in the Journal of family planning and reproductive health care, aimed to determine the prevalence of and reasons for and against the use of local anaesthesia (LA) for IUD insertion. The results suggest that more UK health professionals need to routinely discuss pain relief and offer this to their patients prior to IUD insertion as part of the care pathway for patients who choose to use intrauterine contraception.
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Content ArticleThere have been many testimonials from patients who have experienced high levels of pain during intrauterine device (IUD) insertion. This has gained media attention and led to calls for better pain management options and informed consent processes. This study, published in Contraception, investigated if providers accurately assess pain during IUD insertion. Authors concluded that providers underestimate pain during IUD insertion.
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- Sexual and reproductive health
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Content ArticleLucy Cohen recently had a contraceptive device (IUD) fitted, during which she suffered extremely high levels of pain. Following her experience, she decided to launch a survey to understand how others had found the procedure. In this interview, Lucy shares her findings and calls for better pain management and improved consent processes, in order to reduce avoidable harm.
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Content ArticleWhile COVID-19 has worsened patient waiting times across the NHS, patients with pelvic disorders have long been an under-served population experiencing unacceptable delays in care. Pelvic floor disorders are varied and can be complex, but treatment is available. However, patients, particularly those requiring surgery, can wait years from presentation before receiving the treatment they need.
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- Medicine - Genitourinary
- Sexual and reproductive health
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Content ArticleA network of endometriosis experts from 16 Italian academic departments and teaching hospitals distributed all over the country made a critical appraisal of the available evidence and definition of 10 suggestions regarding measures to be de-implemented. Strong suggestions were made only when high-quality evidence was available. The aim was to select 10 low-value medical interventions, characterized by an unfavorable balance between potential benefits, potential harms, and costs, which should be discouraged in women with endometriosis.
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- Womens health
- Obstetrics and gynaecology/ Maternity
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Content ArticleThe All Party Parliamentary Group on Sexual and Reproductive Health (APPG SRH) opened the Inquiry into Access to Contraception in 2019, in response to reports of women being unable to access contraception in a way that meets their needs. The Inquiry's report, Women's Lives, Women's Rights: Strengthening Access to Contraception Beyond the Pandemic has now been published and looks specifically at the following key areas: Fragmented commissioning Funding Workforce Data collection Education and information Access for marginalised groups Opportunities to improve contraceptive provision.
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- Womens health
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