Frontiers in Reproductive Health | New and Recent Articles

BackgroundObstetric fistula is a preventable childbirth injury that remains socially devastating for women in low-resource settings. Existing evidence on obstetric fistula stigma is largely derived from treatment centres and urban settings, leaving limited understanding of the lived experiences of women in underserved rural communities. This study addresses this knowledge gap by qualitatively exa…

BackgroundBreastfeeding offers significant health benefits, and guidance for women with HIV increasingly emphasizes individualized, informed infant-feeding decisions. Breastmilk antiretroviral transfer and safety data are needed to inform shared decision-making discussions across all settings.MethodsBreastmilk transfer of ritonavir (RTV)-boosted atazanavir (ATV) was evaluated in the International…

Feminine hygiene products (FHPs), including douches, washes, and deodorants, are widely marketed as tools for maintaining vaginal cleanliness and freshness despite evidence linking some products to adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Black women have historically been disproportionately targeted by FHP marketing and use certain products at higher rates, raising concerns about the int…

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the unique stress experiences and multidimensional stress dilemmas of infertile women during assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment in the Chinese cultural context.MethodsFifteen infertile women undergoing ART treatment at a tertiary hospital in Chongqing were recruited for semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Guided by descriptive phenomenology,…

IntroductionSperm cryopreservation is increasingly recognized as a key strategy for fertility preservation, particularly for male infertility patients who may benefit from assisted reproductive technology (ART). However, the optimal abstinence period for maximizing semen quality prior to cryopreservation remains unclear, and whether this optimum varies with patient age has not been systematically…

IntroductionAntiretroviral therapy (ART) has made safer childbearing achievable for people living with HIV (PLHIV), and the reproductive health counseling PLHIV receive within HIV care shapes whether they can act safely on their fertility intentions. This study explored, from the perspective of PLHIV themselves, how the reproductive counseling they reported receiving shaped their fertility decisi…

BackgroundMenstrual tracking apps are widely used, yet research on what drives sustained engagement remains limited. Most studies rely on self-reported use, with few incorporating real-time behavioural data or validated theoretical frameworks such as the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM).ObjectiveThis study examined associations between engagement with a reproductive health app offering menstrual…

Uterine fibroids are the most common benign smooth muscle neoplasm of the uterine wall and are a major indication for hysterectomy. Although common risk factors include African Ancestry, family history, obesity, and early menarche, exposure to non-essential metals is an emerging risk factor that has not been previously examined in Caribbean populations. In this cross-sectional study, a sample of …

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory gynecological condition associated with severe dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, cyclic bowel or urinary symptoms and infertility. It is also linked to psychological morbidity, reduced quality of life and lost economic productivity. In low-resource settings, diagnostic and therapeutic delays often reflect pathway failure rather than speci…

The growing burden of male hypogonadism has raised concerns regarding the potential impact of modern lifestyles and environmental exposures on male reproductive health. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is widely used for the treatment of male hypogonadism. However, prolonged TRT may suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis, resulting in reduced gonadotropin production, decr…

IntroductionCervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer affecting women worldwide, with large geographical variations in incidence and mortality rates. The objective of this study is to determine whether women's autonomy is predictive of the use of cervical cancer screening services in Senegal.MethodThis was a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study of a sample of 312 women. Da…

Ovarian aging is a complex biological process traditionally attributed to the progressive depletion of the follicular reserve. However, accumulating evidence suggests that age-related reproductive decline is not solely determined by follicular loss but also by profound alterations in the ovarian microenvironment, including stromal fibrosis, vascular dysfunction, chronic low-grade inflammation, ox…

BackgroundNuclear errors (NE) observed at the two-cell stage reflect early mitotic disturbances, but their clinical relevance for embryo implantation and live birth remains un-clear. We investigated whether nuclear status at the two-cell stage predicts pregnancy and live birth outcomes following cleavage-stage and blastocyst transfer.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 3,793 single em…

BackgroundSemen analysis is a widely accepted laboratory investigation for evaluating male infertility. However, in cases of idiopathic or unexplained male infertility, comprehensive assessment may require blood-based profiling of a reproductive hormone panel—including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), and testosterone—to clearly identify endocrine abn…

IntroductionIn 2020, Burkina Faso expanded its national user fee exemption policy to include family planning services, with the objective of reducing financial barriers and increasing uptake of modern contraceptive methods. This study assesses the national and subnational trends in modern contraceptive uptake before and after the user fee exemption policy amongst women of reproductive age (WRA) i…

BackgroundAntenatal care (ANC) in developing countries is among strategies aimed at reducing maternal mortality yet its quality and utilization are still low. Only about 60% of pregnant mothers in Uganda attend at least four ANC visits despite it being one of the strategies to curtail maternal mortality. The satisfaction of pregnant mothers with ANC services is associated with increasing their ac…

BackgroundPreconception care is an essential reproductive health intervention aimed at reducing preventable maternal and neonatal risks. Despite its significance, utilisation in low- and middle-income settings remains low. This study examined determinants of PCC utilisation among women of reproductive age in Ghana, applying Andersen's Behavioural Model.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional design …

BackgroundUpdated 2023 international evidence-based guidelines do not recommend anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) for diagnosing adolescent polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS, also newly termed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome [PMOS]) due to limited specificity. Physiological multifollicular ovaries are prevalent in teenagers, and existing studies show massive heterogeneity in participant age, BM…

BackgroundWomen with disabilities may face communication, autonomy-related, provider-level, and structural barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. Population-based evidence from low- and middle-income countries remains limited, particularly by functional domain.ObjectiveTo examine associations between disability and contraceptive knowledge, unmet need for family planning, and u…

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), including chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, and HELLP syndrome, are major contributors to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. However, epidemiological data from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of HDP in a large tertiary c…