Reproductive Health最新文献

{"title":"Particular promotion of the intrauterine system to \"vulnerable\" adolescents: a qualitative exploration of hormonal contraceptive prescription practices.","authors":"Marita Kallesten Brønnick, Jone Ravndal Bjørnestad, Daniel Adrian Lungu, Tore Tjora","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02388-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02388-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies have suggested that the intrauterine system increases the risk of depression, particularly in adolescents. However, these studies relied on national registry data collected at a time when medical guidelines discouraged adolescent use of this contraceptive method. As a result, the adolescents who appeared in these registries represented an atypical group who had this contraceptive prescribed against medical recommendations. Consequently, unknown or unmeasured participant characteristics may have introduced confounding variables and influenced conclusions. Although prescription guidelines for intrauterine systems now include adolescents, selective prescribing may persist. If so, it could affect future studies on hormonal contraceptives, even though the decision is clinically sound. We thus aimed to explore current contraceptive prescription practices, investigating user characteristics, policies, and contextual factors that might influence prescribing the intrauterine system rather than other hormonal contraceptive products, or vice versa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted focus group interviews with 23 healthcare professionals employed at six health centers in Norway, prescribing hormonal contraceptive drugs to adolescent women. We used thematic analysis to identify factors that can influence which products are recommended and requested.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our analysis generated three themes: \"Old conceptions die hard\" describes skepticism among family doctors and mothers regarding adolescent use of the intrauterine system, \"Particular promotion of the intrauterine system to \"vulnerable\" adolescents\" outlines the practice of healthcare professionals recommending this contraceptive method to individuals identified as vulnerable, and \"What tips the scale: Pros, peeves and other people\" discusses influences on adolescents' contraceptive choice.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This exploratory study suggests that both prescription practices and personal preferences influence choice of contraceptive product, and that it is not arbitrary who has the intrauterine device inserted. Future quantitative research should incorporate the factors identified in this exploration, to minimize their confounding effects when aiming to draw causal conclusions on the effects of the intrauterine system on mental health.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13551700/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148272714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of home-based yoga exercises on quality of life among postpartum women.","authors":"Sally Abd-Elrahman Mohammed, Madiha Hassan, Zeinab Gazar, Mohamed Fayek, Doaa Mostafa Sheashaa","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02357-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02357-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The postpartum period is often accompanied by physical discomfort, emotional stress, and reduced quality of life. Yoga has gained attention as a gentle, low-cost intervention that can support physical recovery and emotional well-being after childbirth. By combining movement, breathing, and relaxation, postpartum yoga may help improve overall health and quality of life for new mothers.</p><p><strong>Aim of this study: </strong>To evaluate the effect of a home-based yoga exercise program on the quality of life among postpartum women.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>A quasi-experimental design with two groups (study and control).</p><p><strong>Sample: </strong>A purposive sampling of 300 participants was equally divided.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>This study was conducted at outpatient clinics of the obstetric and gynecological department at Mansoura University Hospital, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt.</p><p><strong>Tools of collection: </strong>Three tools were used for data collection, first tool: Structured Interviewing Questionnaire to collect data about the participant's socio-demographic data and obstetric and infant history. Second tool: Yoga exercise schedule card. This tool functioned as both a guidance and monitoring resource for the postpartum Yoga exercise. Third tool: Quality of Life Questionnaire. This standardized tool was used to assess the overall quality of life of postpartum women.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results of this study demonstrate a statistically significant difference in postpartum quality of life between the study and control groups (p < 0.001). All participants in the study group reported satisfaction across various levels, while none of the control group participants expressed satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study concluded that home-based yoga exercises had a positive effect on improving the quality of life among postpartum women. Respondents who regularly practiced yoga presented a better physical and emotional well-being in comparison to others in the control group.</p><p><strong>Recommendations: </strong>Postpartum yoga shall be merged into routine maternal healthcare to enhance their physical and emotional well-being after delivery. Accessible, home-based yoga programs with clear instructions to accommodate diverse postpartum conditions shall be developed by the Healthcare authorities. Also, training nurses and midwives on safe yoga practices to lead women and improve the effectiveness, and ensure their safety during performing this intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13264819/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148252917","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Network analysis of symptoms related to quality of life and subjective well-being during pregnancy.","authors":"Yanchi Wang, Qiuhua Cai, Xujuan Xu, Jian Gu","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02384-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02384-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pregnancy involves significant physiological, psychological, and social changes that impact a woman's quality of life and well-being. Understanding the interplay of these factors is crucial for improving prenatal care and maternal health outcomes. This study uses network analysis to explore the symptom network underlying quality of life and subjective well-being in pregnant women.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From November 2024 to February 2025, a total of 796 pregnant women were recruited from three tertiary hospitals in Nantong City. The 36-Item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) and The Chinese Resident Subjective Well-Being Scale Abbreviated Version (SWBS-CC20) were used to assess the quality of life and perceived subjective well-being of the pregnant women, respectively. Network analysis was applied to construct a symptom network, and centrality measures (including expected influence and bridge expected influence) were calculated to identify key symptoms.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The network analysis revealed that the symptoms with the highest expected influence on quality of life and subjective well-being were: SWBS3 (Motivation from goals), VT (Vitality), and SWBS11 (Friendship difficulties). The symptoms with the highest bridge expected influence were: GH (General health), SWBS6 (Physical discomfort), and MH (Mental Health). Additionally, the symptoms with the highest predictive power were VT (Vitality), SWBS3 (Motivation from goals), and MH (Mental Health).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study's findings underscore the multifaceted nature of quality of life and subjective well-being during pregnancy, revealing that both psychological factors and social aspects play crucial roles. The prominence of vitality and mental health as key predictors highlights the need for comprehensive prenatal care that goes beyond physical health to address emotional and social well-being. This insight suggests that integrating targeted interventions to support mental health, enhance social connections, and boost vitality could substantially improve the overall experience and outcomes for pregnant women.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13483531/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148239377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Scoping review of communication strategies and interventions to deliver sexual and reproductive health information among female sex workers.","authors":"Radhika Dua, Sarah Rine, Alenna Beroza, Arthur Kiconco, Faith Bobholz, Ronald Anguzu, Julia Dickson-Gomez, Charles Okoth, Resty Kyomukama Magezi, Macklean Kyomya, Kirsten Mm Beyer","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02360-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02360-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Female sex workers face a higher risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, therefore, they require access to reproductive health information. This is the first scoping literature review on communication strategies for delivering sexual and reproductive health information and services to improve health outcomes for female sex workers. The strategies analyzed consisted of information and communication technology, mobile health, community mobilization, and community engagement.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Searches were conducted in June of 2023 from the following databases: PubMed, OVID, and Web of Science. Eligibility criteria included a focus on female sex workers, sexual and reproductive health outcomes, peer-reviewed articles including experimental and observational studies, and published in English between January 2018 and June 2023. The initial search identified 333 papers of which 21 met the eligibility criteria. A data extract table was used to obtain key information from the articles which were synthesized into themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mobile health (mhealth), particularly short messaging service (SMS), can enhance public health programming but must be implemented carefully to avoid reinforcing existing socioeconomic and cultural barriers. Community engagement, empowerment, and support-through participatory design, peer education, and leadership-are essential for effective program development. Communication strategies, including interpersonal exchanges, community involvement, and information and communications technologies (ICT) use, are key to holistic public health efforts.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Further research can expand upon these findings by encompassing different sexual and reproductive outcomes and investigating possible risks associated with communication using ICTs.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13483630/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148157273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Financial burden of menstrual and menopausal symptoms: productivity loss from absenteeism and presenteeism among working-age women.","authors":"Shingo Kasahara, Rei Goto, Shu Suzuki, Haruka Sakamoto, Shohei Okamoto","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02331-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02331-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Women's participation in the workforce not only promotes equal opportunity but also contributes to strengthening the social and economic development by addressing declining labour force participation rates linked to population ageing. Women have unique sexual and reproductive health needs, which can hinder their workplace participation and advancement. Therefore, understanding those needs is vital to make a work environment gender-responsive and equitable to ensure that all women can fully engage in social and economic activities. This study aims to provide evidence on the financial burden of productivity loss related to menstruation and menopause.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To assess the financial impact of productivity loss due to menstruation- and menopause-related symptoms, we conducted an internet-based, cross-sectional survey in Japan in September 2022. The survey included 10,000 individuals with 4,950 women aged 25-59, of which we analysed 3,046 responses from those in paid work and with necessary information. Using the validated work productivity and activity impairment questionnaire, we assessed the financial burden of productivity loss, focusing on absenteeism and presenteeism, and estimated the national-level cost among working women aged 25 to 59.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results show that approximately 7.0-8.8% of working women experienced absenteeism or reduced working hours because of the symptoms. Specifically, menstruation- and menopause-related absenteeism accounted for 2-3 days off and a reduction of 2-5 working hours in the preceding three months. Additionally, 79.7% of women reported that menstrual or menopausal symptoms impacted their work productivity. Our estimate suggests that the annual financial burden of productivity loss arising from the symptoms at the national level is approximately JPY 2,296.30 billion (USD 14.65 billion), comprising JPY 323.95 billion (USD 2.07 billion) from absenteeism and JPY 1,972.35 billion (USD 12.59 billion) from presenteeism.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>This study highlights the potential of addressing menstruation- and menopause-related symptoms among working-age women in generating positive economic impacts. These findings underscore the need for workplaces to implement gender-responsive strategies that meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of women in order to ensure gender equality and women's empowerment at workplace.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13430879/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148056321","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Midwives' perspectives and care practices for pregnant adolescents: a qualitative study in Northern Malawi.","authors":"Miyuki Toda, Crystal Patil, Balwani C Mbakaya, Dorkasi L Mwakawanga, Jing Zhou, Yoko Shimpuku","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02377-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02377-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adolescent pregnancy remains a significant concern in Malawi, associated with adverse outcomes for both mothers and their infants. Despite the implementation of youth-friendly care programs, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the provision of quality, context-specific care for pregnant adolescents. Midwives, as primary healthcare providers, play a critical role in addressing these challenges. This study aimed to explore midwives' perspectives and practices concerning adolescent pregnancy care in Malawi. The findings will contribute to the development of contextually grounded, evidence-based interventions to provide quality care for this vulnerable group.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employed a descriptive qualitative design. Six focus group discussions were conducted with 38 midwives, who were purposefully recruited from three hospitals in Northern Malawi, during the period from January to February 2024. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes related to the midwives' perspectives and practices.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) perspectives and attitudes related to positive engagement, (2) care practice as holistic care, and (3) envisioning equitable opportunity to receive antenatal care (ANC). Midwives engaged empathetically with adolescents, building trust and providing individualized health education. They collaborated with families and other professionals to support pregnant adolescents. Midwives advocate youth-friendly care training, dedicated antenatal care sites, community engagement, and peer support networks. However, system inadequacies and sociocultural factors continue to be the main challenges to effective maternity care for adolescents.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest the necessity for a comprehensive, context-specific approach to the care of pregnant adolescents in Malawi, which transcends individual-level support. It is imperative to enhance collaborative care involving families, communities, and multidisciplinary professionals to address the complex needs of pregnant adolescents. Furthermore, it is crucial to strengthen midwifery training in youth-friendly care and to improve the health system infrastructure to facilitate its delivery. These initiatives are vital for improving the quality of care for adolescent pregnancies and for maternal and newborn health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13430853/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148056379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting short birth intervals in Bangladesh using stacked machine learning and SHAP explainability: evidence from BDHS 2022.","authors":"Mostakim Mia, Shanti Akter, Takyeatun Nesa Sraboni, Md Merajul Islam, Mst Tawabunnahar, Md Maniruzamman, Md Golam Hossain","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02367-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02367-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Short birth interval (SBI) is a major public health concern, associated with adverse outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal depletion. Identifying its influential predictors is essential for improving family planning and maternal health interventions. The study aimed to predict SBI and identify its influential predictors using stacked machine learning and SHAP explainability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used data, obtained from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2022. The dataset comprised 11,872 respondents, of whom 2,137 experienced SBI (18.0%). Class imbalance problem was addressed by applying class weighting during model training. Boruta and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-based methods were applied to identify the most important predictors of SBI. Subsequently, multiple machine learning models (including logistic regression, random forest, extreme gradient boosting, categorical boosting, artificial neural network, and stacking ensemble) were used to predict SBI and evaluated their model performances using accuracy, precision, sensitivity, F1-score, and the area under the curve (AUC). Finally, SHAP explainability were employed to identify the most influential predictors of SBI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The stacking ensemble model achieved the highest predictive performance compared to the individual models, with an accuracy of 65.8%, precision of 42.6%, sensitivity of 72.3%, F1-score of 53.6%, and modest AUC of approximately 0.667. The SHAP analysis showed that no educated respondents, higher parity, and do not intend to use contraceptive method were the most influential predictors of SBI.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Interventions could therefore focus on improving female education, expanding access to contraceptives, and promoting awareness of optimal birth spacing. Policymakers may incorporate SHAP explainability to support data-driven reproductive health strategies to reduce SBI in Bangladesh.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13430837/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148056317","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Women's experiences of discussing health behaviours within their maternity care: a systematic review and meta-synthesis.","authors":"Lucy Hulme, Debbie M Smith, Sarah Peters","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02368-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02368-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Health behaviours are important because they have been linked to pregnancy outcomes. During maternity care women are provided with health information, but little is known about how women experience these discussions. Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to investigate women's experiences of discussing health behaviours within their maternity care interactions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Bibliographic databases were searched to retrieve studies reporting qualitative data regarding women's experiences. Included records were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool and then thematically synthesised. A professional and public stakeholder group was consulted for feedback at multiple stages.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Women's experience from 81 records was captured within three themes. Theme 1 presents how women feel they do not know enough about health, theme 2 shows that women want to have a discussion about health, and theme 3 describes how healthcare provider communication style can impact how engaged women are in a discussion.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This suggests that healthcare providers should be engaging women in conversations where women can express motivation for change, and then together they can both contribute to shared discussions about the woman's health. Future research should focus on providing support for healthcare providers to achieve this through training and intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13430855/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148056368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors associated with time to first marriage among women in Somalia: a Weibull survival analysis.","authors":"Ahmed Abdinasir Abdulle, Mohamed Abdirahim Omar, Hana Mohamed Shidane, Abdisalam Hassan Muse","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02373-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02373-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The timing of a woman's first marriage is a critical demographic event with profound implications for health, fertility, and socio-economic development. In Somalia, where early marriage is prevalent, a nuanced understanding of its associated factors is essential for developing effective policies. This study aims to identify the factors associated with the time to first marriage among Somali women using parametric Weibull survival analysis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study utilized data from the 2020 Somali Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) for 16,428 women aged 15-49. Survival analysis was employed to model time from birth to first marriage. After evidence of non-proportionality in the Cox proportional hazards model, parametric survival models were compared, and the Weibull proportional hazards model was retained as the best-fitting hazard-based model according to the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median age at first marriage was 20 years (Interquartile Range [IQR]: 15-24). The multivariable Weibull analysis revealed that secondary (adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR] = 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.67-0.84) and higher education (aHR = 0.54; 95% CI: 0.46-0.64) and belonging to the rich wealth category (aHR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.82-0.93) were significantly associated with a lower hazard of early marriage. Conversely, illiteracy (aHR = 1.21; 95% CI: 1.13-1.29), lack of radio exposure (aHR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.07-1.25), and living in a nomadic community (aHR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.03-1.18) were associated with a higher hazard. Regional heterogeneity was observed, with women in the Bay region facing a more than three-fold higher hazard of early marriage compared to those in Awdal (aHR = 3.23; 95% CI: 2.76-3.78).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Education and household wealth are critical protective factors against early marriage in Somalia. However, the strong association with illiteracy, nomadic lifestyles, lack of media exposure, and extreme regional disparities highlights the need for tailored, context-specific interventions beyond uniform national policies. Programs should prioritize increasing girls' access to education while addressing the unique circumstances of nomadic populations and high-prevalence regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13430765/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148056402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Compliance with WHO-recommended eight+ antenatal care contacts among adolescent and young mothers in Kenya: policy implications from the 2022 Kenya demographic health survey.","authors":"Joy Flora Dushime, Muhamed Mulongo, Prince Tsekpetse, Solomon Wani, Faith Oguttu, Sam Orech, Joseph Kb Matovu","doi":"10.1186/s12978-026-02370-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-026-02370-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised antenatal care (ANC) guidelines, recommending a minimum of eight ANC contacts among pregnant women to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality. However, little is known about the compliance with this recommendation among adolescent and young mothers in Kenya. This study assessed the compliance with the WHO recommended eight + ANC contacts and associated factors among adolescent and young mothers in Kenya.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a secondary analysis of the 2022 Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS). Adolescent and young mothers aged 15-24 years who had given birth in the five years preceding the survey were included. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used to determine the prevalence and the factors associated with compliance with the WHO recommended 8 + ANC contacts. Sampling weights were applied to account for survey design.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>3,458 adolescent and young mothers were included in the study. Of these, 735 (21.3%) were aged 15-19 years and 2,723 (78.7%) were aged 20-24 years. Most of them were married 1,853 (53.6%), had secondary level of education 1,732 (50.1%), and resided in rural areas 2,320 (67.1%). The majority 2,443 (70.7%) initiated ANC contacts in the second/third trimester, while 1,015 (29.3%) began within the first trimester. Overall, only 131(3.78%) of the study population complied with the recommended 8 + ANC contacts. Mothers who initiated their ANC contacts in the 2nd or 3rd trimester had 99% less odds of being compliant with the recommended 8 + ANC contacts (AOR: 0.01; 95% CI: 0-0.03). Those who delivered in health facilities had 3.33 times the odds of complying with the 8 + ANC contacts compared to those who delivered at home or elsewhere (AOR: 3.33; 95% CI: 1.30-8.55).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Compliance with the WHO-recommended 8 + ANC contacts among adolescent and young mothers in Kenya was very low. Early ANC initiation and facility-based delivery were the key factors associated with the compliance. Tailored interventions that encourage timely ANC and promote health facility-based delivery are needed to enhance compliance among this group.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13430895/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148043445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}