Safe abortion information hotlines: An effective strategy for increasing women’s access to safe abortions in Latin America
This paper describes the implementation of five Safe Abortion Information Hotlines (SAIH), a strategy developed by feminist collectives in a growing number of countries where abortion is legally restricted and unsafe. These hotlines have a range of goals and take different forms, but they all offer information by telephone to women about how to terminate a pregnancy using misoprostol. The paper is based on a qualitative study carried out in 2012-2014 of the structure, goals and experiences of hotlines in five Latin American countries: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Raquel Irene Drovetta Tags: Feature Source Type: research
Speaking of sex workers: How suppression of research has distorted the United States' domestic HIV response
Sex workers remain a vulnerable population at risk for HIV acquisition and transmission. Research suggests that interventions at the individual level, such as condom distribution, are less effective in preventing HIV among sex workers than structural changes such as allowing safer work settings and reducing the harassment and abuse of sex workers by clients and police. In the US, HIV incidence has not declined in the last decade. This may be due in part to its policy of wilful ignorance about sex work, but the data to resolve the question simply do not exist. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Anna Forbes Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Sexual and reproductive health and rights and mHealth in policy and practice in South Africa
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunity and innovation to improve public health and health systems.This paper explores the intersections between mHealth and sexual and reproductive health and rights in both policy and practice. It is a qualitative study, informed by policy review and key informant interviews. Three case studies provide evidence of what is happening on the ground in relation to ICTs and reproductive health and rights. We argue that in terms of policy, there is little overlap between health rights and communication technology. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Linda Waldman, Marion Stevens Tags: Orginal Article Source Type: research
Reasons for routine episiotomy: A mixed-methods study in a large maternity hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
First documented in 1741, the practice of episiotomy substantially increased worldwide during the 20th century. However, research shows that episiotomy is not effective in reducing severe perineal trauma and may be harmful. Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted a study in 2013–14 on why obstetricians and midwives in a large maternity hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, still do routine episiotomies. The study included the extent of the practice, based on medical records; a retrospective analysis of the delivery notes of a random sample of 365 patients; and 22 in-depth interviews with obstetricians, midwives and rece...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Clémence Schantz, Kruy Leang Sim, Ek Meng Ly, Hubert Barennes, So Sudaroth, Sophie Goyet Tags: FEATURE Source Type: research
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High-Level Task Force for ICPD, February 2015 (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: No Author Tags: Bookshelf Source Type: research
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Report of the Secretary General (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: No Author Tags: Bookshelf Source Type: research
Statement on the 48th Session of the UN Commission on Population and Development, 27 April 2015
At the end of two weeks of thought-provoking and intense discussions, the Commission on Population and Development (CPD) concluded on April 17, 2015 without a resolution. On the final day, the chair produced a well-balanced text reflective of the various positions staked by governments, but to everyone’s surprise, this text was suddenly withdrawn by the chair only two hours after being distributed to delegates, without the chance for governments to engage in the normal fine-tuning that is routine at CPD negotiations. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
WHO Statement on caesarean section rates
10 April 2015 (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: World Health Organization Human Reproduction Programme Tags: Statement Source Type: research
Knowledge, evidence, practice and power
Reflecting the vision and mission of Reproductive Health Matters, the current issue on knowledge, evidence, practice and power comes at a time when we are reviewing RHM’s role as a broker of knowledge. We aim to build on its success and further explore the organisation’s potential to engage in international dialogue on sexual and reproductive health and rights research, policy and practices, promoting evidence- and rights-based responses. Thus, it is timely to take the opportunity that this theme provides to reflect on the importance of knowledge creation, how we can promote the generation of relevant and robust eviden...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 28, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Shirin Heidari Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
Farewell, but not goodbye!!
The November 2014 RHM journal was my last as RHM’s editor, and I’ve stayed on this year to support Shirin Heidari as the new editor during a transition period. My best wishes go with her! (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 24, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Marge Berer Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
“If a woman has even one daughter, I refuse to perform the abortion”: Sex determination and safe abortion in India
In India, safe abortion services are sought mainly in the private sector for reasons of privacy, confidentiality, and the absence of delays and coercion to use contraception. In recent years, the declining sex ratio has received much attention, and implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act (2003) has become stringent. However, rather than targeting sex determination, many inspection visits target abortion services. This has led to many private medical practitioners facing negative media publicity, defamation and criminal charges. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 24, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Pritam Potdar, Alka Barua, Suchitra Dalvie, Anand Pawar Tags: Feature Source Type: research
Fertility-related research needs among women at the margins
Fertility-related research encompasses fertility intentions, preconception care, research amongst pregnant women, and post-partum outcomes of mothers and children. However, some women remain under-represented within this domain of study. Women frequently missing within fertility-related research include those who are already the most vulnerable to health disparities, including female sex workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender women, women living with HIV, and women who use drugs. Yet characterization of the needs of these women is important, given their unique fertility-related concerns, including risks and barri...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 24, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Sheree R Schwartz, Stefan Baral Tags: Feature Source Type: research
Historical note: How bringing women's health advocacy groups to WHO helped change the research agenda
The politics of population control and its sometimes coercive methods in developing countries documented during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, gave rise to strong opposition by women's groups, and put into question the safety of contraceptive methods that were being developed and introduced into countries. In 1991, the Special Programme on Human Reproduction at the World Health Organization, a research programme focused on development of new methods and safety assessments of existing fertility regulation methods, started a process of “dialogue” meetings between scientists and women's health advocacy groups which lasted for ne...
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 24, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Jane Cottingham Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
From Project to Program: Tupange’s Experience with Scaling Up Family Planning Interventions in Urban Kenya
This paper describes how the Urban Reproductive Health Initiative in Kenya, the Tupange Project (2010-2015), successfully applied the ExpandNet approach to sustainably scale up family planning interventions, first in Machakos and Kakamega, and subsequently also in its three core cities, Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa. This new focus meant shifting from a “project” to a “program” approach, which required paying attention to government leadership and ownership, limiting external inputs, institutionalizing interventions in existing structures and emphasizing sustainability. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 24, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Nelson Keyonzo, Paul Nyachae, Peter Kagwe, Margaret Kilonzo, Feddis Mumba, Kenneth Owino, George Kichamu, Bartilol Kigen, Peter Fajans, Laura Ghiron, Ruth Simmons Tags: Orginal Article Source Type: research
From unwanted pregnancy to safe abortion: Sharing information about abortion in Asia through animation
Although unsafe abortion continues to be a leading cause of maternal mortality in many countries in Asia, the right to safe abortion remains highly stigmatized across the region. The Asia Safe Abortion Partnership, a regional network advocating for safe abortion, produced an animated short film entitled From Unwanted Pregnancy to Safe Abortion to show in conferences, schools and meetings in order to share knowledge about the barriers to safe abortion in Asia and to facilitate conversations on the right to safe abortion. (Source: Reproductive Health Matters)
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - July 24, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Authors: Shweta Krishnan, Suchitra Dalvie Tags: FILM Source Type: research
