Reproductive Health最新文献

{"title":"Facilitators and barriers to the implementation of maternal and perinatal death surveillance and response in Ethiopia: a systematic review.","authors":"Mohammed Yuya, Abera Kenay Tura, Cato Smulders, Bronte Johnston, Jan Schoones, Marian Knight, Thomas van den Akker","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02115-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02115-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Ethiopia was one of the pioneer countries to implement the World Health Organization's Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response (MPDSR) system to accelerate the reduction in maternal and perinatal mortality. However, there has been no systematic evaluation of its implementation in Ethiopia and that's why we conducted this systematic review.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic review was conducted to synthesize the evidence on coverage, facilitators or barriers to MPDSR implementation in Ethiopia. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PubMed Central, and Google Scholar using relevant key terms. In addition, Ethiopian Public Health Institute websites searched for additional data. Articles published before 2013 excluded from this review. The methodological quality of the studies assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute's quality appraisal tool. For quantitative studies, descriptive analysis conducted; thematic synthesis used for qualitative studies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From twenty studies included, 12 only reported maternal death reviews while eight included maternal and perinatal death reviews. During the reporting period, the coverage of maternal and perinatal deaths remained less than 22.1% and 12.1% of the expected deaths respectively. Reported facilitators were community involvement, sufficient capacity building, and supportive supervision. Reported barriers were lack of conducive learning environment, fear of blame and litigation, lack of financial resources, high staff turnover, and defensive attitudes and practices.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite all efforts, the uptake of MPDSR has been low. Addressing identified barriers and utilizing identified facilitators essential for optimising MPDSR implementation in Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Registration: </strong>PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42022315199.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"151"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12374315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966691","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":"Fertility awareness in 97,414 women trying to conceive: gaps, misconceptions, and implications for reproductive education.","authors":"Esther Wainwright, Zoya Ali, Lucinda Lawrie, Natalie Getreu, Helen C O'Neill","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02079-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02079-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Fertility rates in the UK are at an all-time low, with infertility affecting approximately 1 in 7 couples. Despite the rising demand for fertility services, fertility awareness, specifically knowledge of ovulation and the fertile window, remains low among women of reproductive age. Most existing studies offer a broad perspective, lacking focus on women actively trying to conceive (TTC). This study aims to assess the level of understanding surrounding the fertile window among women TTC, identifying factors associated with knowledge gaps.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of 97,414 women actively TTC who answered an online health assessment was conducted. Participants provided information on menstrual cycle characteristics, previous pregnancies, and fertility knowledge, including the timing of the fertile window. Frequencies, percentages were calculated and chi-squared tests performed to assess differences in categorical data. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) to better understand factors significantly associated with not knowing the fertile window.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of the total respondents (97,414), over a third (33,756, 41%) could not accurately identify the fertile window, with substantial misconceptions observed across all age groups and ethnicities. Women with previous pregnancies were more likely to correctly identify the fertile window (OR = 1.45, 97.5% CI: 1.20-1.75, p < 0.001). However, knowledge was significantly lower among those with irregular cycles, non-White ethnicities, younger age groups and longer time TTC. Additionally, misconceptions about cycle regularity were apparent, of 60,322 women describing their cycles as regular 10% did not know their cycle length (66,95) and a further 2.9% fell outside of the clinically regular 21-35 day range. These misconceptions followed a similar trend with younger age groups, non-white ethnicities and longer time TTC having significantly increased rates of misidentifying regular cycles. This further increased the odds of not knowing their fertile window (OR = 2.99, 97.5% CI: 2.83-3.17, p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings reveal gaps in fertility awareness among women actively TTC. Addressing these knowledge gaps through targeted educational interventions could potentially reduce time-to-pregnancy and the reliance on assisted reproductive technologies. Improved fertility education focusing on cycle tracking and ovulation timing is essential to assist women with accurate information during their TTC journey.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"152"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12374389/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966744","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":"Determinants of health facility choice for delivery among women participating in group antenatal care in Machakos county, kenya: A cross-sectional survey.","authors":"Jefferson Mwaisaka, Pooja Sripad, Melanie Olum, Patricia Owira, Samuel Mwaura, Rhoda Njeru, Daniel Muli, Faith Mutisya, Anne Hyre, Lisa Noguchi, Stephanie Suhowatsky","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02107-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02107-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Group antenatal (G-ANC) care has been introduced in Kenya and is associated with increased ANC contacts. Previous studies did not report higher likelihood of facility-based deliveries, where facility delivery rates are high (> 80%). It is unknown whether G-ANC influences women's choice of delivery facility. This study sought to understand if and how exposure to and experience of G-ANC, among other factors, influence women's decisions on which facility to deliver. Study findings can inform health system strategies including the Service Delivery Re-design.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional survey from December 2023 to January 2024 in eight health centers in Machakos County, Kenya with women who participated in G-ANC and had a facility delivery to understand women's choice of health facility for childbirth, i.e., whether they returned to the same G-ANC facility for delivery or went to another facility. The survey interviews were administered through telephone, as a nested component of a larger implementation research focused on the adoption of G-ANC.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 470 women who participated in the phone survey, 29.8% of women returned to deliver at the facility where they received G-ANC and 70.2% delivered elsewhere. Most women (84.3%) delivered in the public sector. Regression analysis models revealed two significant predictors for delivery in the same G-ANC facility: proximity to the facility (adjusted AOR 4.13, 95% CI: 2.73-6.23, p < 0.001); and positive staff attitudes (adjusted AOR 4.68, 95% CI: 2.06-10.60, p < 0.001). Two significant predictors of delivering in a different facility were being \"told/advised to give birth there during pregnancy/ANC\" (adjusted AOR 0.23, 95% CI: 0.15-0.35, p < 0.001) and high household wealth status (quintile four AOR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.09-0.91, p = 0.034; quintile five AOR 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07-0.72, p = 0.011). Intervention exposure was not significant.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most women participating in G-ANC chose to deliver in another facility. The choice of facility for childbirth was most strongly influenced by factors other than the intervention, such as proximity, positive staff attitudes, health advice, and household wealth status.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"150"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12374317/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966704","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":"\"Invisible wounds of childbirth\"; women's experiences of obstetric violence: a phenomenological qualitative study.","authors":"Esra Özer, Döndü Sevimli Güler","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02109-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-025-02109-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction and aim: </strong>Obstetric violence includes physical, verbal, emotional and sexual abuse against women during on labor process, and other negative practices such as violation of privacy, non-consensual interventions and discriminatory care. There are few studies on women's experiences of obstetric violence during on labor process. The aim of this study is to investigate the feelings, thoughts and experiences of women who reported being exposed to obstetric violence at any stage of labor.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected using a constructivist qualitative research design. The interview data were transcribed and then subjected to qualitative content analysis in accordance with Standards for Qualitative Research Reporting (SRQR) using Graneheim and Lundman's content analysis method. The qualitative research software package ATLAS.ti 9 was used for the analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study interviewed 21 women. The analysis of the interviewees' narratives revealed four distinct categories and 13 sub-categories. The four categories were obstetric violence, prevention of participation on labor process, inability to meet professional standards of care, and the woman's emotional state after obstetric violence.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study revealed that women in Turkey are exposed to obstetric violence during the the labor process and that this experience can be addressed in various dimensions. Having experienced obstetric violence, the women reported postpartum emotional reactions such as trauma, fear, anger and frustration. However, despite these negative experiences, some women expressed the joy of motherhood and the happiness and gratitude of being reunited with their baby. Better quality assurance is needed to protect the rights of women in labor and ensure a positive birth experience.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"148"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12374441/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144966600","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":"Quality matters: the role of service quality in discontinuation of long-acting reversible contraceptives in Sub-Saharan Africa; systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Tewachew Muche Liyeh, Angela Dawson, Abela Mahimbo, Andrew Hayen","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02091-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02091-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) are safe, reliable, and convenient for women in low and lower-middle-income countries with limited access to healthcare. Despite the progress in the uptake of LARCs, early discontinuation remains a significant issue. Discontinuation is an important indicator of the quality and effectiveness of family planning services; however, no reviews investigate this relationship in Africa. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of the quality of family planning services on LARC discontinuation in Sub-Saharan Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a comprehensive search using electronic databases, including EMBASE, Medline, Web of Sciences, Scopus, CINAHL, and ProQuest, which was supplemented by manually searching relevant articles. The Newcastle- Ottawa Scale (NOS) assessment tool was used for quality appraisal. The I² statistic and Cochrane Q test were used to assess the heterogeneity of the studies. The results were reported per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. To assess publication bias, funnel plots and Egger's test were employed. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall effect size.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>Twenty articles with 9,774 reproductive-aged women were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Women who did not receive family planning counselling services had 2.59 times the odds of discontinuing LARC use than those who received counselling services (POR = 2.59; 95% CI = 1.81 to 3.72). Moreover, women dissatisfied with their family planning services had 4.67 times the odds of discontinuing LARC use than those who were satisfied (POR = 4.67; 95% CI: 3.11 to 7.01).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Enhancing the quality of family planning counselling and addressing client dissatisfaction are essential strategies for reducing LARC discontinuation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Policymakers and healthcare providers should prioritise improvements in service quality by strengthening counselling services and promoting a more client-centred approach to enhance client satisfaction. Given the persistent issue of FP discontinuation in the region, these findings underscore that further research using robust, quality measures and a longitudinal or interventional design is needed to understand causal relationships and guide service improvements.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"147"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12355795/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144856139","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":"Ottawa nutritional guide intervention for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial protocol.","authors":"Sana Nazmi, Fereshteh Behmanesh, Hossein-Ali Nikbakht, Seddigheh Esmaeilzadeh","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02097-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02097-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nausea and vomiting are frequent complaints during pregnancy, which can be accompanied by marital discord and sexual dissatisfaction, in addition to the hospitalization of pregnant women. Given the potential side effects of pharmaceutical treatments on both the mother and fetus, many women prefer non-pharmacological interventions. This study will assess the impact of an educational program based on the Ottawa Nutritional Guide on symptoms in pregnant women and explore sexual satisfaction as a secondary outcome.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this randomized controlled clinical trial, a total of 60 pregnant women aged between 15 and 45 years, who scored 3-16 on the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting and Retching (RINVR), will be selected via convenience sampling. They will be then divided into two intervention and control groups through block randomization. Data will be collected using a demographic and obstetric checklist, the RINVR, and the Hudson's Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS). The intervention group will be received training on the Ottawa Nutritional Guide in two 60-min sessions, conducted in groups of two to five people. The control group, on the other hand, received routine care. The collected data will be analyzed using SPSS Version 22.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Several studies have reported the effectiveness of the Ottawa Nutritional Guide in managing nausea and vomiting in pregnant women, as well as its positive impact on their quality of life and marital satisfaction. However, further research is required to validate these findings before considering it as a potential alternative to pharmaceutical methods during pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20180218038783N5, registered 03/09/2023).</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"146"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12341109/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144822409","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":"\"Sexuality education is a double edge-sword…\": a qualitative study on perceptions of school teachers on sexual and reproductive health of adolescent girls in Eastern India.","authors":"G Alekhya, Aravinda Chinnadurai, Susmita Dora, Sithun Kumar Patro, Dinesh Prasad Sahu, Mohanasundaram Mourougan","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02098-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02098-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>India has the world's largest adolescent population, and adolescent girls, in particular, face distinct and pressing challenges related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Given that the majority of adolescent girls attend school, with teachers closely monitoring and interacting with them, the present study aimed to explore the current landscape of adolescent girls' SRH through the perception of schoolteachers in Eastern India.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach by conducting twelve in-depth interviews among principals and teachers of eight secondary girls' high schools in Odisha state, India. School teachers were interviewed about SRH awareness and issues faced by adolescent girls, the existing SRH curriculum, and various service provisions on SRH. The in-depth interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated to English, and independently coded by two researchers. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was done by using MAXQDA software to identify and interpret emergent themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four thematic areas and fourteen sub-themes emerged from the transcript. The findings underscore a unanimous agreement among teachers on the need for comprehensive SRH education. Key insights include adolescent girls' poor SRH knowledge, particularly in menstrual health, curriculum inadequacies, inadequate parental and community involvement, existing myths and taboos such as restricting menstruating girls from attending schools during exams, poor awareness and access to SRH services, and misuse of digital media.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In the current Indian setting, the approach to adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) falls short. The study advocates for integrating comprehensive SRH education into the school curriculum, enhancing teacher training, generating awareness on existing ASRH services, and involving the community and parents in confronting cultural barriers. Additionally, leveraging technology and establishing monitoring frameworks are crucial for effective implementation and sustained impact on ASRH.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"145"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12341063/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144822396","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 motivations for using traditional and faith-based birth attendants in urban South-West Nigeria.","authors":"Christiana A Alex-Ojei, Lorretta F C Ntoimo, Sunday A Adedini","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02078-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02078-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nigerian women's continued use of alternative healthcare providers for maternal healthcare is a cause of concern, especially in urban areas, where modern healthcare facilities are ubiquitous. The study objectives were to examine the characteristics of women using alternative healthcare providers, as well as investigate their motivations for using these providers' services. The qualitative study design was used to examine the motives behind the use of alternative healthcare providers for maternal healthcare purposes by urban women in two states in South West Nigeria, and clients' characteristics. In each state, data were collected from twenty clients of traditional and faith-based birth attendants using in-depth interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis with NVivo software. Majority of the clients had secondary and higher education, were 25 +, were Christian, married and had at least one child previously. The motivations for use were the human angle to service delivery by these providers, affordable cost, and a generally favourable perception of the facilities and the services they provide. It is recommended that there should be greater collaboration with and monitoring of alternative healthcare providers' activities by the State Ministries of Health, as well as training health workers to be more humane in their service delivery.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"144"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12335797/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144812240","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":"Disruption and recovery of family planning, contraception and other sexual and reproductive health services in Brazil with COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods approach.","authors":"Luis Bahamondes, Jose G Cecatti, Aline Munezero, Rachel E Soeiro, Karayna G Fernandes, Samira M Haddad, Silvana Ferreira Bento, Karla S Padua, Vilma Zotareli, Charles M Charles, Montas Laporte, Caron Kim, Vanessa Brizuela, Moazzam Ali","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02088-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02088-w","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 Suppl 3","pages":"143"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12333048/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144804647","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":"Intimate partner violence, reproductive health outcomes, and responsiveness among women living with disabilities in Southern Ethiopia: a qualitative study.","authors":"Lielt Gebreselassie Gebrekirstos","doi":"10.1186/s12978-025-02101-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12978-025-02101-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health concern that disproportionately affects women with disabilities. While studies have identified factors associated with IPV, there is limited documentation on its impact among women with disabilities in Ethiopia. This gap hinders the development of targeted interventions. This study aimed to explore the impact of IPV on women with disabilities, focusing on the intersection of gender, disability, and reproductive health outcomes, as well as the responsiveness of services in Southern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based ethnographic qualitative study was conducted from January to September 2024 in Southern Ethiopia. Participants were selected using purposive sampling with a snowball approach and included women aged 16 years and older. Data were collected through twelve in-depth interviews from women with disabilities who had experienced IPV, as well as five key informant interviews with professionals who had direct engagement with issues related to IPV and disability. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted using Open Code software version 4.2.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All participants reported experiencing multiple and intersecting forms of IPV, often occurring over extended periods and involving emotional, physical, sexual, and disability-targeted abuse. Six main themes emerged: (1) history of multiple forms of violence by intimate partners (2), triggers of IPV, including societal stigma, perceived helplessness, and the intersection of gender and disability (3), disability-targeted violence (4), maternal and reproductive health consequences, such as self-managed abortion, miscarriage, malnutrition, preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, and low birth weight (5), lack of legal responsiveness, including weak law enforcement and inadequate protection for victims, and (6) accessibility and responsiveness of maternal, reproductive health, and IPV-related services.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Women with disabilities in Southern Ethiopia face compounded risks of IPV, driven by stigma, gender inequality, and limited legal protection. IPV during pregnancy poses serious health risks for both mother and child. Inadequate access to sexual and reproductive health services further increases their vulnerability. Strengthening legal frameworks, improving service access, and training providers to recognize all forms of IPV are vital steps toward safeguarding their rights and well-being.</p>","PeriodicalId":20899,"journal":{"name":"Reproductive Health","volume":"22 1","pages":"142"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12333197/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144799990","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}