Ferdinand Okwaro, Abdu Mohiddin, Marleen Temmerman
{"title":"The psychosocial impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures on frontline staff providing sexual health and family planning services in Kenya: a mixed-methods study.","authors":"Ferdinand Okwaro, Abdu Mohiddin, Marleen Temmerman","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02089-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02089-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The recognition of the unintended impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures to the availability of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services led to the initiation of mitigation and health systems support mechanisms within public health facilities by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Kenya to maintain pre-Covid-19 levels of SRH service provision. These recovery mechanisms however concentrated on policy and infrastructural elements of service provision with limited attention given to the psychosocial impacts of COVID-19 on health care workers (HCWs). This paper examines the psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on front line family planning (FP) and sexually transmitted infections (STI) management HCWs and their coping mechanisms with a view to suggesting ways in which HCWs can be supported during future pandemics.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>This paper employs a mixed methods approach with quantitative methodology analyzing data on the preparedness of the health sector to maintain service provision levels and qualitative data examining the mental and psychosocial states of HCWs who provide FP and STI health care services within Kenyan public health facilities.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our main finding was that the psychosocial wellbeing of HCWs was majorly neglected in the government response mechanisms for the pandemic leading to burnout and depression, as well as HCWs absconding their duties in the initial stages of the pandemic, and avoidance of testing and disclosure of status as the pandemic progressed. Some of these mechanisms undermined the mitigation measures by the government and put patients and colleagues at risk of infection by HCWs whose COVID-19 status remained unknown.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We recommend that future responses include mechanisms that address the psychosocial wellbeing of HCWs as a core element of the response for effective management of pandemics. In the case of new and unprecedented pandemics such as COVID-19, it is important that HCWs are provided with accurate and timely information about the pandemic as well as to what is expected of their conduct in service delivery and in the promotion of a culture of risk reduction.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 Suppl 3","pages":"160"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12433001/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145055592","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}
Rita Kabra, Komal Preet Allagh, Tanimola Makanjuola Akande, Ester Elisaria, Beena Joshi, Adesola Olumide, Mary Ramesh, Donat Shamba, Deepti Tandon, Ranjan Prusty, Bhavya Mk, Shabana Khan, James Kiarie
{"title":"Access to contraceptive services during the COVID-19 pandemic: clients' perspective at primary health care level from India, Nigeria and Tanzania.","authors":"Rita Kabra, Komal Preet Allagh, Tanimola Makanjuola Akande, Ester Elisaria, Beena Joshi, Adesola Olumide, Mary Ramesh, Donat Shamba, Deepti Tandon, Ranjan Prusty, Bhavya Mk, Shabana Khan, James Kiarie","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02123-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02123-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the provision of sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptive and family planning (FP) services. The World Health Organization conducted a multi-country study in India, Nigeria and Tanzania to assess the impact of the pandemic on the health system's capacity to provide contraceptive and FP services. In this paper, we share the results of a qualitative study aimed at understanding clients' perspectives at the primary healthcare level on accessing contraceptive services in COVID-19-affected areas in the three aforementioned countries.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted interviews with 644 clients seeking contraceptive services across 11, 6 and 33 primary health facilities in India, Nigeria and Tanzania. A total of 44 focus group discussions (FGDs) and 128 in-depth interviews were conducted with clients at the facility and 22 FGDs within the community. Data collection took place from May 2022 to August 2022. Ethical approval was obtained from the WHO Ethics Review Committee and national regulatory bodies. All interviews were analysed using the general approach of content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Clients at primary health care facilities faced several challenges in accessing contraceptive services. These challenges were grouped into two main categories. The first was related to the unprepared health system (supply), such as a shortage of health workers, stock out of contraceptives or high cost of FP services. The second category was outside the remit of the health system and included insufficient knowledge amongst clients about the availability of FP services, socio-cultural issues like spousal and in-laws' dominance on decision making, restriction in movement due to lockdown and fear of COVID-19 infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights the obstacles clients faced in accessing contraceptives during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, India, and Tanzania. To address these barriers in future crises, ministries of health must establish functional emergency preparedness across all healthcare levels. These plans should prioritize both on the sufficient number/gender of skilled health providers and the availability of contraceptives till the last mile. Utilizing e-health can help keep communities well informed on where, how and when to avail FP services during such emergencies. Health educational programs should actively engage men to gain further support.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 Suppl 3","pages":"159"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416067/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145016133","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}
Sara Ajjour, Marlene Chakhtoura, Anwar Nassar, Mariam Assaad, Maya Rahme, Cyrus Cooper, Nicholas Harvey, Nawal Tfaily, Taghried Diab, Rihab Al-Tayeh, Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan
{"title":"Vitamin D insufficiency in pregnant women from Lebanon: prevalence and key predictors.","authors":"Sara Ajjour, Marlene Chakhtoura, Anwar Nassar, Mariam Assaad, Maya Rahme, Cyrus Cooper, Nicholas Harvey, Nawal Tfaily, Taghried Diab, Rihab Al-Tayeh, Ghada El-Hajj Fuleihan","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02028-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02028-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Suboptimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) during pregnancy can have adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant females in Lebanon and to identify its risk factors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a cross-sectional study involving pregnant females identified during their first-early second trimester visit to obstetricians in two centers in Beirut. We collected blood samples, anthropometric measurements and lifestyle data. We measured maternal serum 25OHD and used the data to explore possible determinants of deficiency.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We tested 25OHD levels of 548 females; 270 from American University of Beirut Medical Center and 278 from Bahman hospital. Mean age was 29 ± 5 years and 41.5% were nulliparous. Mean serum 25OHD was 15.4ng/ml and 72.3% had levels < 20 ng/ml. Levels were significantly lower at Bahman hospital, 12.9ng/ml versus 18.1ng/ml at American University of Beirut Medical Center, p-value 0.001. The risk of having 25OHD < 20ng/ml was significantly higher in females from Bahman hospital, those who were veiled, those who smoked and had higher pre-pregnancy body mass index, with a trend for significance for early pregnancy body mass index. This risk decreased for older females, those with higher education, employed females, and those screened during summer/fall. Multivariable logistic regression showed that veiling and younger age were significant risk factors for 25OHD < 20 ng/ml.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in pregnant females from two centers in Beirut. Our findings emphasize the importance of proper screening and supplementation of vitamin D to ensure adequacy throughout pregnancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"158"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12406351/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144993280","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}
Andrea García-Egea, Georgina Pujolar-Díaz, Astrid Boe Hüttel, Anna Sofie Holst, Constanza Jacques-Aviñó, Laura Medina-Perucha
{"title":"Mapping the health outcomes of menstrual inequity: a comprehensive scoping review.","authors":"Andrea García-Egea, Georgina Pujolar-Díaz, Astrid Boe Hüttel, Anna Sofie Holst, Constanza Jacques-Aviñó, Laura Medina-Perucha","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02103-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02103-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Menstrual inequity refers to the systematic and avoidable differences experienced by women and people who menstruate, based on having a menstrual cycle and menstruating. Given the paucity of prior research examining the impact of menstrual inequity on health, a scoping review was conducted to explore and map out the menstrual inequities and their association with health outcomes in women and people who menstruate within the published academic literature.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>Two searches were conducted in May 2022 and March 2024 in PubMed and Scopus. Academic literature published until December 2023 was included. Following the screening process, 74 articles published between 1990 and 2023 were included in the review. Results were then synthesised through narrative analysis and organised into nine categories.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A range of both physical and emotional health outcomes were documented to be associated with menstrual inequity. Urinary tract infection, reproductive tract infection, and other genital discomforts (e.g. itching) were linked to certain menstrual discomforts (e.g. dysmenorrhea) as well as a lack of access to menstrual products, menstrual management facilities and/or menstrual information. The emotional health outcomes, especially anxiety, distress and depression, were salient and were shown to be related to menstrual stigma, the lack of menstrual information and the limited access to menstrual-related healthcare.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The majority of the included studies were focused on menstrual management, being one of the most addressed themes concerning menstruation, and the health outcomes were mainly reproductive tract infection and emotional/mental health. Expanding the range of health outcomes studied will strengthen research and inform policy. Further research is needed to better understand the complex association between menstrual inequities and other potential health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"156"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12406439/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966660","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}
Beimnet Desalegn Kedida, Sudhakar Morankar, Tsegaye G Haile, Abraham Tamirat Gizaw
{"title":"Married women's modern contraceptive method selection in Wolaita, South Ethiopia: a modified grounded theory exploration.","authors":"Beimnet Desalegn Kedida, Sudhakar Morankar, Tsegaye G Haile, Abraham Tamirat Gizaw","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02110-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02110-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Once women decide to use modern contraception, choosing among available methods becomes a decision that is fundamentally their right. While the World Health Organization (WHO) and Ethiopia's Ministry of Health promote long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods due to their significant health and economic benefits, short-acting injectables remain the most widely used method, accounting for use by over 50% of contraceptive users in Ethiopia. This persistent divergence highlights a crucial gap in understanding the factors that truly influence women's individual method selection. Comprehending these factors is essential to support informed and empowered contraceptive choices, improve reproductive health outcomes, and advance progress towards increasing LARC uptake.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To develop a comprehensive theoretical understanding of how married women select among modern contraceptive options in Wolaita, South Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study used a grounded theory to collect and analyze data from 43 participants. The participants were recruited purposively and theoretically, included married women using modern contraception and healthcare workers. Data collection involved four focus group discussions (FGDs) with 35 participants and eight individual interviews with healthcare workers. The collected data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's mode of analysis, specifically employing the constant comparative method. The analysis process included open, axial, and selective coding to explore and categorize the data. ATLAS.ti-7 software was used to guide data analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A theoretical model revealed that 'finding an appropriate method for mentality' is the core process driving married women's selection of modern contraceptive options. This process is primarily influenced by their 'Desire for an effective method,' alongside various underlying concerns such as fears related to method administration and side effects. Women navigated these concerns by consulting others and observing others' experiences. Additionally, intervening factors, such as method availability and the opinions of significant others, played a crucial role in shaping their method selection. Ultimately, women chose a contraceptive method that aligned with their perspectives and met their expectations.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A comprehensive approach is needed to improve the uptake and satisfaction with modern contraceptive methods while reducing reliance on a single option. By addressing the concerns and managing the intervening conditions identified within the process of 'finding an appropriate method for mentality', informed method selection can be promoted, ultimately enhancing reproductive health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"157"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12406474/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966725","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":"Correction: Design, implementation, and evaluation of a psychosocial intervention to improve mental health in pregnant adolescents: a mixed-methods protocol.","authors":"Setareh Yousefi, Simin Montazeri, Nahid Javadifar, Saeed Ghanbari","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02133-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02133-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"155"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12399008/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966672","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}
Lidan Xu, Tingting Guo, Fangfang Chen, Ya Ma, Yuying Yan
{"title":"E-health literacy and influencing factors of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer patients: a latent profile analysis.","authors":"Lidan Xu, Tingting Guo, Fangfang Chen, Ya Ma, Yuying Yan","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02113-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02113-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>E-health literacy is critical to driving healthy behaviors in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) patients. However, the underlying subgroups of e-health literacy in IVF-ET patients and their influencing factors are unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>From July 2023 to January 2024, 1200 participants were recruited from a women's and children's hospital, using a convenience sampling method. The participants completed the E-health Literacy Scale, the General Self-efficacy Scale and the General Demographic Information Questionnaire. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) with Mplus 8.0 identified potential e-health literacy categories in IVF-ET patients. Group differences were analyzed using chi-square tests or one-way ANOVA in SPSS 25.0. Multiple logistic regression (SPSS 25.0) explored factors associated with e-health literacy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 1074 valid questionnaires were included. Three potential categories were revealed, namely \"low e-health literacy group\" (N = 455, 42.4%), \"medium e-health literacy group\" (N = 505, 47.0%), and \"high e-health literacy group\" (N = 114, 10.6%). Multivariate logistic regression showed that interest in electronic health information search (β = 1.882, P = 0.005, OR = 6.565, 95% CI: 1.741-24.748), attitude toward electronic health information (β = 3.088, P < 0.001, OR = 21.929, 95% CI: 4.599-104.555), lack of access to electronic health information (β = -3.376, P = 0.002, OR = 0.034, 95% CI: 0.004-0.298), and self-efficacy (β = 0.341, P < 0.001, OR = 1.406, 95% CI: 1.332-1.484) were significant predictors of higher e-health literacy in IVF-ET patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The e-health literacy level among IVF-ET patients requires further enhancement. This can be achieved by fostering patients' interest and positive attitudes toward seeking e-health information and strengthening their self-efficacy. Such strategies not only elevate e-health literacy but also enhance patients' capacity to utilize e-health services effectively, ultimately contributing to improved reproductive health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"153"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12398056/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966667","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}
Jiajia Wang, Yiting Ge, Jingbo Xu, Lin He, Chunjiang Liu, Yuefei Wang
{"title":"Association of female reproductive factor with risk of arthritis: a population-based cross-sectional study.","authors":"Jiajia Wang, Yiting Ge, Jingbo Xu, Lin He, Chunjiang Liu, Yuefei Wang","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02095-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02095-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The purpose of the present study was to examine the association of female reproductive factor, including age at first birth (AFB), age at last birth (ALB), number of pregnancies, and live births with prevalence of arthritis in the female population of the American.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present study analyzed cross-sectional data from a sample of females of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) years 1999 through 2018. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we used weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis, restricted cubic spline (RCS) model, and subgroup analysis to evaluate the association of AFB, ALB, number of live births, and pregnancies with prevalence of arthritis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 15,842 female individuals were included in our analysis. The RCS showed that the U-shaped were found between AFB, and number of pregnancies with prevalence of arthritis. The above U-shaped correlation was also found for AFB and osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and other arthritis, for ALB and OA. Among, number of pregnancies and OA, and RA were associated in a J-shape. However, ALB, and number of live births is negatively correlated with prevalence of arthritis. In addition, the association of ALB with OA, and other type arthritis, number of pregnancies with other arthritis, number of live births with RA, and other type arthritis showed linear negative correlation. In contrast, a positive linear correlation existed between number of live births and RA.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides evidence that women with younger or later AFB have higher odds of arthritis (OA and RA) in later life. When screening for arthritis and devising preventive strategies, reproductive factors need to be taken into consideration.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"149"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12374423/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966666","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}