scholarly journals Characteristics of reproductive health of women in their generative age

2011 ◽  
Vol 139 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 44-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Snezana Miljkovic ◽  
Dragoljub Djokic ◽  
Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic ◽  
Dejan Mitrasinovic ◽  
Gordana Grbic ◽  
...  

Introduction. Any research of reproductive health has to encompass the relevant connotations of this complex term. In order to establish relevant multidimensional characteristics, it is necessary to assess intercorrelations of the characteristics most commonly used to describe it. Objective. Our aim was to describe the characteristics of reproductive health and to establish their significance in describing this term. Methods. Within the study of health of adult inhabitants of Serbia, on the sample of 2,817 women aged 20-49 years, the data on different reproductive health characteristics were collected by way of a structured questionnaire. By way of factorial analysis (principal components method, Kaisser Varimax criterion), representative characteristics (factors) were selected out of a large number of characteristics, describing reproductive health of women in a multidimensional way, interrelationships of the factors were explained, and carriers - the most important individual characteristics - were selected for further analysis. Results. The characteristics of female reproductive health in Serbia are poor, both from the health policy standpoint and in comparison with other countries. Reproductive health describes 7 relevant factors and their carriers (characteristics which best reflect the variability of characteristics involved in a factor). These involve sexual behaviour (self-assessed HIV infection risk), contraception (use of contraceptive devices on one?s own initiative), adequate protection of reproductive health (usage of gynaecological services even when healthy), abortions (pregnancy outcome), HIV control (HIV testing usage), postpartal protection (visits of field nurses after being discharged from maternity ward) and reproductive period (doctor visits after being discharged from maternity ward). Conclusion. All the characteristics of reproductive health used in various studies are not equally important in the description of this complex phenomenon. Factorial analysis can explain intercorrelations of the studied characteristics and make possible the selection of those most representative.

2022 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 174550652110705
Author(s):  
Britton Gibson ◽  
Emily Hoff ◽  
Alissa Haas ◽  
Zoe M Adams ◽  
Carolina R Price ◽  
...  

Objectives: Women with substance use disorders have high unmet needs for HIV prevention and drug treatment and face challenges accessing care for other unique health issues, including their sexual and reproductive health. Methods: We did a cross-sectional evaluation of sexual and reproductive health behaviors and outcomes among women with substance use disorders, who were enrolled in one of two concurrent clinical trials of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention. Descriptive analyses and bivariate logistic regression were used to assess factors driving contraceptive use, and other essential sexual and reproductive health services utilization and outcomes. Results: Among 226 women, 173 (76.5%) were of reproductive age. Most women had histories of unintended pregnancy (79.2%) or miscarriage (45.1%) and high HIV risk behaviors (53.5%). Most (61%) participants did not use any form of contraception at the time of assessment, although few (15%) reported pregnancy intentions. In bivariate models, ongoing criminal justice involvement was associated with 2.22 higher odds of not using contraception (95% confidence interval = 1.09–4.53; p = 0.03) and hazardous drinking was protective against not using contraception (odds ratio = 0.33, 95% confidence interval = 0.13–0.81; p = 0.02). Contraception use was not significantly associated with any other individual characteristics or need factors. Conclusions: This is the first study that identifies the unmet sexual and reproductive health needs of women with substance use disorders who are engaging with pre-exposure prophylaxis. We found that women accessed some health services but not in a way that holistically addresses the full scope of their needs. Integrated sexual and reproductive care should align women’s expressed sexual and reproductive health intentions with their behaviors and outcomes, by addressing social determinants of health.


2010 ◽  
Vol 138 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 737-745
Author(s):  
Snezana Miljkovic ◽  
Dragoljub Djokic ◽  
Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic ◽  
Gordana Grbic ◽  
Dejan Mitrasinovic ◽  
...  

Introduction. Reproductive health of women is determined by females? demographic and socio-economic characteristics, their behavior, and the complex of environmental factors. Objective. The paper examines the predictive impact of personal and environmental characteristics, health and healthcare characteristics regarding the most important aspects of reproductive health. Methods From a sample of 2,718 women, aged 20-49 years, we collected information on various characteristics using a structured questionnaire. Based on factorial analysis (principal components method, Kaisser Varimax criterion) we selected representative variables (factors), describing personal (demographic and socio-economic) characteristics of women, their environment (family, household, community), health (attitudes towards health, life-style, health status), healthcare (independent) and the characteristics of reproductive health (dependent variables). The predictors were analyzed by multiple regression and correlation. Results. Sexual behavior was determined by socio-economic status, personal tidiness, rest, presence of risk factor(s), health evaluation and attitude toward personal responsibility, trust in physicians etc. The predictors of contraception involved satisfaction with one?s own health, serious health problems, health evaluation. The presence and number of abortions were determined by personal psychological maturity, rest, risk factors, life-style, health evaluation and its manifestations, and the continuity and timely healthcare. The predictors of adequate protection of reproductive health involved the cultural level of the community, financial standing of the household, satisfaction with one?s own life, tidiness and rest, presence of risk factors, health evaluation, attitude towards personal responsibility, and trust in physicians. HIV control was determined by satisfaction with one?s own life, physical activity of women, presence of serious health problems, and the content of primary healthcare. Postpartal protection was determined by the cultural level of the community, reasons for dissatisfaction with one?s own life, presence of risk factors and deficiencies, and timely contraception. The predictors of reproductive period duration are availability of health care in a community and personal tidiness of women. Conclusion. The study confirmed predictive impact of most of the studied characteristics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-114
Author(s):  
O.V. Burlaka ◽  
V.O. Vahnier

The aim of the study is to define awareness level and use of different contraception methods by servicewomen in the current armed conflict in the East of Ukraine. Between October 2018 and September 2019, 507 military women serving in the Joint Forces Operation Zone in eastern Ukraine and 100 civilian women from the frontline region participated in the questionnaire-based survey. The survey was focused on the knowledge and use of different methods of contraception and STI preventing by military women in conditions of armed conflict in Donbas. Servicewomen reported using of different methods of contraception in 48.3±4.3% of the cases, which is 1.5 times less than civilian women (RR=1.5; 95% CI: 1.2 – 1.7, p=0.001). Among those who reported using contraception, hormonal methods were chosen by 8.2±3.4% of active duty military women, which is two times less than by civilians (RR=2.1, 95% CI: 1.1-4.1, p=0.03). The low use of effective methods of contraception by active-duty servicewomen according to results survey is one of the reasons for the disruption of female reproductive health during military deployment. The primary reserve of preserving women's health in the current war environment,besides access to modern contraceptives and counseling, is improving the education of military medics in the gender-specific issues of reproductive health and contraception.


2008 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edila Arnaud Ferreira Moura

This work presents the results of a study about the reproductive behavior of riverine women living in the Sustainable Development Reserve Amanã, in the Middle Solimões region, state of Amazonas. The study was done in 2001 with the objective of identify aspects of the reproductive behavior of 83 women, collected through reproductive history methodology. These women live in small localities along the rivers and lakes in the middle of the Amazonian forest. The study identified that these women initialize their reproductive period at the age of 17, in average, and the mean age of their last pregnancy occurs at the age of 42, considering those above 50 years old. 36% of these 83 women had lost one or more of their children before the age of five. Only 16% use contraceptives and 12% are sterilized. They don’t have access to the basic health assistance in a regular basis and the local midwives are extremely important in their assistance during pregnancy and delivery. This study em phasizes the importance of reproductive health programs including those social and cultural local conditions.


Author(s):  
Annia A. Martínez-Peña ◽  
Kendrick Lee ◽  
James J. Petrik ◽  
Daniel B. Hardy ◽  
Alison C. Holloway

Abstract With the legalization of marijuana (Cannabis sativa) and increasing use during pregnancy, it is important to understand its impact on exposed offspring. Specifically, the effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis, on fetal ovarian development and long-term reproductive health are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of prenatal exposure to Δ9-THC on ovarian health in adult rat offspring. At 6 months of age, Δ9-THC-exposed offspring had accelerated folliculogenesis with apparent follicular development arrest, but no persistent effects on circulating steroid levels. Ovaries from Δ9-THC-exposed offspring had reduced blood vessel density in association with decreased expression of the pro-angiogenic factor VEGF and its receptor VEGFR-2, as well as an increase in the anti-angiogenic factor thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1). Collectively, these data suggest that exposure to Δ9-THC during pregnancy alters follicular dynamics during postnatal life, which may have long-lasting detrimental effects on female reproductive health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 281 ◽  
pp. 114523
Author(s):  
Kannan Maharajan ◽  
Qing Xia ◽  
Xiuying Duan ◽  
Pengfei Tu ◽  
Yun Zhang ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-132
Author(s):  
Milena Maricic ◽  
Radmila Amanovic Curuvija ◽  
Milos Stepovic

AbstractThe aim of the study is to assess the health literacy of women who are using health services within the Gynecology Obstetric Clinic “Narodni Front” in Belgrade. Testing of health literacy was conducted as a cross-sectional study in the period October-November 2012. As instruments of research the following questionnaires are used: Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults and General information questionnaire of respondents who referred to the demographic, social and economic characteristics of respondents, self-assessment of health, use of health services, health knowledge and behavior in the area of reproductive health. Inadequate health literacy level is registered in every ten respondents. The education level of the respondents proved to be a significant predictor of health literacy. Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the patients (age, occupation, marital status) as well as self-evaluation of the health status were not significantly related to the health literacy. Health literacy respondents did not significantly dependent on risk behaviors related to reproductive health. The level of health literacy is consistent with the knowledge of subjects in the field of protection of reproductive health. Health literacy as the ability to function within the health care system is equally certain by individual characteristics and skills, characteristics of the health and education systems as well as a wide range of social and cultural factors. Health literacy is more systematic than individual problem, so it requires a broader social action.


Author(s):  
Renu Yadav ◽  
Soni Kapil ◽  
Anil Bhardwaj

As per Ayurveda Vandhyatva occurs due to the vitiation of Vata Dosha which affects basic four constituents of Garbha sthapana. In modern science Infertility is described as an inability to conceive despite unprotected sex for duration of one year or more and PCOS is a major causative factor behind it. PCOS results in deterioration of female reproductive health which leads to infertility. In Ayurveda Samhithas, vast range of treatment methods are described. The basic aim in Ayurveda is to correct Ritu, Kshetra, Ambu and Beeja, the four basic factors for infertility by Shamana and Shodhan Chikitsa. Panchkarma provides best efficacy because it helps in balancing Doshas and Dushyas. Uttarbasti is also indicated for infertility which helps in detoxification of reproductive tract and balancing Vata Dosha, finally helps in retaining Garbha. In this case report importance of Sodhan Chikitsa before Shaman Chikitsa in case of infertility is emphasized.


Curationis ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard M. Rasesemola ◽  
Tendani S. Ramukumba ◽  
Majapi Masala-Chokwe ◽  
Zerish Z. Nkosi

Background: Gender roles influence men’s attitudes towards reproductive health, and society might assume that reproductive health issues, fertility and family planning are women’s responsibilities. Moreover, literature shows that men have insufficient knowledge about reproductive health matters and some misconceptions about modern contraceptive practices.Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe reproductive health knowledge of men in Mankweng District and was conducted in 2015.Methods: A descriptive research study was conducted by using quantitative approach. Data were collected by means of questionnaires. Cluster random multistage sampling was used to select villages in Mankweng District and convenient sampling was used to identify participants who met the inclusion criteria to participate on the study.Results: A total of 200 questionnaires were distributed and returned; 197 (98.5%) of the returned questionnaires were eligible for analysis. The findings indicated that the majority of participants, 74% (n = 145), considered their partners to be unclean during menstruation, and 84.77% (n = 167) of participants did not know how to perform self-testicular examination. More than half of the participants, 55.83% (n = 67), were not in favour of vasectomy and had strong opinions about it; some of those who reportedly knew what a vasectomy involves had some misconceptions.Conclusion: The findings showed that despite participants’ reported knowledge about some reproductive health matters their perceptions were unfavourable towards them. Despite men’s sufficient knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and ways to protect themselves against STIs men had limited knowledge about other male and female reproductive health matters.


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