scholarly journals Contraceptive practices of women in Northern Tshwane, Gauteng Province

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
T M M Maja ◽  
V J Ehlers
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Full Text ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Unintended Pregnancies ◽  
The Republic

Despite the availability of free contraceptives in the Republic of South Africa (RSA), unwanted and unintended pregnancies continue to pose challenges to reproductive health services. Opsomming Alhoewel voorbehoedmiddels vrylik beskikbaar is in die Republiek van Suid-Afrika (RSA), bied ongewenste en onbeplande swangerskappe steeds uitdagings aan voortplantingsgesondheidsdienste. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

scholarly journals Adolescent mothers’ utilisation of reproductive health services in the Gauteng province of the republic of South Africa

Curationis ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
VJ Ehlers ◽  
T Maja ◽  
E Sellers ◽  
M Gololo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Adolescent Mothers ◽  
Termination Of Pregnancy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Emergency Contraceptive ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Health Organization

A financial grant was received from the World Health Organization (WHO) during 1998 to establish whether adolescent mothers (aged 19 or younger at the birth of their babies) utilized contraceptive, emergency contraceptive and termination of pregnancy (TOP) services in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). This report refers to data obtained from 111 questionnaires completed by dolescent mothers between January 2000 and May 2000 in the Gauteng Province; 61 in the Pretoria and 50 in the Garankuwa areas, and excluding the 12 completed questionnaires used foi pretesting the research instrument. The biographic data of the 111 adolescent mothers indicated that the minority were married, employed or earned sufficient income to care for themselves and their babies. However, the minority used contraceptives prior to conception, none used emergency contraceptives or termination of pregnancy (TOP) services. The minority attended ante-natal clinics five or more times during their pregnancies, and a negligible number indicated that they had ever been treated for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). These findings indicate that the 111 adolescent mothers in Gauteng who participated in this survey did not make optimum use of the available reproductive health (RH) care services. Education about sex, pregnancy and contraceptives should commence at the age of 10, but no later than the age of 12 as the majority of respondents did not have the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about their futures. The accessibility of contraceptive, emergency contraceptive and TOP services for adolescents should be investigated in specific areas and attempts made to enhance such accessi- bility. This might necessitate offering these services over weeker| ds or during evenings when school girls could attend without fear of meeting their mothers, aunts or teachers at these clinics.

scholarly journals Reproductive intentions and choices among HIV-infected individuals in Cape Town, South Africa: Lessons for reproductive policy and service provision from a qualitative study

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Cape Town ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Reproductive Intentions

While many HIV-infected individuals do not wish to have children, others want children despite their infected status. The desire and intent to have children among HIV-infected individuals may increase because of improved quality of life and survival following commencement of antiretroviral treatment. In developing countries such as South Africa, where the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide reside, specific government reproductive health policy and service provision for HIV-infected individuals is underdeveloped. This policy brief presents findings from a qualitative study that explored HIV-infected individuals’ reproductive intentions, decision-making, and need for reproductive health services. The study also assessed the opinions of health-service providers, policymakers, and influential figures within nongovernmental organizations who are likely to play important roles in the shaping and delivery of reproductive health services. Conducted at two health centers in the Cape Town metropolitan area in South Africa from May 2004 to January 2005, the study focused on issues that impact reproductive choice and decision-making and identified critical policy, health service, and research-related matters to be addressed.

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