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MMWR
Synopsis for November 29, 2002

The MMWR is embargoed until 12 Noon ET, Wednesday, 11/27/02.

  1. Hepatic Toxicity Possibly Associated with Kava-Containing Products — United States, Germany, and Switzerland, 1999–2002
  2. Invasive Cervical Cancer Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Women — United States, 1992–1999
  3. Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication — Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, January 2001–October 2002
  4. West Nile Virus Activity -- United States, November 21-26, 2002

MMWR Surveillance Summary
November 29, 2002/Vol. 51/SS-9

Abortion Surveillance — United States, 1999
CDC began abortion surveillance in 1969 to document the number and characteristics of women obtaining legal induced abortions and to monitor unintended pregnancy. This report summarizes and describes data reported to CDC regarding legal induced abortions obtained in the United States in 1999.

Contact: Division of Media Relations
CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 639–4386


Synopsis for November 29, 2002

Hepatic Toxicity Possibly Associated with Kava-Containing Products — United States, Germany, and Switzerland, 1999–2002

Dietary supplements containing kava have been associated with reports of liver damage leading to organ transplantation.

PRESS CONTACT:
Press Office

Food and Drug Administration
(301) 436–2235

 
Consumers and health care providers should be aware of the potential risk for hepatic toxicity associated with the use of kava containing products, particularly those persons who have pre-existing liver disease or are at risk for liver disease. Healthcare professionals in Germany, Switzerland and the United States have reported the occurrence of severe liver toxicity and subsequent organ transplantation possibly associated with the consumption of products containing the dietary supplement kava. Two cases have been reported in the United States.

 

Invasive Cervical Cancer Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Women — United States, 1992–1999

Hispanic women and women 50 years of age or older are disproportionately affected by invasive cervical cancer.

PRESS CONTACT:
Sidibe Kassim, MD, MPH

CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion
(770) 488–3254

 
The CDC analyzed data on new cases of cervical cancer among Hispanic and non-Hispanic women diagnosed during 1992-1999 in 11 geographic areas covered by the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Analyses indicate that despite an overall decrease in the rate of new cases of invasive cervical cancer, rates for Hispanic women are about twice as high as those for non-Hispanic women. Study results also indicate that women 50 years of age or older are more likely to be diagnosed with an advanced stage of disease, whether or not of Hispanic origin. Hispanic women in the United States may under-utilize screening services for cervical cancer.

 

Progress Toward Poliomyelitis Eradication — Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, January 2001–October 2002

Since the World Health Assembly resolved in May 1988 to eradicate poliomyelitis, the estimated number of polio cases globally has declined >99%.

PRESS CONTACT:
Victor Caceres, MD

CDC, National Immunization Program
(404) 639–1867
 
The number of countries in which polio was estimated to be endemic decreased from 125 in 1988 to 10 in 2001, and three World Health Organization (WHO) regions (American, European, and Western Pacific) comprising approximately 55% of the world’s population have been certified polio-free. Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan have achieved their lowest levels of poliovirus circulation since the initiative to eradicate polio began and are approaching interruption of transmission. The last reported wild poliovirus positive cases in Ethiopia and Sudan occurred during January and April 2001, respectively. During 2002, three cases of type 3 wild poliovirus have been identified in Somalia (most recently in October), all of these cases in the Mogadishu area. This report describes intensified polio eradication activities in these countries during January 2001-October 2002, and summarizes progress made thus far.

 

West Nile Virus Activity -- United States, November 21-26, 2002

PRESS CONTACT:
Division of Media Relations

CDC, Office of Communication
(404) 639-3286
 
Summary Not Available.

 

 

 


Fact Sheet
 Abortion Surveillance, 1999

  • In 1999, 861,789 legal induced abortions were reported to CDC by 48 reporting areas. This total represents a 2.5 percent decrease from the 884,273 legal induced abortions reported by these same reporting areas for 1998.

  • The abortion ratio for 1999 is the lowest reported since 1975. The ratio was 256 legal induced abortions per 1,000 live births, compared to 264 in 1998.

  • For 1997 through 1999, the abortion rate was 17 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years.

  • Most abortions were obtained by white women, unmarried women, and women under 25 years of age. As in previous years, about one-fifth of women who had abortions were 19 years old or younger. Of the women who had an abortion, 41 percent were known to have had no previous live births.

  • For 1999, 25 areas reported a total of 6,278 medical (nonsurgical) procedures. This figure reflects an increase of 28% from the 4,899 medical abortions reported by 22 reporting areas for 1998. It is not known whether the number of medical abortions reported to CDC for 1999 is representative of all reporting areas.

  • As in previous years, more than half (58 percent) of reported legal induced abortions were performed during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy; 88 percent were performed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

  • For 1998 (the most recent data available on maternal deaths), nine maternal deaths related to legal induced abortion were reported. Overall, the number of such deaths was highest before the 1980s.

  • In September 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone (RU-486) for medical (nonsurgical) abortions. The abortion surveillance report for 1999 does not identify abortions performed by this method.

  • Since 1969, CDC has documented the number and characteristics of women obtaining abortions in order to monitor unintended pregnancies and to help identify preventable causes of death associated with abortions.

  • CDC compiled data for 1999 regarding legal abortions for 48 reporting areas: 46 states, New York City, and the District of Columbia. The data are submitted voluntarily by health departments in the reporting areas. Data were not provided by Alaska, California, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma for 1998 or 1999.

  • The report includes numbers, rates and ratios of reported abortions by state of women’s residence as well as by the state in which the abortions were performed. Florida and Louisiana could not provide residence data, and Iowa provided data only on in-state residents. Arizona and Massachusetts provided data only on total number of abortions to out-of-state residents.

The full report is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr.

     

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