Q: CAN you tell me more about the new female condom and its rate of success in preventing pregnancy and protection against AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases? Dr Rose writes: The female condom consists of an 18-centimetre long plastic bag with rings at each end. A flexible ring holds the closed, inner end of the bag in place so that it surrounds the cervix. The outer open end is held in place by a larger ring. The condom is inserted behind the pubic bone by hand.
Clinical trials from the United States indicate that one size fits 97 per cent of all women. However, some researchers have found that the female condom may not fit Asian women as well.
The female condom's effectiveness in preventing pregnancy is rated at about 85 per cent, roughly the same as the diaphragm.
Like the male condom, it provides good protection against venereal and other sexually transmitted diseases such as hepatitis B and AIDS. It is now available in Hong Kong. Q: There are always pictures in the newspaper of starving children in Africa. What diseases do they suffer from and why do they have skinny limbs but big bellies? Dr Rose writes: The children in the pictures are likely suffering from one of two forms of severe malnutrition, kwashiorkor and marasmus.
Poverty, an inadequate food supply, lack of knowledge about what constitutes a nutritious diet and cultural taboos against certain foods are all contributing factors.
Kwashiorkor comes from the Ghanaian word meaning ''a disease that is suffered by children who are displaced from the breast''. These children are suddenly weaned from the breast and placed on a diet that is low in nutrients, calories and protein, at a time when their nutrient needs are high.