Frontiers in Reproductive Health | New and Recent Articles

BackgroundLeiomyomas are benign smooth muscle tumors that most commonly arise in the uterus but may occasionally occur in extra-uterine locations, including the vulva. Vulvar leiomyomas, especially those originating from the Bartholin gland, are uncommon and often misdiagnosed as Bartholin's cysts or abscesses, leading to diagnostic challenges.Case presentationWe report the case of a 44-year-old …

BackgroundMenarche is a key developmental milestone for adolescent girls, yet in many Muslim-majority rural settings it occurs within strong norms of modesty and silence. Although prior research has identified gaps in menstrual knowledge and hygiene, limited evidence explains how Islamic modesty norms and mother–daughter communication jointly influence menstrual readiness during the early transit…

BackgroundDespite national policies promoting adolescent- and youth-friendly health services, implementation gaps hinder improvements in adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes in Mozambique. S-NICE is a structured, participatory decision-support intervention designed to strengthen delivery through routine data use, multisectoral coordination, and local action planning. This study eval…

BackgroundA better understanding of the response of granulosa cells to exogenous hormone stimulation and how this impacts the complex interplay between the granulosa cells and the oocyte is crucial for the optimal management of infertile couples seeking IVF treatment.MethodsGranulosa and cumulus cells (G + CCs) from women with different degrees of ovarian responsiveness to controlled ovarian hype…

BackgroundLittle is known about female sex worker (FSW) experiences with menstruation and its impact on their economic livelihood and health. To support a future intervention aimed at improving menstrual hygiene management (MHM) for FSW, this study sought to explore FSW's views of MHM, its impact on work, and related practices during client engagement.MethodsThis qualitative study conducted seven…

BackgroundBlood transfusion is a cornerstone of modern healthcare, particularly in maternal and pediatric care. However, it continues to carry a residual risk of transmitting transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs), especially human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Quantifying this residual risk is critical for optimizing transfusion safety, …

This case report details the clinical journey of a 37-year-old woman, gravida 6 para 6 + 1, who presented with persistent purulent discharge from her cesarean section scar following an elective cesarean delivery. Her obstetric history included two uncomplicated vaginal deliveries and four cesarean sections, with significant complications in the previous pregnancies, including gestational diabetes…

BackgroundPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a prevalent metabolic and reproductive disorder, significantly impacts women of reproductive age. The conventional approach offers various symptomatic pharmacological interventions for PCOS, but some of them have adverse effects too. In this context, yoga has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological complementary approach.AimThis systematic review aim…

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights are fundamental to individual well-being and development. Yet, significant global gaps in access to SRH information and services threaten the lives and health of millions of individuals and their families. Protecting the health of vulnerable populations in conflict zones is a critical public health priority. There is a significant lack of evidence o…

BackgroundKhaya senegalensis is a tree species that has traditional use for the alleviation of menstrual and hormonal symptoms in women. Moreover, supplementation with a Khaya senegalensis preparation (Khapregesic®) was associated with significant and rapid improvements in menstrual pain, mood, sleep, and fatigue in women with menstrual distress over 28 days. The present study aimed to assess the…

ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe the pregnancy outcomes in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SjD) and identify risk factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) in a prospective single center study.MethodsWe described the outcomes of 114 pregnant women who fulfilled the established criteria for SjD and analyzed the risk factors for adverse outcomes using multiple factors logistic reg…

BackgroundPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex multisystem disorder affecting 6%–13% of reproductive-aged women, characterized by hormonal and metabolic dysregulation. Driven by hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance, it contributes to reproductive and cardiometabolic complications. Current management remains largely symptom-focused, often limiting long-term effectiveness and comprehens…

Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) refers to the reproductive measures that address the issues like infertility, low sperm count, unable to conceive and help the couples to achieve pregnancy. Various Assisted Reproductive techniques like in-vitro Fertilization, Intrauterine Insemination are used to treat patients with infertility. This paper studies the demographic profile of women in view of…

BackgroundReproductive tract infections (RTIs) including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), endogenous and iatrogenic infections, are a major health concern globally, particularly among young females in developing nations. If untreated, they can lead to infertility, increased HIV susceptibility, and cervical cancer. This study examines prevalence of self-reported RTI symptoms, reproductive h…

BackgroundEndometriosis is a common gynecologic condition in which pelvic MRI plays an important role in diagnosis and preoperative assessment. AI-enabled automated uterus segmentation on pelvic MRI could support endometriosis care by enabling standardized volumetric measurements and quantitative imaging analyses. However, developing robust AI models for this task is challenging because endometri…

IntroductionThis study compared the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic cervical cerclage (LAC) and transvaginal cervical cerclage (TVC) in treating cervical insufficiency (CI) patients after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis for intrauterine adhesions (IUA).MethodsA total of 170 eligible patients (66 in the LAC group, 104 in the TVC group) admitted from Jan 2018 to Jan 2024 were retrospectively analyzed,…

IntroductionAs in much of sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent boys constitute a large and increasing share of Ethiopia's population. Masculinity norms, social, and structural factors intertwine to negatively impact boys' and men's health. What, where, and how boys learn about body changes during early adolescence is an important foundation for health over the life course. However, little evidence exis…

BackgroundAbortion laws are widely debated, yet little is known about how abortion knowledge relates to reproductive autonomy among university students. This study assessed Austrian students' abortion knowledge, attitudes, and reproductive autonomy, and examined factors associated with liberal vs. conservative positions.MethodsA cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2023 among students i…

BackgroundFertility intentions in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) are shaped by complex interactions between biological and psychosocial factors. However, predictive tools that integrate these dimensions remain underdeveloped.ObjectiveThis study aimed to construct and validate interpretable machine learning (ML) models to predict fertility intentions among reproductive-age patients with CD, an…