Interventions to Improve Reproductive Health

Authors: John Stover, Bela Ganatra, Claudia Garcia-Moreno, Karen Hardee, Susan Horton

Citation:

Abstract:

This chapter describes four areas of intervention—family planning, adolescent sexual and reproductive health, unsafe abortion, and violence against women—which involve (1) the delivery of specific health services to prevent or alleviate health risks; and (2) the complex social and cultural issues that affect the widespread implementation and use of the services. Significant progress in improving reproductive health occurred in some areas, but much remains to be done, because in spite of the advances in family planning, in 35 countries fewer than 30 percent of women of reproductive age use modern contraception. Although good options for safe abortion exist, these services remain unavailable in many countries because of legal barriers, lack of training, and stigma. More information about how to reach adolescents with effective services and how to reduce gender-based violence exist, but the major challenge remains: how to more widely implement those programs that have been proven safe, effective, and affordable.