Fertility Preferences, Contraceptive Use, and the Unmet Need for Contraception in Papua New Guinea: Key Findings From 1996 to 2016.

Expanding access to reliable contraception is a global priority in the fight to lower maternal morbidity and mortality. Papua New Guinea (PNG) continues to face significant challenges in enhancing contraceptive services for women. PNG Demographic Health Survey (DHS) has been undertaken every 10 years since 1996 and describes the major trends in crude birth rates, fertility rates and preferences, contraceptive use, and the unmet needs for contraception. The latest survey in 2016 means that there are now 20 years of data available. Between 1996 and 2016, modern contraceptive prevalence increased from 14% to 29% with a preference for longer acting reversible contraception, though the unmet need for contraception persisted at 32% with minimal change since 1996. Rurally dwelling women as well as those with low literacy, who make up the majority of reproductive age women in PNG, were consistently the least likely to use contraception. Expanding access to reliable contraception should therefore be prioritized for these women

Point-of-care testing and treatment of sexually transmitted and genital infections to improve birth outcomes in high-burden, low-resource settings (WANTAIM): a pragmatic cluster randomised crossover trial in Papua New Guinea.

Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, and bacterial vaginosis have been associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes, but there is conflicting evidence on the benefits of antenatal screening and treatment for these conditions. We aimed to determine the effect of antenatal point-of-care testing and immediate treatment of C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, T vaginalis, and bacterial vaginosis on preterm birth, low birthweight, and other adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes compared with current standard of care, which included symptom-based treatment without laboratory confirmation. In this pragmatic cluster randomised crossover trial, we enrolled women (aged ≥16 years) attending an antenatal clinic at 26 weeks' gestation or earlier (confirmed by obstetric ultrasound), living within approximately 1 h drive of a study clinic, and able to provide reliable contact details at ten primary health facilities and their catchment communities (clusters) in Papua New Guinea. Clusters were randomly allocated 1:1 to receive either the intervention or control (standard care) in the first phase of the trial. Following an interval (washout period) of 2-3 months at the end of the first phase, each cluster crossed over to the other group. Randomisation was stratified by province. Individual participants were informed about trial group allocation only after completing informed consent procedures. The primary outcome was a composite of preterm birth (livebirth before 37 weeks' gestation), low birthweight (<2500 g), or both, analysed according to the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN37134032, and is completed. Between July 26, 2017, and Aug 30, 2021, 4526 women were enrolled (2210 [63·3%] of 3492 women in the intervention group and 2316 [62·8%] of 3687 in the control group). Primary outcome data were available for 4297 (94·9%) newborn babies of 4526 women. The proportion of preterm birth, low birthweight, or both, in the intervention group, expressed as the mean of crude proportions across clusters, was 18·8% (SD 4·7%) compared with 17·8% in the control group (risk ratio [RR] 1·06, 95% CI 0·78-1·42; p=0·67). There were 1052 serious adverse events reported (566 in the intervention group and 486 in the control group) among 929 trial participants, and no differences by trial group. Point-of-care testing and treatment of C trachomatis, N gonorrhoeae, T vaginalis, and bacterial vaginosis did not reduce preterm birth or low birthweight compared with standard care. Within the subgroup of women with N gonorrhoeae, there was a substantial reduction in the primary outcome

The impact of tubal ectopic pregnancy in Papua New Guinea - a retrospective case review

BACKGROUND: Ectopic pregnancy (EP) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality amongst women of reproductive age. Tubal EP is well described in industrialised countries, but less is known about its impact in low-resource countries, in particular in the South Pacific Region. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective review of women with tubal EP treated at a provincial referral hospital in coastal Papua New Guinea over a period of 56 months. Demographic and clinical variables were obtained from patients’ medical records and analysed. The institutional rate of tubal EP was calculated, and diagnosis and management reviewed. Potential risk factors for tubal EP were identified, and delays contributing to increased morbidity described. RESULTS: A total of 73 women had tubal EP. The institutional rate of tubal EP over the study period was 6.3 per 1,000 deliveries. There were no maternal deaths due to EP. The mean age of women was 31.5+/−5.7 years, 85% were parous, 67% were rural dwellers and 62% had a history of sub-fertility. The most commonly used diagnostic aid was culdocentesis. One third of women had clinical evidence of shock on arrival. All women with tubal EP were managed by open salpingectomy. Tubal rupture was confirmed for 48% of patients and was more common amongst rural dwellers. Forty-three percent of women had macroscopic evidence of pelvic infection. Two-thirds of patients received blood transfusions, and post-operative recovery lasted six days on average. Late presentation, lack of clinical suspicion, and delays with receiving appropriate treatments were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Tubal EP is a common gynaecological emergency in a referral hospital in coastal PNG, and causes significant morbidity, in particular amongst women residing in rural areas. Sexually transmitted infections are likely to represent the most important risk factor for tubal EP in PNG. Interventions to reduce the morbidity due to tubal EP include the prevention, detection and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, identification and reduction of barriers to prompt presentation, increasing health workers’ awareness of ectopic pregnancy, providing pregnancy test kits to rural health centres, and strengthening hospital blood transfusion services, including facilities for autotransfusion

Safety and effectiveness of oral misoprostol for induction of labour in a resource-limited setting: a dose escalation study

Abstract Background Oral misoprostol as an induction of labour (IOL) agent is rapidly gaining popularity in resource-limited settings because it is cheap, stable at ambient temperatures, and logistically easier to administer compared to dinoprostone and oxytocin. We aim to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a regimen of oral misoprostol in Papua New Guinean women undergoing IOL. Methods As part of a prospective dose escalation study conducted at Modilon Hospital in Papua New Guinea, women with a singleton pregnancy in cephalic presentation and an unfavourable cervix who gave written informed consent were administered oral misoprostol, commencing at 25mcg once every 2 h for 4 doses and increased to 50mcg once every 2 h for 8 doses within 24 h. The primary outcomes studied were i) the proportion of women delivering within 24 h of oral misoprostol administration, and ii) rates of maternal and perinatal severe adverse events. Results Of 6167 labour ward screened admissions, 209 women (3%) fulfilled the study inclusion criteria and underwent IOL. Overall, 74% (155/209 [95% confidence interval 67.6–79.9]) delivered within 24 h. Most women (90%; 188/209; 95% CI [84.9–93.5]) delivered vaginally with 86% (180/209) having a good outcome for both the mother and baby. Of the 10% (21/209) who failed IOL and underwent caesarean section, a significant proportion of their babies were admitted to special-care nursery compared to babies delivered vaginally (20/21 [95%] versus 8/188 [4%]; Fisher Exact test P < 0.001), but their perinatal mortality rate was not significantly higher (1/21 [5%] versus 2/188 [1%]; P = 0.30). The only maternal death was not study related and occurred in a patient with post-partum haemorrhage, 15 h post-delivery. Conclusion The oral misoprostol regimen for IOL described in the present study is safe, effective and logistically feasible to administer in a resource-limited setting