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Introduction:The potency of plants is largely due to the presence of phytochemicals contain in them. Plant-derived chemicals influence endocrine activities in animals and humans have received affluent attention due to their possible adverse effects or benefits, especially on sex hormones. Aim: This study is aimed at evaluating the effect of hydromethanolic leaf extract of Cnidoscolus aconitifolius on sex hormones in streptozotocin induced-diabetic wistar rats. Materials and Methods: Thirty (30) wistar rats with an average weight of 230 grams, were randomly assigned into five groups of 6 (six) animals each. Group 1: served as negative control (non-diabetic) and received normal animal chow and water ad libitum, group 2: served as positive control group and received 10 mg/kg bw of glibenclamide, groups 3, 4 and 5 served as Original Research Article

Background: BMI status is theorized to impact on the plasma glucose and lipid parameters of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hence, this study was instituted to investigate this theory among women with polycystic ovary syndrome in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Methods: Medical records of 231 women with PCOS visiting a tertiary health center over a consecutive 10-year period were retrospectively acquired and analyzed. The obtained records were age, weight, height, calculated BMI, fasting plasma glucose and lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein). The records were analyzed using Shapiro-Wilk, descriptive, chi-square, two-way analysis of variance, and Pearson's tests. A two-tailed p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Overweight and obesity was recorded among 33.3% and 45.5% of the study cohorts respectively. The obese cohorts had higher plasma levels and abnormal frequency of fasting glucose (<0.001), total cholesterol (<0.001), triglycerides (<0.001), high-density lipoprotein (<0.001) and low-density lipoprotein (<0.001) status than the normal weight and overweight cohorts. BMI correlated weakly with glucose (r=0.259; p = 0.003), inversely but weakly with high-density lipoprotein (r: -0.373 p<0.001) and weakly with triglycerides (r=0.316; p<0.001) among overweight cohorts. BMI correlated strongly with fasting glucose (r=0.578; p< 0.001), strongly with total cholesterol (r=0.840; p<0.001), moderately but inversely with high-density (r=-0.490; p=0.004), strongly with triglycerides (r=0.753; p<0.001) and strongly with low-density lipoprotein (r=0.759; p<0.001) among the obese cohorts. Conclusions: Abnormal plasma glucose and lipid parameters seem to be prevalent among obese PCOS patients. Therefore, weight reduction should be a therapeutic target during their treatment.

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Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges especially to health systems and population health. Many countries enforced border closures and implemented lockdowns which affected many sectors of the society. Increasing case load has led to many health authorities reassigning healthcare professionals and reorganizing existing health services to combat COVID-19 which may have affected routine and essential healthcare services, including family planning. Aims: This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on the access and use of family planning among clients in primary health facilities in Rivers State, Nigeria. Study Design: Cross sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: Participants were recruited from eighteen primary health centres across six Local Government Areas (district) of Rivers State. Data was collected between 7th July and 9th August 2021. Methodology: Women of reproductive age attending family planning clinic, antenatal sessions, post-natal clinic and immunizations sessions were interviewed using systematic random sampling. The questionnaire was adapted from the Research for Scalable Solution standardized questionnaire on family planning. Results: A total of 759 women were interviewed and the mean age of participants was 32.19 (SD±7.49). 44.3% (n=314) of respondents had met need of family planning before the pandemic which increased to 64.8% (n=305) post-lockdown. Also, the unmet need for family planning was higher than the State average during the lockdown. 21.0% (n=50) had an unmet need for child birth spacing while 10.5% (n=25) had an unmet need for limiting. Furthermore, 34.2% (n=26) of respondents reported unintended pregnancies. Finally, there was a family planning method shift post-pandemic to long-acting reversible contraception being preferred. Conclusion: The lockdown and restrictions had impacted the met and unmet need for family planning. Also, there was a method shift of family planning method seen. These findings can be taken into consideration in cases of future public health emergencies.