Low Testosterone Seen in Men with Type 2 Diabetics Sep 11, 2008
Their lack of the hormone may have "profound" implications for their sexual and reproductive health, Dr. Paresh Dandona of the State University of New York at Buffalo and his colleagues warn. "Whatever else is happening with diabetes and heart disease ... gross sexual dysfunction and infertility could be part of the story," Dandona told Reuters Health in an interview. (MEDLINEplus)
Women 'embarrassed' to get pap smears Sep 10, 2008
Sexual reproductive health expert Kendra Sunquist said she was amazed how many women were still too embarrassed or frightened to have a pap smear despite their health being openly discussed. "You see people dying of cervical cancer and you know it's preventable and just for the sake of a moment's embarrassment," she said. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Commentary: Bush's Last-Minute Rush to Dismantle Public Protections Sep 10, 2008
Department of Health and Human Services rule which could reduce women's access to federally funded reproductive health services. OMB Watch's regulatory policy blog. (OMB Watch)
8 comments Sep 10, 2008
Feminist pressure won't let the Democrats recede from their "proudly" stated 2004 platform position that "Abortion should be safe, legal and rare." This year's platform is just as pro-abortion, but uses slightly softer words, stating that the Democrats support "a woman's ability to make her own life choices and obtain reproductive health care, including birth control" (throughout nine months and with taxpayers' money, of course). Proclaiming that "we will end the Bush administration's war on... (Human Events Online)
* Fixing the food chain Sep 9, 2008
While poverty reduction is the best way to reduce fertility rates, access to reproductive health care is critically important for helping families limit the number of children they have to the number they desire. The worlds natural resources are sufficient to produce the food needed in the foreseeable future without damaging the environment, but only if governments follow enlightened policies and science is put to work for the food system. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
'Dozens' of under-16s have STIs Sep 8, 2008
The Sandyford Initiative provides sexual and reproductive health services for people in the Glasgow area. At the clinic in Paisley, Renfrewshire, two 14-year-old girls told BBC Scotland that most of their friends were in sexual relationships. (BBC News -- UK)
Teen pregnancy brings big responsibilities Sep 7, 2008
Of the 6,020 teenage pregnancies each year in Iowa, 63 percent result in live births, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which focuses on advancing sexual and reproductive health worldwide. However, Kevin Grieme, spokesman for the Siouxland District Health Department, said Woodbury County teen birth rates are higher than most other counties in the state. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Big risks for rising number of child brides Sep 5, 2008
Another issue is that many young brides are forced to have sex before their bodies are ready, and few have access to reliable contraception and reproductive health advice. Forced sex causes skin and tissue damage that makes a female more susceptible to contracting sexually transmitted infections from her husband, the report reads. (MSNBC -- Health)
Height Linked With Prostate Cancer Risk Sep 5, 2008
Are doctors so obsessed with a woman s reproductive health that they forget to treat the whole patient. Special Section. (New York Times)
FOXSexpert: Sex Stories, From Bizarre to Bruising Sep 4, 2008
According to the Guttmacher Institute, one in four contraceptive users relies on a family planning clinic for critical reproductive health care in the U.S. Women rely on these clinics not only for birth control, but Pap smears, pelvic exams and HIV and sexually transmitted disease testing, counseling and treatment. Canada Launches Initiative to Combat HIV/AIDS. In an effort to promote safer sex and HIV testing among Canadian youth, a new initiative called One Life is aimed toward 18- to... (Fox News)
High-profile teen pregnancies in spotlight Sep 4, 2008
D., a senior research associate at the Guttmacher Institute, a think tank that focuses on sexual and reproductive health. Jones was not involved in the congressional report. (CNN)
Sciortino proud of Buffer Zone Bill Sep 4, 2008
The Buffer Zone Bill, championed in the Senate by state senators Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, and Harriette Chandler, D-Worcester, and in the House by representatives Marty Walz, D-Boston, and Carl Sciortino, D-Medford, established a fixed 35-foot buffer zone around the entrances and driveways of all reproductive health facilities in Massachusetts in order to prevent violence and harassment of patients and staff. The bill replaced an older law that had proven to be unenforceable. (Somerville Journal, MA)
NH loon counts up slightly Sep 3, 2008
Tests on eggs also have found contaminant levels that affect reproductive health in loons. The committee said shoreline development or water level changes also affect loons. (Concord Monitor)
Senegalese monks urged to support family planningThis, Senegal (PANA) - The Senegalese Health Minister and Medical Prevention, Dr. Safitou Thiam, Saturday called the monks to be more involved in the promotionof family planning, considered as the only effective way of fighting against maternal mortality. 31/08/2008 Full Text... Sep 1, 2008
She disclosed that reproductive health is a fundamental concern in the public he alth programme of the government. "If we want to achive the Objectives of the Millenium for the Development (OMD), as regards reproductive health, we must stress family planning," she emphasised. (Panapress.com)
Nigeria must move against maternal mortality, says UN Sep 1, 2008
It called on the delegation, which comprised CEDAW, Nigeria and NGO groups, to improve the availability and affordability of sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning information and services ... It urged the Nigeria delegation to assess the impact of its abortion law on the maternal mortality rate and to give consideration to its reform or modification as well as implementing awareness-raising campaigns to enhance women's knowledge of reproductive health issues. (Guardian News, Nigeria)
Potemkin Democrats Talk Defense Aug 28, 2008
It groups abortion under the heading of "reproductive health care." "The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v. Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay," it says. The word "marriage" only appears once in the platform and not about the institution itself, but in a pledge to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. (Human Events Online)
Drug May Lower Cerebral Palsy Risk Aug 28, 2008
The study's authors focused instead on moderate and severe cases most of these children will have disabilities serious enough to keep them from ever walking unassisted, says Dr. Dwight Rouse, director of the center for women's reproductive health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the study's lead author. "If we can prevent that outcome in only a few cases a year we will have done a tremendous thing," says Rouse. (Time.com)
Chemical pollutants likely culprits in rising birth defects Aug 27, 2008
The article did not discuss the growing body of scientific evidence that suggests environmental contaminants are linked to birth defects and other harmful reproductive health effects in both males and females. Story tools. (Anchorage Daily News)
Proposed Bush Regulation Jeopardizes Women's Health Aug 27, 2008
Last Thursday the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released (PDF) that could seriously undermine women s access to reproductive health services, including birth control and abortion ... But federal law has long carefully balanced protections for individual religious liberty and patients access to reproductive health care. (Feministing)
Study links preterm births, simmering infections Aug 26, 2008
Free Women's Reproductive Health Resources for Patients rs. yourtotalhealth. (Yahoo News)
Jason Lewis endorsed by Womens Rights and Reproductive Healthcare Groups Aug 26, 2008
Jason Lewis endorsed by Womens Rights and Reproductive Healthcare Groups - Winchester, MA - The Winchester Star ... Jason Lewis endorsed by Womens Rights and Reproductive Healthcare Groups ... Melody Hugo, the Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts applauded Lewis clear commitment to protecting privacy and promoting reproductive health. (Winchester Star, MA, MA)
Bush administration proposal is an attack on reproductive health Aug 25, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008 - Page updated at 12:00 AM. The Bush administration's proposed opt-out rule for health-care workers lacks respect for reproductive-health rights. (Seattle Times)
'Extended Cycle' Contraception Garners More Interest Aug 24, 2008
(SOURCES: Lee P. Shulman, M.D., professor and chief, reproductive genetics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago; Patricia Aikens Murphy, CNM, Dr.PH, FACNM, associate professor and Annette Poulson Cumming Presidential Endowed Chair in Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Utah College of Nursing, Salt Lake City; Susan Wysocki, RNC, NP, FAAN, president and CEO, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health,... (Health-Finder)
Abstinence-Only Programs Fall Short of Teens' Needs Aug 23, 2008
The study was published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. In 2007, the U.S. government provided $176 million for abstinence-only programs, but there is no federal funding for comprehensive sex education programs. (MEDLINEplus)
Teen girls having less sex, safer sex Aug 22, 2008
Mark Hanlon, a representative of Canadian Youth For Choice, a non-profit group advocating for better access to sexual and reproductive health rights and services, says a federal strategy is needed. "If you look at Canada as a whole, we don't really have one huge sexual reproductive health strategy," said Mr. Hanlon, 20. (Globe and Mail)
Bush plan would blunt state birth control law Aug 22, 2008
Similar laws exist in 25 other states, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research organization. States would lose authority. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Gov't Takes Controversial Abortion Stance Aug 22, 2008
Federal regulations that hundreds of thousands of people fear will stifle women's access to reproductive health care were proposed Thursday after months of speculation. Representatives for Planned Parenthood and MoveOn. (ABC News)
Women and sports: New achievements 2008, new horizons 2012 Aug 21, 2008
The IOC also said decades of scientific research and knowledge have managed to "get rid of many myths based on female morphology and many preconceptions arguing that sport was harmful to women's health and reproductive health in particular". Despite huge support and the establishment of the Women and Sport Commission at the IOC, some sportswomen still see room for improvement in women's participation in the Olympics. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Sports)
Impacts of regional free trade agreements on women workers Aug 21, 2008
However, adverse working conditions are reported to occur in EPZs, leading to health risks for women, including risks to reproductive health. Sexual harassment and restricted unionization in EPZs have also been documented. (Jakarta Post, Indonesia -- Editorial)
Philippine economy struggles with high birth rates Aug 19, 2008
Yet the proposed reproductive health bill will likely never see the light of day because the influential Catholic Church is staunchly opposed to artificial birth control, seeing it as a violation of its religious tenets. The church has denounced the bill as "morally unacceptable" and warned politicians, particularly senators considering running for the presidency in 2010, that their stance would be remembered. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Abused wives at HIV risk Aug 18, 2008
These findings should be a wake-up call for us, said Donta Balaiah, the deputy director at the National Institute of Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, a study collaborator. India may need to expand its HIV prevention efforts to address HIV transmission driven by sexual violence at home, Balaiah said. (Calcutta Telegraph)
Nigeria: Rising Risk in the Delta Aug 16, 2008
According to a National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey, the region has the highest incidence of sex in exchange for gifts or favours, the largest numbers of people who have sex with more than one partner in a year - and they drink more alcohol than anyone else. "Rivers State is dotted with oil and gas activities, and commercial sex workers follow the camps," said Okeh. (allAfrica.com)
High number adolescents undergoing unsafe abortion - research Aug 16, 2008
5 million adolescent women worldwide undergo unsafe abortion each year, causing danger to their reproductive health, a research by Pathfinder International (PI), an international Non-Governmental Organisation, has revealed ... Prof Fred T. Sai, Presidential Advisor on Population Issues, Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS, said over 22 per cent of pregnancies worldwide ended in abortion, with half of them being unsafe. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
HIV cases on the increase in Dormaa Aug 16, 2008
The programme, under the theme "Counselling for Decision-Making", was jointly organised by Dormaa Traditional Healers and Birth Attendants Association, a Dormaa-based NGO and the Alliance for Reproductive Health. Male and female football teams from four towns that participated competed for a trophy and were given talks on the various strains, signs and symptoms of fully-fledged AIDS, available anti-retroviral and the stigma associated with HIV affected persons. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
More U.S. Women Getting Birth Control Services Aug 15, 2008
But the number receiving reproductive health care services remains flat, survey finds ... Overall, the percentage of women receiving all sexual and reproductive health care services --including not only birth control but also such services as STD testing and Pap tests -- remained constant at 74 percent, the survey found ... She examined the 1995 and 2002 National Survey of Family Growth to detect patterns and trends in the use of sexual and reproductive health care services. (MEDLINEplus)
Opposite of sex? Aug 14, 2008
The research, published in the current issue of Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, shows that adolescents and teens often hold seemingly irreconcilable ideas about having sex, confounding the abstinence-only sex education message supported by over a billion dollars of federal funding. The finding adds to a growing body of evidence eroding confidence in abstinence-only sex education. (MSNBC -- Health)
Groups still unhappy with abortion proposal Aug 9, 2008
The National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association said it was concerned the proposed regulation would target 37 state laws. "These laws mandate the availability of EC (emergency contraception) in emergency rooms, bar pharmacies from flatly refusing to fill prescriptions and mandate coverage of contraception when other prescriptions are covered," the group said in a statement. (Scientific American)
No-nose Bicycle Saddles Improve Penile Sensation And Erectile Function In Bicycling Police Officers Aug 9, 2008
24, 2005) Steven Schrader, a prominent researcher in sexual and reproductive health, philosophized in a guest editorial of the September issue of The Journal of Sexual Medicine that it is time to move on - the. (Nov. (Science Daily)
Obituary: Doris Carson was a city pioneer in women's reproductive health Aug 9, 2008
"She was a woman who championed and pioneered so many causes related to the health and well-being of women and children, in particular all medical issues that would help with reproductive health," Parrish added. "She was deeply interested in the issue of teenage pregnancy and was so proud of The Bridge as a model for prevention of teen pregnancy and our success with the young people we serve.". (Florida Times-Union)
Developing countries prone to more non-communicable diseases Aug 8, 2008
" Mr. Kofi Owusu, Programmes Director, Joy Fm, who presented a paper on the Public Perception of Ghana's Health, called for a more effective collaboration between health professionals and their clients. He noted that the decline in quality health delivery was due to poor economic conditions, lack of infrastructure and lack of emergency services. "There are several cases of abuse by health professionals that went unreported," he noted. Professor Fred T. Sai, Presidential Advisor on Population,... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
When it comes to abstinence teens, adults aren't speaking the same language Aug 7, 2008
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Mental Health supported the study published in the current issue of the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. Co-authors of the paper are Blair Beadnell and Marilyn Hoppe, UW School of Social Work research scientists; Diane Morrison, UW professor of social work; and Mary Gillmore, director of the Arizona State University School of Social Work. (EurekAlert!)
Open Letter To Obama Aug 6, 2008
A commitment to the rights of women, including the right to choose abortion and improved access to abortion and reproductive health services. A commitment to improving conditions in urban communities and ending racial inequality, including disparities in education through reform of the No Child Left Behind Act and other measures. (CBS News)
New Male Circumcision Device For HIV Prevention Aug 5, 2008
The World Health Organization, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and other global reproductive health organizations such as EngenderHealth have recognized circumcision as an important method to reduce HIV infection. The ShangRing has been used to circumcise several thousand Chinese men since 2005. (Science Daily)
University of Ghana inaugurates committees to raise standards Aug 5, 2008
The sum is the prize money he won from the Prince Mihidol Award for International Leadership and Advocacy of gender Equity, Reproductive Health, Planning and Population. He said there were five categories of the award for best Level 200 female student in Biological Science, Mathematical Science, Earth Science, Physical Science and Agricultural science. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Male circumcision efforts lag in Africa despite evidence of dramatic impact in preventing HIV Aug 5, 2008
" ### PSI is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. that harnesses the vitality of the private sector to address the health problems of low-income and vulnerable populations in more than 60 developing countries. With programs in malaria, reproductive health, child survival and HIV, PSI promotes products, services and healthy behavior that enable low-income and vulnerable people to lead healthier lives. Products and services are sold at subsidized prices rather than given away in... (EurekAlert!)
National ire over prosecuting pregnant drug moms Aug 3, 2008
Jayasinghe's group and others including the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence say the law was not designed to apply to pregnant women and their fetuses. They also warn that the law could drive women to seek abortions or avoid prenatal care to escape prosecution, and they note that appellate courts across America have overturned convictions based on similar laws. (Rensselaer Republican, IN)
Africa: The Fate of MDGs Aug 3, 2008
For most of Africa, HIV/AIDS prevention is more of a security and peace issue, not just reproductive health. It may have started as a reproductive health issue years back but that is not where it has remained as a big problem. (allAfrica.com)
House to Consider Abortion Anesthesia Bill Aug 3, 2008
"Pro-choice Americans have always believed that women deserve access to all the information relevant to their reproductive health decisions. For some women, that includes information related to fetal anesthesia options," Nancy Keenan, NARAL's president, has said in a statement on the bill. Democratic leaders cited NARAL's position when they decided against trying to influence the vote. (Yahoo News -- Abortion Rights Debate)
Birth control: The new pollutant Aug 2, 2008
This is from Planned Parenthood: "Prominent women in the global environmental movement ... believe there are strong links between the health of the environment, the ability of women to engage and lead their communities, and their ability to exercise their inherent reproductive rights. Women have a stake in a clean environment because they are often the main providers of food and water, and their reproductive health can be adversely affected by environmental degradation.". But, Murray writes, "By... (Townhall.com)
MSF WITHDRAWS Aug 2, 2008
In Shangil Tobaya, MSF provides a complete range of medical services - in and outpatient care, nutritional programme, reproductive health, treatment for victims of sexual violence and mental health activities - for 28,000 IDPs living in two camps and other 5,000 people of the surrounding villages. This is not the first time that such incidents have occurred in the area. (AlertNet)
Compounds From Soy Affect Brain And Reproductive Development Aug 2, 2008
The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key building block for how to treat these problems ... In the study, which will be published in an upcoming issue of Neurotoxicology, the researchers exposed newborn rats to physiologically relevant doses of the phytoestrogens genistein and equol, and then looked at reproductive health markers in the rats throughout their adulthood. (Science Daily)
"Survivor" All-Stars Ready for Battle Aug 2, 2008
"There's a reasonably good chance that some of these women had twins because of in vitro fertilization," says physician Judy Albert of Reproductive Health Specialists in Pittsburgh. Why that conclusion. (Yahoo News -- Survivor)
Circumcision Clinic Has African Men Lining Up to Prevent AIDS Infection Aug 2, 2008
The in which skin covering the end of the penis is removed, may help lower infections among men of the traditionally uncircumcised Luo tribe by more than two-thirds, to 5 percent, said Bailey in a telephone interview July 14 from the Nyanza Reproductive Health Society Clinic he runs. Widespread use could 5. (Bloomberg)
Newsweek: Survive cancer, have a baby Jul 31, 2008
"The narrative of cancer is no longer that it's a death sentence; it's a bump in your medical history that you overcome and go back to what we hope is a healthy lifestyle," says Teresa Woodruff of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, who last fall received a first-of-its-kind $21 million NIH grant to develop ways of protecting cancer patients' reproductive health. Of the 125,000 people under the age of 45 who are diagnosed with cancer each year, roughly half will receive... (MSNBC -- Health)
What's not to like about the UN's new rights commissioner? Jul 31, 2008
With the right tools, including better education and more reproductive health services, women can reduce poverty and slow the spread of HIV-AIDS across the global South. But women, especially in Africa and Asia, need to know their rights and find ways to raise their status in society. (Globe and Mail)
Population Policy Needed In Order To Combat Climate Change, Experts Argue Jul 29, 2008
Family planning and reproductive health expert Professor John Guillebaud and Dr Pip Hayes, a GP from Exeter, call on UK doctors to break their silence on the links between population, family planning and climate change. They point to a calculation by the Optimum Population Trust that "each new UK birth will be responsible for 160 times more greenhouse gas emissions ; than a new birth in Ethiopia.". (Science Daily)
NEWSWEEK: Media Lead Sheet/August 4, 2008 Issue Jul 28, 2008
Last fall, Woodruff received a $21 million NIH grant to develop ways of protecting cancer patients' reproductive health. CULTURE: "A Word From Our Sponsor" (p. (PR Newswire)
HIV Prevention Expert Dr. Timothy Mastro Speaks on Future of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis at International AIDS Conference Jul 28, 2008
Other presentations at the session will include "Future Promising Microbicidal Products: What to Learn from the In Vitro Work," "ART-Containing Vaginal Microbicides in the Clinical Pipeline: A Status of the Studies," and "The Use of Oral and Topical PREP at Population Level: What Are the Issues?" Other notable FHI presentations at the International AIDS Conference include: "Meeting the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of People Living with HIV: Critical to Human Rights and Prevention" by Ms.... (PR Newswire)
US Congress sends Bush expanded global AIDS program Jul 26, 2008
Henry Waxman, also of California, applauded the compromise bill overall, but said, "The bill does not explicitly encourage the close integration of HIV programs with family planning and other reproductive health services.". FULL FUNDING URGED. (AlertNet)
Madagascar: Ambitious Family Planning Goals Jul 24, 2008
"Reaching isolated communities is the real issue," Andre Damiba, country director for Marie Stopes International (MSI), a reproductive health agency, told IRIN.. According to the government, in some parts of the country 70 percent of 16-year-old girls have already given birth to their first child. (allAfrica.com)
Children feel 'hurt' on their national day Jul 24, 2008
This is also part of our commitment to address children's problems in the country as we have ratified the UN Convention on Child Protection," the President said. Voice of Indonesian Children On Tuesday, July 22, 2008, we, the children of Indonesia, declared in the seventh National Children's Congress that we: 1. Will aspire to be creative, intelligent, qualified children and be protected from all acts of violence, exploitation, abandonment and discrimination. 2. Will need protection from the... (Jakarta Post, Indonesia)
Women and Men Urged to Seek 'Preconception Care' Jul 24, 2008
"Full implementation requires substantial support from a number of sectors and will take some time," said Samuel F. Posner, a co-author of the preconception care report and associate director for science in the CDC's Division of Reproductive Health. Part of the challenge, he conceded, is overcoming numerous barriers, including the lack of a mechanism for billing insurers and getting reimbursed. (MEDLINEplus)
East West Essentials Delivers Successful Female Fertility Kit to Hopeful Mothers Jul 22, 2008
It can help women retain reproductive health, create an environment to enhance fertility, reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy and support the growth of healthy babies. Dr. Wilson's approach combines proven Eastern and Western medical techniques to enhance a patient's reproductive health and chance for a healthy baby. (Primezone Releases)
Free delivery should not encourage couples to born more--DCE Jul 21, 2008
Madam Janet Tornui, Programme Officer in-charge of family planning at Quality Health Partners, said her NGO is a major component of reproductive health for the reduction of maternal mortality. She said spacing birth through the practicing of Family Planning would enable couples to avoid unwanted and unintended pregnancies, adding that, it also help the mother to be healthy also prevented maternal deaths. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
More sex please, we're seniors Jul 20, 2008
According to 84-year-old Mahinder Watsa, who has been a consultant on sexual and reproductive health for the past 35 years, sex among older Indians is more visible now because people talk about it openly, at least in the media. "I would say that 65 per cent of my patients are in the 50-to-80 age bracket," he says. (India Times, India)
