Articles: disease.
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Sexuality and power relations based on gender are relevant to researchers, policymakers, and service providers in the reproductive health field, because they underlie virtually all of the behaviors and conditions that their programs address. Yet, a review of conventional treatments in the demographic and family planning literature reveals that, when they consider these topics at all, researchers typically adopt narrow definitions of sexual behavior and focus almost exclusively on risks of pregnancy and disease. This article proposes an analytic framework as a guide to researchers and family planning providers. It relates four dimensions of sexuality to reproductive health outcomes and concludes that family planning policies and programs should address a broader spectrum of sexual behaviors and meanings, consider questions of sexual enjoyment as well as risk, and confront ideologies of male entitlement that threaten women's sexual and reproductive rights and health.
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To describe the use of hormonal contraceptives in institutionalised women with psychiatric and/or intellectual disabilities. ⋯ Improvements in reproductive health care for these women are needed, in particular attention to education and client participation in decisions about contraceptive treatment. It is suggested that gynaecological and family planning services be provided separately from psychiatric services.
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Epilepsy is the most common neurological disease of females in reproductive age. Problems concerning contraception, reproduction, teratogenicity and antiepileptic therapy preceding and during pregnancy are discussed and recommendations made. We underline the advantages of a planned pregnancy with optimal adjustment of antiepileptic drug therapy and recommend prophylactic treatment with folic acid before and during, and with vitamin K towards the end of pregnancy.