Reproductive Health News and Research

RSS

New vaccines against HPV could save hundreds of thousands of lives if delivered effectively

The introduction of new vaccines against Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that causes cervical cancer, could have a major impact on the health of women in the developing world. More than 250 000 women died from cervical cancer in 2005 - the vast majority in developing countries.

12 Dec 2006

Reproductive health agendas hampered by global focus on HIV/AIDS programs, controversies over abortion, other issues

The global focus on HIV/AIDS initiatives and "ideological controversies" surrounding issues such as abortion have "marginalized" reproductive and sexual health in the global health agenda, according to a panel of public health experts said on Friday at a news conference on Friday, CQ HealthBeat reports.

23 Nov 2006

Overweight women more likely to have polycystic ovary syndrome

Overweight and obese Spanish women appear five times as likely as lean women to have polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that decreases fertility and contributes to other illnesses, according to an article in the October 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Oct 2006

New York State Court of Appeals upholds contraceptive coverage law

The New York State Court of Appeals on Thursday voted 6-0 to uphold rulings by the New York Supreme Court and the Appellate Division to leave intact a state law that requires employers -- including the Roman Catholic Church and other religious organizations -- who offer prescription drug plans to provide coverage for FDA-approved contraceptives for women, the New York Times reports.

22 Oct 2006

African Union adopts reproductive health rights policy

African Union health ministers meeting in Maputo, Mozambique, last week adopted a policy framework to address sexual and reproductive health and rights but did not agree on how to address the issue of unsafe abortions, resolving to allow each member state to handle the issue separately, Lilongwe's Chronicle/AllAfrica.com reports.

19 Oct 2006

HHS should ensure abstinence education material used by Federal grantees contains accurate information on condoms, STIs

The Government Accountability Office's general council office on Wednesday released a legal opinion saying that under the Public Health Service Act, HHS should ensure abstinence education material prepared and used by groups receiving federal funding includes accurate information on sexually transmitted infections and the effectiveness of condoms, CQ HealthBeat reports.

19 Oct 2006

FDA Attorneys seek dismissal of Plan B lawsuit

The Center for Reproductive Rights on Wednesday during two hearings at a U.S. District Court in New York City asked federal judges to grant a subpoena of White House documents and officials in its lawsuit against FDA over the agency's rejection of Barr Laboratories' first application for nonprescription Plan B sales, Long Island Newsday reports.

16 Oct 2006

Some Alabama abortion clinics facing difficulties finding local physicians to provide backup services

Some abortion-rights advocates in Alabama say it has become increasingly difficult for abortion clinics to find local physicians who will serve as backups for abortion providers because of fears they will be targeted and harassed by abortion-rights opponents, AP/Columbus Ledger-Enquirer reports.

20 Sep 2006

Preconception care for improving perinatal outcomes: The time to act

Continued improvements in the infant and maternal mortality rates will depend on interventions before a woman becomes pregnant, according to officials from the March of Dimes, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other experts.

19 Sep 2006

UK abortion rates rise despite easy access to morning-after pill

According to an expert in the UK, abortion rates have not been reduced by making it easier for women to get emergency contraception.

18 Sep 2006

Australia's Foreign Minister to review ban on foreign abortion services funding

Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer recently asked for a review of the government's ban on funding for abortion services in other countries, Sharman Stone, minister for workforce participation, said on Sunday, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

13 Sep 2006

Men with increased body mass index significantly more likely to be infertile

Men with increased body mass index (BMI) were significantly more likely to be infertile than normal-weight men, according to research conducted at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

4 Sep 2006

South Africa to distribute 3 million female condoms

South Africa's Department of Health last Thursday announced that it has allocated about $5 million this year to help achieve the goal of distributing three million female condoms in 2006, the SAPA/iafrica.com reports.

4 Sep 2006

All pregnant women have at least one kind of pesticide in their placenta

Human beings are directly responsible for more than 110,000 chemical substances which have been generated since the Industrial Revolution.

1 Sep 2006

Men with increased body mass index significantly more likely to be infertile

31 Aug 2006

March of Dimes urges FDA to approve Gestiva

The March of Dimes has urged Food and Drug Administration officials to promptly approve a commercial progesterone therapy that appears to prevent some premature births.

30 Aug 2006

Ortho-McNeil to lower the price of contraceptive pills and patches

Ortho-McNeil - which supplies contraceptives to the majority of family planning clinics nationwide - on Thursday announced it will lower the price of its contraceptive pills and patches, according to officials, the Chicago Tribune reports.

30 Aug 2006

Kaiser report summarizes editorials on approval of nonprescription plan B sales to women over age 18

Some editorials and opinion pieces respond to FDA's decision on Thursday to approve Barr Laboratories' application for nonprescription sales of its emergency contraceptive Plan B to women ages 18 and older.

30 Aug 2006

Treatment for STI's has a role in HIV prevention

The findings of a WHO/UNAIDS consultation presented at the XVI International AIDS Conference confirm that caring for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at the right stage of an epidemic and targeting them at key population groups can reduce HIV transmission.

16 Aug 2006

Labour induced in the morning means fewer complications

Australian researchers say pregnant women who need for one reason or another to have their labour induced are better having the induction done in the morning than in the evening.

2 Aug 2006