REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

FOR

Health Science Students

Lecture Note

Feleke Worku (MD)

Samuel Gebresilassie (MD)

University of Gondar

Reproductive Health

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Learning objectives:

•To define reproductive health

•To know the historical development of RH

•Understand magnitude of RH problems

•Understand RH indicators and criteria for selection of indicators

•To understand the relationship of reproductive health and gender

•Know the targets of reproductive health

1.Definition and introduction

Reproductive health is defined as” A state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters related to the reproductive system and to its functions and process”. This definition is taken and modified from the WHO definition of health. Reproductive health

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addresses the human sexuality and reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life and implies that people are able to have “a responsible, satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.”

Men and women have the right to be informed and have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of their choice for the regulation of fertility which are not against the law, and the right of access to appropriate health care services for safe pregnancy and childbirth and provide couples with the best chance of having a healthy infant. Reproductive health is life-long, beginning even before women and men attain sexual maturity and continuing beyond a woman's child-bearing years.

1.1.Historical development of the concept

It is helpful to understand the concept and to examine its origins. During the 1960s, UNFPA established with a mandate to raise awareness about population “problems” and to assist developing countries in

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addressing them. At that time, the talk was of “standing room only”, “population booms, demographic entrapment” and scarcity of food, water and renewable resources. Concern about population growth (particularly in the developing world and among the poor) coincided with the rapid increase in availability of technologies for reducing fertility - the contraceptive pill became available during the 1960s along with the IUD and long acting hormonal methods.

In 1972, WHO established the Special Program of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP), whose mandate was focused on research into the development of new and improved methods of fertility regulation and issues of safety and efficacy of existing methods. Modern contraceptive methods were seen as reliable, independent of people’s ability to practice restraint, and more effective than withdrawal, condoms or periodic abstinence. Moreover, they held the promise of being able to prevent recourse to abortion (generally practiced in dangerous conditions) or infanticide. Population policies became widespread in developing countries during the 1970s and 1980s and were supported by UN

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agencies and a variety of NGOs of which international planned parenthood federation (IPPF) is perhaps the most well known.

The dominant paradigm argued that rapid population growth would not only hinder development, but was itself the cause of poverty and underdevelopment. Almost without exception, population policies focused on the need to restrain population growth; very little was said about other aspects of population, such as changes in population structure or in patterns of migration. Given their genesis among the social and economic elites, it is perhaps hardly surprising that the family planning programs that resulted were based on top-down hierarchical models and that their success was judged in terms of numeric goals and targets – numbers of family planning acceptors, couple-years of protection, numbers of tubal ligations performed. Donors, anxious to demonstrate that their aid money was being well-spent, encouraged such performance evaluation indicators. In the drive for efficiency and effectiveness, they supported the establishment of free-standing “vertical” family planning bodies, generally quite separate from other related government sectors such as health, often,

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indeed, set up within the office of the president or the prime minister as a mark of their importance.

The 1994 ICPD has been marked as the key event in the history of reproductive health. It followed some important occurrences that made the world to think of other ways of approach to reproductive health. What was the impetus behind the paradigm shift that Cairo represents and that has been reinforced in the recent special session of the UN General Assembly? Three elements are of particular importance.

•The first was the growing strength of the women’s movement and their criticism of the over-emphasis on the control of female fertility - and by extension, their sexuality - to the exclusion of their other needs.

•A second key development was the advent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic; suddenly it became imperative to respond to the consequences of sexual activity other than pregnancy, in particular sexually transmitted diseases. But perhaps more important, it became possible (and essential) to talk about sex, about sexual

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relations outside of marriage as well as within it, and about the sexuality of young people.

•A third development, that brought a unity to the others, was the articulation of the concept of reproductive rights. An interpretation of international human rights treaties in terms of women’s health in general and reproductive health in particular gradually gained acceptance during the 1990s.

Three rights in particular were identified:

•The right of couples and individuals to decide freely and responsibly the number and spacing of children and to have the information and means to do so;

•The right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health; and,

•The right to make decisions free of discrimination, coercion or violence.

Subsequent articulations of reproductive rights have gone further, so that, for example, maternal death is defined as a “social injustice” as well as a “health

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disadvantage” thus, placing an obligation on governments to address the causes of poor maternal health through their political, health and legal systems. These strands became fused in the concept of reproductive health, which was first clearly articulated in the preparations for Cairo and which has become a central part of the language on population. The new paradigm reflects a conceptual linking of the discourse on human rights and that on health. It proposes a radical shift away from technology-based, directive, top-down

approaches to programme planning and implementation. It argues that it is possible to achieve the stabilization of world population growth, while attending to people’s health needs and respecting their rights in reproduction. It reinforces and gives legitimacy to the language of health and rights, and validates concerns raised by the international women’s movement and by health professionals who had recognized the needs of people in sexuality and reproduction beyond fertility regulation.

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1.2.Development of Reproductive Health

Before 1978 Alma-Ata Conference

•Basic health services in clinics and health centers

Primary health care declaration 1978

•MCH services started with more emphasis on child survival

•Family planning was the main focus for mothers

Safe motherhood initiative in 1987

•Emphasis on maternal health

•Emphasis on reduction of maternal mortality

Reproductive health, ICPD in 1994

•Emphasis on quality of services

•Emphasis on availability and accessibility

•Emphasis on social injustice

•Emphasis on individuals woman's needs and rights

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Millennium development goals and reproductive health in 2000

•MDGs are directly or indirectly related to health

•MDG 4, 5 and 6 are directly related to health, while MDG 1,2,3, and 7 are indirectly related to health

•World Summit 2005, declared universal access to reproductive health

•“Sexual and reproductive health is fundamental to the social and economic development of communities and nations, and a key component of an equitable society.”

The Lancet 2006

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1.3.Magnitude of Reproductive Health Problem

The term “Reproductive Health “is most often equated with one aspect of women’s lives; motherhood. Complications associated with various maternal issues are indeed major contributors to poor reproductive health among millions of women worldwide.

Half of the world’s 2.6 billion women are now 15 – 49 years of age. Without proper health care services, this group is highly vulnerable to problems related to sexual intercourse, pregnancy, contraceptive side effects, etc. Death and illnesses from reproductive causes are the highest among poor women everywhere. In societies where women are disproportionately poor, illiterate, and politically powerless, high rates of reproductive illnesses and deaths are the norm. Ethiopia is not an exception in this case. Ethiopia has one of the highest maternal mortality in the world; it is estimated to be between 566

–1400 deaths per 100,000 live births. Ethiopian DHS survey of 2005 indicates that maternal mortality is 673per 100,000 live births. In Ethiopia, contraception use in women is 14.7% and about 34% of women want

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to use contraceptive, but have no means to do so according to the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2005).

Women in developing countries and economically disadvantaged women in the cities of some industrial nations suffer the highest rates of complications from pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and reproductive cancers. Lack of access to comprehensive reproductive care is the main reason that so many women suffer and die. Most illnesses and deaths from reproductive causes could be prevented or treated with strategies and technologies well within reach of even the poorest countries. Men also suffer from reproductive health problems, most notably from STIs. But the number and scope of risks is far greater for women for a number of reasons.

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1.4. Components of Reproductive Health

•Quality family planning services

•Promoting safe motherhood: prenatal, safe delivery and post natal care, including breast feeding;

•Prevention and treatment of infertility

•Prevention and management of complications of unsafe abortion;

•Safe abortion services, where not against the law;

•Treatment of reproductive tract infections, including sexually transmitted infections;

•Information and counseling on human sexuality, responsible parenthood and sexual and reproductive health;

•Active discouragement of harmful practices, such as female genital mutilation and violence related to sexuality and reproduction;

•Functional and accessible referral

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The approach recognizes the central importance of gender equality, men's participation and responsibility.

2. Reproductive health indicators

Following on a number of international conferences in the 1990s, in particular the 1994 ICPD, many countries have endorsed a number of goals and targets in the broad area of reproductive health. Most of these goals and targets have been formulated with quantifiable and time-bound objectives.

Evidence for monitoring: Reproductive health indicators

A health indicator is usually a numerical measure which provides information about a complex situation or event. When you want to know about a situation or event and cannot study each of the many factors that contribute to it, you use an indicator that best summarizes the situation. For example, to understand the general health status of infants in a country, the key indicators are infant mortality rates and the proportion of infants of low birth weight. Maternal health care quality, availability

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and accessibility can be measured using maternal mortality.

Reproductive health indicators summarize data which have been collected to answer questions that are relevant to the planning and management of RH programs. The indicators provide a useful tool to assess needs, and monitor and evaluate program implementation and impact. Indicators are expressed in terms of rates, proportions, averages, categorical variables or absolute numbers.

2.1.CRITERIA FOR SELECTING INDICATORS

Indicator selection raises technical questions about the implications of data collection as well as other operational issues. A good indicator has a number of important attributes, and those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO, 1997c) are outlined below.

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1.To be useful, an indicator must be able to act as a “marker of progress” towards improved reproductive health status, either as a direct or proxy measure of impact or as a measure of progress towards specified process goals.

2.To be scientifically robust, an indicator must be a valid, specific, sensitive and reliable reflection of that which it purports to measure. A valid indicator must actually measure the issue or factor it is supposed to measure. A specific indictor must only reflect changes in the issue or factor under consideration. The sensitivity of an indicator depends on its ability to reveal important changes in the factor of interest. A reliable indicator is one which would give the same value if its measurement was repeated in the same way on the same population and at almost the same time.

3.To be representative, an indicator must adequately encompass all the issues or population groups it is expected to cover.

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4.To be understandable, an indicator must be simple to define and its value must be easy to interpret in terms of reproductive health status.

5.To be accessible the data required for an indicator should be available or relatively easy to acquire by feasible data collection methods that have been validated in field trials.

6.To be ethical, an indicator requires data which are ethical to collect process and present in terms of the rights of the individual to confidentiality, freedom of choice in supplying data, and informed consent regarding the nature and implications of the data required.

These indicators can be input, process, out-put and impact indicators.

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Figure 1: A Conceptual Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating Reproductive Health Programme Components

Inputs	Process	Outputs	Outcomes
Resources	Services	Results	Impacts
Manpower	Contacts	Knowledge	Fertility
Material	Visits	Acceptance	Mortality
Finance	Examinations	Practice	Morbidity
	Morbidity	Utilization
	Referrals	Prevalence

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Policies &	Products
Procedures	Advocacy and IEC
National policies	Contraceptives
and legislation	Logistics
	Source: A.T.P.L. Abeykoon (1999).

2.2. Sources of data

•Routine service statistics: summaries of health service records can give information and it is very cheap, but may be incomplete or sometimes may not give enough information. It gives input and process indicators.

•Population Census: The data collected at population censuses such as population by age and sex, marital status, and urban and rural residence provide the denominator for the construction of process, output and impact indicators.

•Vital statistics reports: The vital registration system collects data on births, deaths and marriages. These data are available by age, sex

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and residence. These data provide the numerator for the construction of process, output and impact indicators.

•Special studies: collection and summarization of information for a particular purpose.

•Sample surveys : For Example Demographic and Health survey

2.3.Reproductive Health Indicators for Global Monitoring

There are seventeen reproductive health indicators developed by the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA). The list and description of these indicators are given below.

1.Total fertility rate: Total number of children a woman would have by the end of her reproductive period, if she experienced the currently prevailing age-specific fertility rates throughout her childbearing life. TFR is one of the most widely used fertility measures to assess the impact of family planning programmes. The

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measure is not affected by the age structure of the female population.

2.Contraceptive prevalence (any method): Percentage of women of reproductive age who are using (or whose partner is using) a contraceptive method at a particular point in time.

3.Maternal mortality ratio: The number of maternal deaths per 100 000 live births from causes associated with pregnancy and child birth.

4.Antenatal care coverage: Percentage of women attended, at least once during pregnancy, by skilled health personnel for reasons relating to pregnancy.

5.Births attended by skilled health personnel: Percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel. This doesn’t include births attended by traditional birth attendants.

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6.Availability of basic essential obstetric care: Number of facilities with functioning basic essential obstetric care per 500 000 population. Essential obstetric care includes, Parenteral antibiotics, Parenteral oxytocic drugs, Parenteral sedatives for eclampsia, Manual removal of placenta, Manual removal of retained products, Assisted vaginal delivery. These services can be given at a health center level.

7.Availability of comprehensive essential obstetric care: Number of facilities with functioning comprehensive essential obstetric care per 500 000 population. It incorporates obstetric surgery, anesthesia and blood transfusion facilities.

8.Perinatal mortality rate: Number of perinatal deaths (deaths occurring during late pregnancy, during childbirth and up to seven completed days of life) per 1000 total births. Deaths which occur starting from the stage of viability till completion of the first week after birth (22 weeks of gestation up to end of first week after birth, WHO). Total

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birth means live birth plus IUFD born after fetus reached stage of viability.

9.Low birth weight prevalence: Percentage of live births that weigh less than 2500 g.

10.10. Positive syphilis serology prevalence in pregnant women: Percentage of pregnant women (15–24) attending antenatal clinics, whose blood has been screened for syphilis, with positive serology for syphilis.

11.Prevalence of anaemia in women: Percentage of women of reproductive age (15–49) screened for haemoglobin levels with levels below 110 g/l for pregnant women and below 120 g/l for non- pregnant women.

12.Percentage of obstetric and gynaecological admissions owing to abortion: Percentage of all cases admitted to service delivery points providing in-patient obstetric and gynaecological services, which are due to abortion (spontaneous and induced, but excluding planned termination of pregnancy)

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13. . Reported prevalence of women with FGM:

Percentage of women interviewed in a community survey, reporting to have undergone FGM.

14.Prevalence of infertility in women: Percentage of women of reproductive age (15–49) at risk of pregnancy (not pregnant, sexually active, non- contraception and non-lactating) who report trying for a pregnancy for two years or more.

15.Reported incidence of urethritis in men: Percentage of men (15–49) interviewed in a community survey, reporting at least one episode of urethritis in the last 12 months.

16.HIV prevalence in pregnant women: Percentage of pregnant women (15–24) attending antenatal clinics, whose blood has been screened for HIV, who are sero-positive for HIV.

17. . Knowledge of HIV-related prevention

practices: The percentage of all respondents who correctly identify all three major ways of

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preventing the sexual transmission of HIV and who reject three major misconceptions about HIV transmission or prevention.

3. Gender and Reproductive Health

Sex refers to biological and physiological attributes of that identify a person as male or female

Gender refers to the economic, social and cultural attributes and opportunities associated with being male or female in a particular social setting at a particular point in time.

Gender equality means equal treatment of women and men in laws and policies, and equal access to resources and services within families, communities and society at large.

Gender equity means fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities between women and men. It often requires women-specific programmes and policies to end existing inequalities.

Gender discrimination refers to any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of socially

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constructed gender roles and norms which prevents a person from enjoying full human rights.

Gender stereotypes refer to beliefs that are so ingrained in our consciousness that many of us think gender roles are natural and we don’t question them.

Gender bias refers to gender based prejudice; assumptions expressed without a reason and are generally unfavorable.

Gender mainstreaming: the incorporation of gender issues into the analysis, formulation, implementation, monitoring of strategies, programs, projects, policies and activities that can address inequalities between women and men

Gender analysis is a research tool that helps policy makers and program managers appreciate the importance of gender issues in the design, implementation, and evaluation of their projects.

The Social Construction of Gender

The people involved, Family members, peers, teachers and people in educational and religious institutions are

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usually the first to introduce a child to appropriate codes of gendered behaviour.

Place

This often corresponds with the kinds of people involved. The home or family for example, at play, in school or in church for peers, teachers and adults in general.

Division of labour: the kind of household chores that girls are expected to do compared to boys; girls work inside the home and boys outside; girls work for others in the home, for example cooking, washing dishes, cleaning the house and washing clothes; boys are sent out on errands; girls do things for boys like serving food, cleaning up after them and doing their washing; boys in some cultures are asked to escort girls in public.

Dress codes: across cultures, girls and boys are expected to be dressed differently right from the moment they are born. These differences may vary across cultures and societies.

Physical segregation of boys and girls: in many cultures, especially in Asia, physical segregation starts

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at an early age. Common experiences often include, being told not to play with members of the opposite sex, or not to get involved in any activity that will bring one into physical contact with people of the opposite sex.

The kinds of games girls and boys play: girls are not encouraged to play games like football, which involve vigorous physical activity and physical contact with each other; boys are often not allowed to play with dolls or play as homemakers. Boys who do not engage in rough physical games are thought to be “sissies”.

Emotional responses: girls and boys are expected to respond differently to the same stimulus; while it is acceptable for girls to cry, it is seen as a weakness in boys.

Intellectual responses: there is an expectation that girls are not to talk back or express their opinions. This is often mentioned in relation to school and how teachers pay more attention to boys since they expect more from boys.

In one training program, a participant from Japan told the story of how, when she obtained the highest marks in class, her teacher called her and asked her to agree

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that instead he would give the highest marks to the boy who was really second. He explained that it would not be good for the boy to come second and the boys would not treat the girl well if she did better than them. Class, caste, ethnic and other differences. Explore how differences across class, caste, ethnicity and nationality affect how girls and boys are expected to behave. For example, the physical segregation of boys and girls may not be as strict in other parts.

Women’s Health Coalition, 1995.

The social construction of sexuality refers to the process by which sexual thoughts, behaviours, and conditions (for instance, virginity) are interpreted and given cultural meaning. It incorporates collective and individual beliefs about the nature of the body, about what is considered erotic or offensive, and about what and with whom it is appropriate or inappropriate for men and women (according to their age and other characteristics) to do or to say about sexuality. In some cultures, ideologies of sexuality stress female resistance, male aggression, and mutual antagonism in the sex act; in others, they stress reciprocity and mutual pleasure. The social construction of sexuality recognizes that women’s and men’s bodies

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play a key role in their sexuality, but also looks carefully at the specific historical and cultural contexts to gain an understanding of how specific meanings and beliefs about sexuality are generated, adopted and adapted.

3.1. Gender differences:

•Women give birth to babies, men do not. In many societies child rearing is the sole responsibility of women.

•According to United Nations statistics, women do 67 per cent of the world's work, yet their earnings for it amount to only 10 per cent of the world's income.

•In one case, a child brought up as a girl learned that when he was actually a boy, his school marks improved dramatically.

•Sex is not as important for women as it is for men.

•In ancient Egypt, men stayed at home and did weaving. Women handled family businesses.

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•Women inherited property and men did not.

•Men's voices break at puberty, women's don't.

•In a study of 224 cultures, there were 5 in which men did all the cooking and 36 in which women did all the house building.

•Men are naturally prone to violent behaviour

•Women are more vulnerable to STDs than men.

For example, women may have access to health services, but no control over what services are available and when. Another common example is women having access to an income or owning property, but having no control over how the income is spent or how the property is used. There are many different types of resources which women have less access to, and less control over. These include:-

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Power and decision-making

Having greater access to and control over resources usually makes men more powerful than women in any social group. This may be the power of physical force, of knowledge and skills, of wealth and income, or the power to make decisions because they are in a position of authority. Men often have greater decision-making power over reproduction and sexuality. Male power and control over resources and decisions is institutionalized through the laws and policies of the state, and through the rules and regulations of formal social institutions. Laws in many countries of the world give men greater control over wealth and greater rights in marriage and over children. For centuries, religious institutions have denied women the right to priesthood, and schools often insist that it is the father of the child who is her or his legal guardian, not the mother.

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Life Cycle

Adolescence

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Figure 3: The reproductive life cycle

Newborn	Infancy-	Youth-		Adult	Middle Age-	Death
	Childhood	Adolescence			Elderly
		Sexual Activity
	Post-partum				Pregnancy

Childbirth

A woman's reproductive years, which typically span almost four decades, can be divided in stages

1.Menarche to intercourse

2.Intercourse to marriage

3.Marriage to first birth

4.First birth to attainment of desired family size

5.Attainment of desired family size to menopause

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4. REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND DEFINING TARGET POPULATION

Rationale for Defining Target Population

•To set priority and deliver appropriate services to high risk groups.

•To utilize resources efficiently,

•To determine the number of eligible for the services,

•To plan the type of services to be provided,

•To focus the efforts towards the target group,

•To measure / evaluate changes,

•To address equity in delivery of the health services

The target population of a service includes for whom the service is primarily or solely intended. These people may be of a certain age or sex or may have other common characteristics.

a. Women of child-bearing age (15 – 49 years old)

1.Women alone are at risk of complications from pregnancy and childbirth

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2.Women face high risks in preventing unwanted pregnancy; they bear the burden of using and suffering potential side effects from most contraceptive methods, and they suffer from the consequences of unsafe abortion.

3.Women are more vulnerable to contracting and suffering complications of many sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS.

4.From the equity point of view, this population group constitutes about 24% of the population; which is a significant proportion.

5.Deaths and illnesses from reproductive causes are highest among poor women everywhere.

b.Adolescents (Both sexes)

1.Adolescents lack reliable reproductive health information, and thus the basic knowledge to make responsible choice regarding their reproductive behavior.

2.In many countries around the world, leaders,

community members, and parents are reluctant

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to provide education on sexuality to young men and women for fear of promiscuity.

3.Many adolescents are already sexually active, often at a very young age.

4.The reproductive health status of young people, in terms of sexual activity, contraceptive use, child bearing, and STIs lays the foundation for the country’s demographic feature.

5.During adolescence normal physical development may be adversely affected by inadequate diet, excessive physical stress, or pregnancy before physiological maturity is attainted.

6.Adolescents are at high risk to acquire infertility associated with STIs and unsafe abortion

7.Conditions of work are designed for adults rather than adolescents and put them at greater risk of accidental injury and death.

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8.Current health services are generally not organized to fulfill the reproductive need and demands of adolescents.

C.Under Five Children

1.Children’s health is a base for healthy adolescence and childbearing ages.

2.Proper health service for children serves to increase the opportunities of women to have contact with the health institution.

3.The health of children and women is inseparable

4.The morbidity and mortality of children in Ethiopia is one of the highest in the world.

5.Bearing high number of children has adverse consequences on health of the mother, the general income distribution and health status of the family.

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Estimation of the Eligible Population Number (Target Groups) for Reproductive Health

Knowing the number or estimate of the eligible for reproductive health is important for the following purposes.

•To plan usage targets for services

•To plan for supplies

•To assign service providers

•To monitor utilization of services

•To monitor coverage of the service

1.The techniques to be utilized to estimate the eligible for reproductive health should include:

-Deciding the catchments area for the health institution providing reproductive health service.

-Identify all kebeles in the catchments area;

-Prepare a sketch map of the catchments area,

-Divide the catchments area in to zones for ease of operation

-Divide the catchment area in to zones for ease of operation

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2.Determining the number of the eligible population from the total population in the catchment area.

The methods for estimating the number of the eligible could be;

-By conducting census of the population in the catchment area

-By estimation of those eligible from the total population using national, regional or district standard figures.

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CHAPTER 2

MATERNAL HEALTH

Learning objectives:

•Describe the safe motherhood initiative and services included under safe motherhood

•Understand important causes of maternal mortality and morbidity

•Describe maternal health services

•Understand methods of maternal mortality measures and their challenges

1. Introduction

Motherhood should be a time of expectation and joy for a woman, her family, and her community. For women in developing countries, however, the reality of motherhood is often grim. For those women, motherhood is often marred by unforeseen complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Some die in the prime period of their lives and in great distress: from

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hemorrhage, convulsions, obstructed labor, or severe infection after delivery or unsafe abortion.

Worldwide, it is estimated that 529,000 women die yearly from complications of pregnancy and childbirth— about one woman every minute. Some 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries, where a woman's lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications is 45 times higher than that of her counterparts in developed countries. The risk of dying from pregnancy-related complications is highest in sub- Saharan Africa and in South-Central Asia, where in some countries the maternal mortality ratios are more than 1,000 deaths per 100,000 live births.

Sixty to eighty percent of maternal deaths are due to obstetric hemorrhage, obstructed labor, obstetric sepsis, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and complications of unsafe abortion. These direct complications are unpredictable and most occur within hours or days after delivery.

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2. The Safe Motherhood Initiative

In 1987 the World Bank, in collaboration with WHO and UNFPA, sponsored a conference on safe motherhood in Nairobi, Kenya to help raise global awareness about the impact of maternal mortality and morbidity. The conference launched the Safe Motherhood Initiative (SMI), which issued an international call to action to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity by one half by the year 2000. It also led to the formation of an Inter- Agency Group (IAG) for Safe Motherhood, which has since been joined by UNICEF, UNDP, IPPF, and the Population Council.

The SMI's target has subsequently been adopted by most developing countries. Under the Safe Motherhood Initiative, countries have developed programs to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. The strategies adopted to make motherhood safe vary among countries and include:

•Providing family planning services.

•Providing post abortion care.

•Promoting antenatal care.

•Ensuring skilled assistance during childbirth

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•Improving essential obstetric care.

•Addressing the reproductive health needs of adolescents.

As we can see from the following table, risk of death from pregnancy is very high in developing countries, while being very low in the developed world. This shows that the difference is due to the quality of care provided to mothers.

2.1.Essential Services for Safe Motherhood

Safe motherhood can be achieved by providing high- quality maternal health services to all women. These services for safe motherhood should be readily available through a network of linked community health care providers, clinics and hospitals. These services could be provided at different levels including home and health institutions.

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Essential Services include:

1.Community education on safe motherhood

2.Prenatal care and counseling, including the promotion of maternal nutrition

3.Skilled assistance during childbirth

4.Care for obstetric complications, including emergencies

5.Postpartum care

6.Post-abortion care and, where abortion is not against the law, safe services for the termination of pregnancy

7.Family planning counseling, information and services

8.Reproductive health education and services for adolescents

Essential Obstetric Care

•Essential obstetric care is of two types basic essential obstetric care and comprehensive essential obstetric care. Ensuring access to

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essential obstetric care is important in reducing maternal deaths.

•Basic essential obstetric care (also called basic emergency obstetric care) at the health centre level should include at least:

-Parentral antibiotics

-Parentral oxytoxic drugs

-Parentral sedatives for eclampsia

-Manual removal of placenta

-Removal of retained products

-Assisted vaginal delivery

Comprehensive essential obstetric services at district hospital (first referral level) should include all of the above, plus:

–Obstetric Surgery

–Anesthesia

–Blood transfusion

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•WHO recommends that there should be at least four BEOC and one CEOC facilities for every 500,000 population.

•This practice was the main intervention to reduce maternal mortality for about ten years until the Colombo technical consultative meeting on safe motherhood initiative in 1997 in Sri Lanka hosted by the inter Agency group. The goal was to review key lessons learned and articulate consensus on the most effective strategies and ways to implement these strategies at country level.

•Global experience showed maternal mortality and morbidity could be prevented with the existing knowledge and technology by:

•Recognizing that every pregnancy faces risk

•Increasing access to family planning services

•Improving quality of ANC and postpartum care

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•Ensuring access to essential obstetric care (including post-abortion care)

•Expanding access to midwifery care

•Training and deploying appropriate skilled health personnel

•Ensuring a continuum of care, connected by effective referral links, and supported by adequate supplies, equipment, drugs, and transportation

•Reforming laws to expand women’s access to health services and to promote their health interests

Key Lessons Learned after ten years of safe mother hood strategy

•Strong political commitment at the national and/or local level can help facilitate the implementation of safe motherhood interventions and ensure their integration into the health care system.

•Involving national and local leaders and other key parties in the planning and implementation of

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safe motherhood activities helps facilitate the delivery of maternal health services and ensure sustainability.

•Involving community members (particularly women and their families, health care providers, and local leaders) in efforts to improve maternal health helps ensure program success.

•Training and deploying a range of health care providers at appropriate service delivery levels help increase access to maternal health services, especially life-saving services.

•Effective communication between health care providers at both the community level and the district (first referral) level is essential for management of obstetric emergencies and for ensuring continuity of care.

•Community education about obstetric complications and when and where to seek medical care is important to ensure early recognition of complications and prompt care- taking behavior.

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•The ten years review also recognized that there were strategic missteps:

ANC with focus on risk assessment

Training of TBAs to improve delivery care at community level

2.2.Causes of Maternal Mortality and Morbidity

2.2.1. Definitions

ƒThe Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) defines a maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes.

ƒMaternal morbidity: Any deviation, subjective or objective, from a state of physiological or psychological well being of women.

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Epidemiology

In many developing countries, including Ethiopia, complications of pregnancy and childbirth are the leading causes of death among women of reproductive age. More than one-woman dies every minute from such causes. In 2005 more than 636,000 women died each year worldwide. From that, 99% was accounted by developing countries. Of those, around 270,000 women died each year in Africa. Particularly being one of the less developed countries in the world, 46,000 women died each year in Ethiopia. A total of 14 countries had MMR greater than 1000 of which 13 were in sub- Saharan Africa, with Sierra Leone being in the top with MMR of 2100 per 100,000 live births.

Around 50 million pregnant women worldwide had morbid illness each year, of which 15% of them have disabilities like fistula, infertility, etc. Over 300 million women in the developing world currently suffer from short term and long term illness related to pregnancy and childbirth. At least 2 million women in developing countries are living with obstetric fistulas, and 50,000-

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100,000 new cases occur each year. The prevalence of obstetric fistula in Ethiopia is 1 %.

Maternal mortality and morbidity can be reduced or avoided by providing and expanding resources and services that are principally targeted in achieving maternal health and safe motherhood.

More than one woman dies every minute from complications of pregnancy and childbirth.

Maternal care is in the lowest level of use particularly in the developing countries. Preventing maternal death is almost equivalent with upgrading the socioeconomic status of the country in particular. No body knows the exact number of maternal deaths each year due to poor epidemiological studies and poor recording of health care institution.

Women’s lifetime risk of death is 40 times higher in developing countries compared to developed countries. In general, women lifetime risk of death in developing countries is 1 in 48 as opposed to 1:1800 in developed countries. Maternal mortality ratio is by far the greatest disparity between developed and developing countries.

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More than seventy percent of maternal deaths are due to hemorrhage, unsafe abortion, hypertensive diseases of pregnancy, infection and obstructed labor, which are preventable. Out of this, more than 60% of maternal deaths occur following delivery, of which half occur in the first day after delivery.

Causes of maternal Mortality

Direct obstetric deaths are those that result from obstetric complications of the pregnancy state from interventions, omissions, incorrect treatment or from chain of events.

Examples: Abortion, Ectopic pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, Eclampsia, Obstructed labor, infection, etc.

Seventy percent of maternal deaths are usually preventable. The commonest causes of maternal deaths include:

A.Hemorrhage: Includes antepartum, postpartum, abortion, and ectopic pregnancy.

Hemorrhage accounts for 21% of maternal deaths in Ethiopia.

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B.Unsafe Abortion: It is claimed as the commonest cause of maternal death in our country accounting for 20 –40% of deaths.

C.Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: This includes pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, etc. Preclampsia and eclampsia account for 10- 12% of maternal deaths.

D.Obstructed Labor and uterine rupture: The prevalence of obstructed labor is said to be 47 % in Ethiopia. It accounts for 9% of the total maternal death.

E.Infection: The introduction and multiplication of microbial agents in the pelvic organs and other systems having an effect on the health of the mother and newborn. It includes infection of the uterus, tubes, urinary system and fetal infection. It accounts for 10% of maternal deaths.

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Indirect Obstetric Death

Deaths resulting from previous existing diseases or diseases that developed during pregnancy, which are aggravated by the physiologic effects of pregnancy. This includes:-

A.Anemia: This is the commonest indirect cause of maternal death in our country, since malaria is endemic and iron supplementation is low.

B.Other indirect causes include, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, HIV/AIDS, TB, Malnutrition, etc. The indirect obstetric death:

Incidental/Coincidental/ causes of maternal Death:

Deaths that are neither due to direct nor indirect obstetric causes: E.g. Car accident, fire burn, bullet injury

2.2.2. Medical Causes of Maternal Death

	Direct Causes	Indirect causes
•	Hemorrhage	• HIV
•	Hypertensive diseases	• Malaria

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•	Infection and sepsis	• Anemia
•	Obstructed labor	• Cardiovascular diseases
•	Abortion	• Others

•Others

–Embolism

–Anesthesia

2.2.3.Maternal Mortality in Context: The Three D’s (Delays)

•Delays can kill mothers and newborns. There are three phases during which delays can contribute to the death of pregnant and postpartum women and their newborns.

1.Delay in deciding to seek care

oFailure to recognize signs of complications

oFailure to perceive severity of illness

oCost consideration

oPrevious negative experience with the health system

oTransportation

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2. Delay in reaching care

oLengthy distance to a facility

oConditions of roads

oLack of available transportation

3.Delay in receiving appropriate care

oUncaring attitudes of providers

o Shortages of supplies and basic equipment

oNon-availability of health personnel

oPoor skills of health providers

Life threatening delays can happen at home, on the way to care, or at the place of care. Therefore, plans and actions that can be implemented at each of these points are mandatory.

o Birth preparedness and complication readiness to reduce delays

o Women-friendly care to enhance acceptability

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2.2.4. Causes of Maternal Morbidity

Maternal morbidity is difficult to measure due to variation in the definition and criteria to diagnose. The risk factors for maternal morbidity include prolonged labor, hemorrhage, infection, preclampsia, etc. The commonest long term complication of pregnancy and child birth include:

A.Infection: There is high risk of infection of the genital organs (cervix, uterus, tubes, ovaries and peritoneum) after prolonged labor, when delivery takes place in unclean settings, retained parts of conception after unsafe abortion and delivery.

B.Fistula: are holes in the birth canal that allow leakage from the urethra, bladder or rectum into the vagina. They present with continuous leakage of urine or feces or both. The commonest cause in our country is obstructed labor as opposed to surgery and cancer in the developed world.

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C.Incontinence: is leakage of urine upon straining or standing.

D.Infertility: Unable to be pregnant for a year despite unprotected sexual intercourse.

E.Uterine prolaps: the falling or sliding of the uterus from its normal position into the vaginal canal. Commonest predisposing factors include prolonged labor, heavy exercise, multiple childbirths, etc.

F.Nerve Damage: As a result of prolonged labor, there may be compression or damage of the nerves in the pelvis (Sciatic nerve).

G.Psychosocial problems: maternal blues aggravated by other conditions

H.Others, Include, pain during intercourse, anemia, etc.

2. 2.5. Risk factors for Maternal Health

Socio-cultural factors: Like early marriage, early childbirth, harmful traditional practices including female genital mutilation, etc.

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Economy: Socio economic status affects the women’s status by affecting their decision making roles in the community, educational status, health coverage, level of sexual abuse, etc.

Inadequate Health Service Coverage: Most mothers do not get care during pregnancy and most deliveries are unattended. This is due to lack of transportation, distance from health facilities, small number of health facilities, etc.

Psychological factors: For instance, after sexual abuse women are at great risk of depression.

Health and nutrition services: The health status of women who are not getting adequate amount of nutrients and proper reproductive health services could be affected.

Interaction with providers: Some health care providers are, unsympathetic and uncaring as they do not respect women's cultural preferences. E.g. privacy, birth position, or treatment by women providers.

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Gender Discrimination: E.g. lack of women empowerment, giving more attention to a male child.

2.3 Maternal health services

2.3.1. Antenatal Care

Antenatal care refers to care given to pregnant women so that they have safe pregnancy and healthy baby. Pregnancy is a normal physiological process associated with certain risks to health of the woman and the infant she bears. These risks can be overcome through proper antenatal care. (Figure 1).

Most women have some antenatal care

Data for the late 1990s and for 2000-2001 show that just over 70% of women worldwide have at least one antenatal visit with a skilled provider during pregnancy In the industrialized countries, coverage is extremely high, with 98% of women having at least one visit. In the developing world, antenatal care use, is around 68% (data are not available for China), but this indicates considerable success for programmes aimed at making antenatal care available. The region of the world with the lowest levels of use is South Asia, where only 54% of pregnant women have at least one antenatal care

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visit. In the Middle East and North Africa, use of antenatal care is some what higher at 65% of pregnant women. In sub-Saharan Africa, generally the region with the lowest levels of health care use, fully 68% of women report at least one antenatal visit. The levels in the remaining regions of the world range from 82% to 86%.

Ethiopia’s ANC coverage is very low compared to the rest of sub Saharan Africa. The 2005 DHS showed 28% coverage of ANC across the nation, while the rest of sub-Sahara has ANC coverage of 46%.

Antenatal care (ANC) strategies target pregnant women in order to screen and detect early signs of or risk factors for disease, followed by timely intervention, originally with the aspiration of reducing maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. However, the contribution of antenatal care specifically to maternal mortality reduction has been challenged. The acknowledged benefits of antenatal care to the baby in terms of growth, risk of infection, and survival, however, remains. The justification of the benefits to the mother has now shifted to emphasizing the promotion of health and health-seeking behaviour, including birth preparedness. Furthermore, since antenatal care is one

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of the most widespread health services and coverage is often high, it increasingly serves as a means of distribution for other packages, for example, the roll-out of antimalarial drugs or of antiretroviral therapy for maternal HIV/AIDS. As it is mentioned above, ANC service faces a lot of criticism recently for various reasons.

Criticisms of traditional ANC

•Ritualistic rather than rational: mostly the service is given without precise goals.

•Emphasis of visits on frequency and numbers of visits, rather than on essential goal-directed elements of each visit.

•Communication is minimal, and focused on findings: there is no much counseling on the changes the woman going to face and the danger signs.

•Preparation/planning is not stressed: there should be a birth plan and preparedness.

•Assessment of whether plan can be carried out is not made (can she come for her delivery?):

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even though there is a plan to deliver in an institution there are other variables that can affect the situation during labor and delivery.

•Risk assessment based on predetermined parameters: height, age, parity, past obstetric history, these variables are usually the basis to classify whether the pregnancy is at risk or not. But this has been found out to be less helpful in identifying risk, Randomized controlled trials have been conducted including in less developed countries and the results have consistently pointed to the need for a new strategy for ANC.

Reducing antenatal care visits to 4-5 with proven effective interventions (goal oriented visits) produces similar maternal results. Based on the results of large- scale randomized controlled trials, the WHO Technical Working Group recommended a minimum level of care that is 4 visits per pregnancy. It was found out that Antenatal care delivered by midwife or general practitioner has similar clinical effectiveness as that of obstetrician/ gynecologist led shared care.

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Antenatal care should be goal-oriented with interventions that have of proven value. Examples include:

–Prevention, detection, and investigation of anemia and treatment of iron-deficiency anemia

–Prevention of obstructed labor by external cephalic version

–Immunization against tetanus and promotion of clean delivery

The Risk Approach in Pregnancy

The risk approach is a managerial tool for health services to identify people at risk as early as possible and intervene in order to reduce the risk. It is the screening and classification of the risk level of pregnancies based on maternal characteristics. The “at risk pregnancy” is a pregnancy in which there is a likelihood of an adverse outcome for the mother and/or baby which is greater than that of the general pregnant population.

The concept of the risk approach originates from the assumption that vulnerability to death and disability is

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not equally distributed among all pregnant women and their children. If high risk factors as well as their effects are identified, diseases and deaths can be prevented by providing appropriate health care and services. The main objective of the risk approach is the optimal use of existing resources for the benefit of the majority. However, recently there have been a lot of criticisms against routine screening procedures to identify women at risk and take the necessary measures to prevent morbidity and mortality. Risk screening has been blamed to have low sensitivity and specificity.

Why Doesn’t Risk Assessment Work?

The broad characteristics used by most risk assessment systems are not precise enough to predict an individual woman’s risk. As a result, a large number of women are identified as “high risk” even though they never develop any complications.

E.g. A study in Zaire found that 90 % of women identified as “at risk” for obstructed labor ended up in not having any problem.

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Most of the women who develop complications do not have any risk factors, and are therefore, are classified as “low risk”.

E.g. The same study found that 71 % of the women who did develop obstructed labor did not have any history of problems.

Even if a woman is correctly identified as being at risk of complications, there is no guarantee that she will get appropriate care:

•Many health systems cannot provide adequate services

•Women themselves may be unable or unwilling to seek medical care when they are told they are “high risk.”

•Women may not receive life-saving care

•Personal cost and inconvenience is high

•Health systems are overburdened

Based on the above reasons, it is recommended that detection of high risk pregnancies needs to be done

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according to clear guidelines which have been shown to

have a high predictive value specific to the index

population. Since risk assessment cannot predict which women will experience pregnancy complications, it is critical that all women who are pregnant, in labor or recently had a baby have access to high quality maternal health care and every pregnancy should get due attention as a potential risk. Based on these reasons as well, every pregnant woman must be prepared to give birth in a place where she can find at least basic services for delivery and new born care.

A. Focused antenatal care (New ANC approach)

Traditional antenatal care uses risk approach to classify which women are more likely to develop complication and assumes that more visits means better outcome for the mother and the baby. However, many women who have risk factors do not develop complications, while women without risk factors may do so. Using a risk approach with its more frequent visits, therefore, does not necessarily improve pregnancy out comes. However, to achieve the full life-saving potential that ANC promises for women and babies, four visits providing essential evidence based interventions – a

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package often called focused antenatal care – are required. Essential interventions in ANC include identification and management of obstetric complications such as preclampsia, tetanus toxoid immunisation, intermittent preventive treatment for malaria during pregnancy (IPTp), and identification and management of infections including HIV, syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). ANC is also an opportunity to promote the use of skilled attendance at birth and healthy behaviours such as breastfeeding, early postnatal care and planning for optimal pregnancy spacing.

Only 4-5 ANC visits were proven to be equally effective interventions, with higher number of visits if provided with goal oriented approach to the services. Services provided by a Midwife or general practitioner have similar clinical effectiveness with care given by obstetrician and gynecologist shared care.

The main goals of the focused antenatal care are:

Goals of Focused ANC: The new approach to ANC emphasizes the quality of care rather than the quantity. For normal pregnancies, WHO recommends only four

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monitoring. Conditions such as anemia, infection, vaginal bleeding, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and abnormal fetal growth or abnormal fetal position after 36 weeks may be or become life-threatening if left untreated.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention:

Counseling about important issues affecting a woman’s health and the health of the newborn is a critical component of focused ANC. Discussions should include:

•How to recognize danger signs, what to do, and where to get help

•Good nutrition and the importance of rest

•Hygiene and infection prevention practices

•Risks of using tobacco, alcohol, local drugs, and traditional remedies

•Breastfeeding

•Postpartum family planning and birth spacing.

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All pregnant women should receive the following preventive interventions:

•Immunization against tetanus

•Iron and folate supplementation.

In areas of high prevalence women should also receive:

•Presumptive treatment of hookworm

•Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV

•Protection against malaria through intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide-treated bed nets

•Protection against vitamin A and iodine deficiencies.

Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness: Approximately 15 percent of women develop a life- threatening complication, so every woman and her family should have a plan for the following:

•A skilled attendant at birth

•The place of birth and how to get there including how to obtain emergency transportation if needed

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•Items needed for the birth

•Money saved to pay the skilled provider and for any needed mediations and supplies

•Support during and after the birth (e.g., family, friends)

•Potential blood donors in case of emergency.

The essential elements of a focused approach to antenatal care can be summarized as:

ƒIdentification and surveillance of the pregnant woman and her expected child

ƒRecognition and management of pregnancy- related complications, particularly pre- eclampsia

ƒRecognition and treatment of underlying or concurrent illness

ƒScreening for conditions and diseases treatments such as anemia, STIs (particularly syphilis), HIV infection, mental health problems, and/or symptoms of stress or domestic violence

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ƒPreventive measures, including tetanus toxoid immunization, de-worming, iron and folic acid supplementation, intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp), insecticide treated bed nets (ITN) provision.

ƒAdvice and support to the woman and her family for developing healthy home behaviours and a birth and emergency preparedness plan to:

ƒIncrease awareness of maternal and newborn health needs and self care during pregnancy and the postnatal period, including the need for social support during and after pregnancy

ƒPromote healthy behaviours in the home, including healthy lifestyles and diet, safety and injury prevention, and support and care in the home, such as advice and adherence support for preventive interventions like iron supplementation, condom use, and use of

ITN

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ƒSupport care seeking behaviour, including recognition of danger signs for the woman and the newborn as well as transport and funding plans in case of emergencies

ƒHelp the pregnant woman and her partner prepare emotionally and physically for birth and care of their baby, particularly preparing for early and exclusive breastfeeding and essential newborn care and considering the role of a supportive companion at birth

ƒPromote postnatal family planning/birth spacing

Antenatal Care in Ethiopia

•ANC coverage according to EDHS 2005 is 27.6 %; little improvement from the 2000 finding.

•Large differences between urban (69 %) and rural areas (24 %)

•Huge regional differences: ranges from 7.4 % in Somali region to 88.3 % in Addis Ababa

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•Women with at least secondary education more likely to receive ANC (81%) than women with primary education (39 %) and those with no education (22 %)

•Women in the highest wealth quintile are nearly five times more likely to receive ANC than those in the lowest quintile

•Only 12.2 % women make four or more antenatal care visits during their entire pregnancy: urban (55 %) and rural (8 %)

•Women start ANC at a late stage of pregnancy. Median duration of pregnancy for the first ANC visit is 5.6 months (6 months for rural women). Only 6 % make their first ANC visit before the 4th month

2.3.2.Delivery Care

Normal birth is defined as Spontaneous in onset, low risk at start of labour and remaining so throughout labour and delivery. The infant is born spontaneously in the vertex position between 37-42 completed weeks of pregnancies. After birth, mother and baby (child) are in

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good condition. Describes as the process by which the fetus, placenta with its membrane is expelled through birth canal.

It is not always possible to anticipate which pregnancies end up with complications. Therefore, it is essential to extend delivery services to all pregnant women in order to provide timely help for complications of labour and delivery. Delivering women should be observed at least for 24 hours after delivery as most of the deaths post partum occur at this time.

Aims of delivery care are to achieve:

•A healthy mother and child with the least possible level of intervention

•Early detection and management of complications

•Timely referral of obstetric emergencies (if any) to a level where it can be managed appropriately

More than three-quarters of all maternal deaths in developing countries take place during or soon after childbirth. Based on these aims, the single most critical intervention for safe motherhood is to ensure that a

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skilled attendant is present in every birth, and transportation is available in case of an emergency referral.

Who is a skilled attendant?

In 1999, the WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF/World Bank statement recognised skilled attendants as health professionals such as midwives, doctors, or nurses with midwifery skills who have been educated and trained to proficiency in the skills necessary to manage normal pregnancies, childbirth and the immediate postnatal period, and in the identification, management, and referral of complications in women and newborns.

Skilled care during childbirth is important because millions of women and newborns develop hard-to- predict complications during or immediately after delivery. Skilled attendants can also recognize these complications, and either treat them or refer women to health centers or hospitals immediately if more advanced care is needed. Skilled attendance depends on a partnership of skilled attendants, an enabling environment, and access to emergency obstetric care services. This means Skilled attendance can only be

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provided when health professionals operate within a functioning health system, or ‘enabling environment’, where drugs, equipment, supplies, and transport are all available.

In 1996, skilled birth attendants were present at only 53

%of births in the developing world. In the developed world, skilled birth attendance is almost universal. Countries where skilled attendance at delivery is very low tend to have higher rates of maternal death and disability. The maternal mortality ratio and the proportion of deliveries with a skilled attendant are used to monitor progress towards achieving the MDG goal of improving maternal health.

The best person to care for women during delivery is a health professional with midwifery skills who lives in or near to the community he or she serves. However, most midwives work in hospitals and urban areas. In parts of Asia and Africa, there is only one midwife for every 15,000 births. Adequate equipment, drugs and supplies are also essential to enable skilled attendants to provide good quality care. In addition, skilled attendants need to be supported by appropriate supervision. When delivery is taking place at home or in a local health facility, an

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emergency transport system must be available to take women to facilities that can be provide more advanced care.

In developing countries women commonly seek the help of traditional birth attendants. These attendants may have some training. However, without emergency back- up support (including referral), training TBAs does not decrease a woman’s risk of dying during childbirth. As countries try to ensure that a qualified health professional is present at the birth of every child, they face a number of significant problems. Which are:-

•Existing health workers often lack the skills they need to save the lives of women who suffer emergency complications

•Curricula used to teach midwifery skills are often out of date and do not reflect new techniques and research

•In many places, especially in Africa and Asia, women give birth with the help of a relative, or alone

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•Refresher training in family planning and maternal health care are often inadequate

•Many midwives and physicians have no training in traditional belief systems, communication and community organizing

Recommended ways to increase skilled birth attendance

‰Increase the number of professionals with midwifery skills in underserved regions.

‰Train, authorize and equip midwives, nurses and community physicians to provide all feasible obstetric services needed within communities, especially emergency interventions and to prescribe medications.

‰Upgrade, establish and expand comprehensive midwifery training programmes that include life- saving skills for dealing with obstetric emergencies.

‰Create clearly defined protocols for routine care and the management of complications.

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‰Establish systems for supervising and supporting skilled attendants, and for emergency referral and Rx.

Because TBAs already exist in many developing country communities, it has been suggested that they could perform the role of the skilled attendant, where required with some training. Research indicates that training of TBAs has not contributed to reduction of maternal mortality. However, it is recognized that for some women TBAs are the only source of care available during pregnancy. And as experience from some countries such as Malaysia has shown, TBAs can become an important element in a country’s safe motherhood strategy and can serve as key partners for increasing the number of births at which a skilled attendant is present.

The impact of training TBAs on maternal mortality appears to be limited and the greatest benefit may be improved referral and linkages with the formal health system. Results from a meta-analysis suggest that TBA training may increase antenatal attendance rates. In Zambia, traditional birth assistants serve as culturally knowledgeable social support women during labor and

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delivery, but have little accurate knowledge of appropriate management of labor and delivery. It is now generally accepted that one of the main reasons why many TBA-based maternity care programmes of the past did not work, or were unsustainable, was that the programmes failed to link TBAs to a functioning health care system. In practical terms, TBAs can help in the provision of skilled care to women and newborns by serving as advocates for skilled attendants and maternal and newborn health needs, disseminating health information through the community and families.

In all countries, emphasis should be placed on training and deploying an adequate number of professional, skilled midwives to provide the majority of delivery care. Where TBAs account for a significant portion of deliveries, safe motherhood programs should include activities aimed at providing adequate supervision and integrating them into the health system.

‰Appropriate training (skilled trainers and appropriate teaching methodologies)

‰Linkages to the health system that include proper supervision and referral for complicated cases

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‰Ongoing assessment of the impact of TBA programs

2.3.3. Postnatal Care

The postnatal period is the period when most maternal deaths occur compared to the antepartum and intrapartum periods. Post natal care is the care provided to the woman and her baby during the six weeks period following delivery in order to promote healthy behavior and early identification and management of complications. It should include assessment, health promotion and care provision. Care during the immediate postpartum period (6-24 hours) needs to be viewed as part of care during delivery. If no skilled attendant is present at delivery, one should see the woman as early as possible. WHO recommends a postpartum visit within 1-3 days, if possible through home visits by community health workers. The main life- threatening complications of the postnatal period include hemorrhage, anemia, genital trauma, hypertension, sepsis, urinary tract infections and mastitis.

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Delivery care in Ethiopia (EDHS 2005 report)

‰Delivery in a health facility: 5.3 %

‰Births attended by a health professional: 5.7 %, this includes care given by doctors, nurses and midwifes

‰Births attended by a TBA: 28.1 %

‰The majority of births (60.5 %) are attended by a relative or some other person

‰Institutional delivery is generally low in most regions. Highest in AA (79 %)

‰Post natal care coverage is 6.3 %

‰Only 4.6 % of mothers receive postnatal care within the critical first two days after delivery

Children born in urban areas are 20 times more likely to be delivered in a health facility than their rural counterparts. Institutional delivery is 2 % among uneducated mothers compared to 52 % among those with at least secondary education. Births to women in the highest wealth quintile are much more likely to be assisted by a trained health professional (27 %) than to women in the lowest wealth quintile (1 %).

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Reasons for low utilization rates for maternal health services

•No physical access

•High costs

•Poor information

•Cultural preferences

•Lack of decision-making power by women

•Poor quality of care

•Delays in referring women from community health facilities to hospitals

2.3.4. Essential Newborn Care

Any intervention to prevent fetal deaths must focus on the mother, since direct causes of neonatal deaths such as asphyxia, respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis are related to the health or care of the mother. The majority of neonatal deaths (around 66%) occur in the first week of life.

You are expected to provide the following essential newborn care during this period:

ƒInitiation of breathing and resuscitation when needed

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ƒCleanliness

ƒPrevent heat loss, (Warming and drying of baby and keeping the delivery room warm)

ƒEarly breast-feeding

ƒEye care

ƒManagement of newborn illness

ƒImmunization

ƒVitamin K administration.

Specific maternal health topics that have to be disseminated at community level are summarized below.

1.Promote healthy behaviors to women, families and communities

2.Promote appropriate use of maternal health care

3.Increase community awareness and organization.

4.Discourage practices which harm maternal health

2.3.5. Maternal Nutrition

Poor nutrition before and during delivery contributes in a variety of ways to poor maternal health, obstetric problems and poor pregnancy outcomes.

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1.Stunting - exposes women to the risk of cephalo- pelvic disproportion.

2.Anemia- the cause may be due to inadequate intake of iron, parasitic infestation and malaria. Women with severe anemia are therefore, more vulnerable to infection and at increased risk of death due to obstetric hemorrhage.

3.Severe vitamin A deficiency may make women more vulnerable to obstetric complications, including infection and associated maternal mortality.

Adiet of pregnant and non-pregnant women should contain daily allowance of Vitamin A of 800mg. It is good to advice for women to have dark green, yellow or orange fruits and vegetables, liver as a source of vitamin A.

It is recommended to give supplemental vitamin A to pregnant and lactating women 200,000IU during pregnancy and 500,000IU during breast feeding. But remember, high doses of vitamin A during pregnancy causes teratogenic effect on fetus (consider doses higher than 50,000 IU is toxic).

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4.Iodine deficiency increases the risk of stillbirth and spontaneous abortion in severely deficient areas in country like Ethiopia. It also contributes to maternal death through hypothyroidism. The daily allowance of iodine is 150 mg and 175 mg for non-pregnant and pregnant women respectively. Diets containing iodine such as iodized salt and seafoods should be encouraged.

In summary the health care provider should encourage women to take foods of varieties and able to supplement available drugs during antenatal visits (Iron, vitamin A, Iodine etc)

5.Folate Periconceptional folate supplementation has a strong protective effect against neural tube defects. Information about folate should be made more widely available throughout the health and education systems. Women whose fetuses or babies have neural tube defects should be advised of the risk of recurrence in a subsequent pregnancy and offered continuing folate supplementation. The benefits and risks of fortifying basic food stuffs, such as flour, with added folate remain unresolved.

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2.3.6. Immunization

Prevention of Tetanus can be achieved by a combination of two approaches: -

1.Improving maternity care with emphasis on increasing the proportion of deliveries attended by trained attendants.

2.Increasing the immunization coverage of women of child bearing age, especially pregnant women with tetanus toxoid (TT).

Important control measures include, licensing health care providers providing professional supervision and health education as to methods, equipment and techniques of asepsis in childbirth; educating mothers, relatives and attendants in the practice of strict asepsis of the umbilical cord of the newborn. Any women of childbearing age visiting a health facility should be screened and offered immunization, no matter, what the reason for visit.

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2.4.Estimation of maternal mortality

2.4.1.Definitions and measures of maternal mortality

Definitions

The Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) defines a maternal death as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its managemen,t but not from accidental or incidental causes.

The 42-day limit is somewhat arbitrary, and in recognition of the fact that modern life-saving procedures and technologies can prevent maternal death, ICD-10 introduced a new category, namely the late maternal death, which is defined as the death of a woman from direct or indirect obstetric causes beyond 42 days, but less than one year after termination of pregnancy.

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According to ICD-10, maternal deaths should be divided into two groups:

Direct obstetric deaths are those resulting from obstetric complications of the pregnancy state (pregnancy, labour and the puerperium), from interventions, omissions, incorrect treatment, or from a chain of events resulting from any of the above.

Indirect obstetric deaths are those resulting from previous existing disease or disease that developed during pregnancy and which was not due to direct obstetric causes, but was aggravated by physiologic effects of pregnancy. The drawback of this definition is that maternal deaths can escape being so classified because the precise cause of death cannot be given even though the fact of the woman having been pregnant is known. Such under-registration is frequent in both developing and developed countries. Deaths from “accidental or incidental” causes have historically been excluded from maternal mortality statistics. However, in practice, the distinction between incidental and indirect causes of death is difficult to make. To facilitate the identification of maternal deaths in circumstances where cause of death attribution is

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inadequate, ICD-10 introduced a new category, that of pregnancy-related death, which is defined as: the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the cause of death.

In practical terms then, there are two distinct approaches to identify maternal deaths, one based on medical cause of death following the ICD definition of maternal death, and the other based on timing of death relative to pregnancy that is, using the ICD definition of pregnancy-related death. This has important implications for the approaches to measurement described below.

Measures of maternal mortality

There are three distinct measures of maternal mortality in widespread use: the maternal mortality ratio, the maternal mortality rate and the lifetime risk of maternal death. The most commonly used measure is the maternal mortality ratio, that is the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per 100,000 live births during the same time period. This is a measure of the risk of death once a woman has become

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pregnant. The maternal mortality rate, that is, the number of maternal deaths in a given period per 100,000 women of reproductive age during the same time period, reflects the frequency with which women are exposed to risk through fertility. The lifetime risk of maternal death takes into account both the probability of becoming pregnant and the probability of dying as a result of that pregnancy cumulated across a woman’s reproductive years. In theory, the lifetime risk is a cohort measure, but it is usually calculated with period measures for practical reasons. It can be approximated by multiplying the maternal mortality rate by the length of the reproductive period (around 35 years). Thus, the lifetime risk is calculated as [1-(1-maternal mortality rate) 35].

2.4.2.Maternal mortality: The measurement challenge

Why maternal mortality is difficult to measure

Maternal mortality is difficult to measure for both conceptual and practical reasons. Maternal deaths are hard to identify precisely because this requires information about deaths among women of reproductive

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age, pregnancy status at or near the time of death, and the medical cause of death. All three components can be difficult to measure accurately, particularly in settings where deaths are not comprehensively reported through the vital registration system and where there is no medical certification of cause of death. Moreover, even where overall levels of maternal mortality are high, maternal deaths are nonetheless relatively rare events and thus, prone to measurement error. As a result, all existing estimates of maternal mortality are subject to greater or lesser degrees of uncertainty. Broadly speaking, countries fall into one of four categories:

zThose with complete civil registration and good cause of death attribution – though even here, misclassification of maternal deaths can arise, for example, if the pregnancy status of the woman was not known or recorded, or the cause of death was wrongly ascribed to a non-maternal cause.

zThose with relatively complete civil registration in terms of numbers of births and deaths, but where cause of death is not adequately classified; cause of death is routinely reported for only 78

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countries or areas, covering approximately 35% of the world’s population.

zThose with no reliable system of civil registration where maternal deaths – like other vital events – go unrecorded. Currently, this is the case for most countries with high levels of maternal mortality.

Those with estimates of maternal mortality based on household surveys, usually using the direct or indirect sisterhood methods. These estimates are not only imprecise as a result of sample size considerations, but they are also based on a reference point some time in the past, at a minimum six years prior to the survey and in some cases much longer than this .

WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA have developed estimates of maternal mortality primarily with the information needs of countries with no or incomplete data on maternal mortality in mind, but also as a way of adjusting for underreporting and misclassification in data for other countries. A dual strategy is used that adjusts existing country information to account for problems of underreporting and misclassification and uses a simple

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statistical model to generate estimates for countries without reliable data.

Approaches for measuring maternal mortality

Commonly used approaches for obtaining data on levels of maternal mortality vary considerably in terms of methodology, source of data and precision of results. The main approaches are described briefly below. As a general rule, maternal deaths are identified by medical certification in the vital registration approach, but generally on the basis of the time of death definition relative to pregnancy in household surveys (including sisterhood surveys), censuses and in Reproductive Age Mortality Studies (RAMOS).

Vital registration

In developed countries, information about maternal mortality is derived from the system of vital registration of deaths by cause. Even where coverage is complete and all deaths medically certified, in the absence of active case-finding, maternal deaths are frequently missed or misclassified. In many countries, periodic confidential enquiries or surveillance are used to assess the extent of misclassification and underreporting. A

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review of the evidence shows that registered maternal deaths should be adjusted upward by a factor of 50% on average. Few developing countries have a vital registration system of sufficient coverage and quality to enable it to serve as the basis for the assessment of levels and trends in cause-specific mortality including maternal mortality.

Direct household survey methods

Where vital registration data are not appropriate for the assessment of cause-specific mortality, the use of household surveys provides an alternative. However, household surveys using direct estimation are expensive and complex to implement since large sample sizes are needed to provide a statistically reliable estimate. The most frequently quoted illustration of this problem is the household survey in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where it was necessary to interview more than 32,300 households to identify 45 deaths and produce an estimated MMR of 480. At the 95% level of significance, this gives a confidence interval of plus or minus about 30%, i.e. the ratio could lie anywhere between 370 and

660.The problem of wide confidence intervals is not simply that such estimates are imprecise.

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They may also lead to inappropriate interpretation of the figures. For example, using point estimates for maternal mortality may give the impression that the MMR is significantly different in different settings or at different times whereas, in fact, maternal mortality may be rather similar since the confidence intervals overlap.

Indirect sisterhood method

The sisterhood method is a survey-based measurement technique that in high-fertility populations substantially reduces sample size requirements since it obtains information by interviewing respondents about the survival of all their adult sisters. Although sample size requirements may be reduced, the problem of wide confidence intervals remains. Furthermore, the method provides a retrospective rather than a current estimate, averaging experience over a lengthy time period (some 35 years, with a midpoint around 12 years before the survey). For methodological reasons, the indirect method is not appropriate for use in settings where fertility levels are low [total fertility rate (TFR) <4] or where there has been substantial migration, civil strife, war, or other causes of social dislocation.

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Direct sisterhood method

The Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) use a variant of the sisterhood approach, the “direct” sisterhood method. This relies on fewer assumptions than the original method, but it requires larger sample sizes and the information generated is considerably more complex to collect and to analyze. The direct method does not provide a current estimate of maternal mortality, but the greater specificity of the information permits the calculation of a ratio for a more recent period of time. Results are typically calculated for a reference period of seven years before the survey, approximating a point estimate some three to four years before the survey. Because of relatively wide confidence intervals, the direct sisterhood method cannot be used to monitor short-term changes in maternal mortality or to assess the impact of safe motherhood programmes. The Demographic and Health Surveys have published an in- depth review of the results of the DHS sisterhood studies (direct and indirect methods) and have advised against the duplication of surveys at short time-intervals. WHO and UNICEF have issued guidance notes to potential users of sisterhood methodologies, describing

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the circumstances in which it is or is not appropriate to use the methods and explaining how to interpret the results.

Reproductive Age Mortality Studies

The Reproductive Age Mortality Study – RAMOS – involves identifying and investigating the causes of all deaths of women of reproductive age. This method has been successfully applied in countries with good vital registration systems to calculate the extent of misclassification and in countries without vital registration of deaths.

Successful studies in countries lacking complete vital registration use multiple and varied sources of information to identify deaths of women of reproductive age; no single source identifies all the deaths. Subsequently, interviews with household members and health-care providers and reviews of facility records are used to classify the deaths as maternal or otherwise. Properly conducted, the RAMOS approach is considered to provide the most complete estimation of maternal mortality, but can be complex and time- consuming to undertake, particularly on a large scale.

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Verbal autopsy

Where medical certification of cause of death is not available, some studies assign cause of death using verbal autopsy techniques. However, the reliability and validity of verbal autopsy for assessing cause of death in general and identifying maternal deaths in particular, has not been established. The method may fail to correctly identify a proportion of maternal deaths, particularly those occurring early in pregnancy (ectopic, abortion-related), those in which the death occurs some time after the termination of pregnancy (sepsis, organ failure), and indirect causes of maternal death (malaria, HIV/AIDS).

Census

There is growing interest in the use of decennial censuses for the generation of data on maternal mortality. A high-quality decennial census could include questions on deaths in the household in a defined reference period (often one or two years), followed by more detailed questions that would permit the identification of maternal deaths on the basis of time of death relative to pregnancy (verbal autopsy). The

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weaknesses of the verbal autopsy method have already been noted. Nonetheless, the advantages of such an approach are that it would generate both national and sub-national figures and that it would be possible to undertake analysis according to the characteristics of the household.

Trend analysis would be possible because sampling errors would be eliminated or greatly reduced. However, data obtained from enquiries into recent deaths in the household in a census require careful evaluation, and often adjustment. A number of countries have used the census to generate maternal mortality figures, and work is under way to assess the extent to which such approaches may prove of value in measuring maternal mortality.

2.4.3. Maternal mortality in Ethiopia

Since the launch of the Safe Motherhood Initiative in 1987, attention to reproductive health has increased worldwide and so has the need to provide reliable countrywide estimates of maternal deaths. In response to this increased interest, DHS surveys began collecting maternal mortality data through a series of questions

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designed to gather information and obtain a direct measure of maternal mortality. These questions were included in the 2000 Ethiopian DHS and later in DHS 2005.

Maternal mortality estimates need a comprehensive and accurate reporting of maternal deaths. Such estimates can be obtained through vital registration, longitudinal studies of pregnant women, or repeated household surveys. However, there is no vital registration system in Ethiopia nor has there been any national household survey carried out for the purpose of estimating maternal mortality. The Ethiopian DHS is the first population- based national survey to incorporate questions on maternal mortality.

Direct estimates of maternal mortality use data on the age of surviving sisters of survey respondents, the age at death of sisters who have died, and the number of years since the death of sisters. Interviewers in the Ethiopian DHS were asked to list all the brothers and sisters born to the natural mother of female respondents on chronological order starting with the first. Information was then obtained on the survivorship of each the siblings, the ages of surviving siblings, the year of death

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or years since death of deceased siblings, and the age at death of deceased siblings. For each sister who died at age 12 or over, the respondents were asked additional questions to determine whether the death was maternity related ; that is, whether the sister was pregnant when she died, and if so, whether the sister died during childbirth, and if not, whether the sister died within two months of the termination of a pregnancy or childbirth, listing all the siblings in chronological order of their birth is believed to result in better reporting of events than would be the case if only information on sisters were sought. Moreover, the information collected also allows the direct estimates of adult male and female mortality.

Information on maternal mortality for the period 0-6 years before the survey, as mentioned, this period was chosen to reduce any possible heaping of reported years since death on five-year intervals. Age-specific mortality rates are calculated by dividing the number of maternal deaths by years of exposure. Maternal deaths are defined as any death that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth or within two months after the birth or termination of pregnancy. This time-specific definition

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includes all deaths that occurred during the specified period even if the death is due to non pregnancy-related causes. However, this definition is unlikely to result in over reporting of maternal deaths because most deaths to women in the specified period are due to maternal causes, and maternal deaths in general are more likely to be underreported than over reported.

Maternal mortality rate in Ethiopia is high relative to developed countries. There were 263 maternal deaths in the seven years preceding the survey. The maternal mortality rate, which is the annual number of maternal deaths per 1000 women age 15-49, for the period 1994- 2000 is 1.68. maternal deaths accounted for 25 % of all deaths to women age 15-49; in other words, one in four Ethiopian women who died in the seven years preceding the survey died from pregnancy or pregnancy-related causes.

The maternal mortality ratio, which is obtained by dividing the age-standardized maternal mortality rate by the age-standardized general fertility rate, is often considered a more useful measure of maternal mortality since it measures the obstetric risk associated with each live birth. The maternal mortality ratio for Ethiopia for the

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CHAPTER 3

ABORTION

Learning Objectives

At the end of the chapter, the student is expected to:

•Understand the magnitude of abortion

•Identify reasons behind unplanned pregnancy

•Define Unsafe abortion and know contributing factors

•Understand different components of post abortal care

•Know the revised Penal Code of Ethiopia on Safe abortion

Abortion is the termination or initiation of termination of pregnancy before reaching viability (before 20weeks or <500grams according to WHO or before 28 weeks of gestation or less than 1kg fetal weight in Ethiopia and UK). It can be spontaneous where termination is not provoked deliberately or induced when there is a deliberate interference with the pregnancy for the sake

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of terminating it. Clinical stages of spontaneous abortion are: threatened, inevitable, incomplete, complete or missed abortion. If any of the stages mentioned get infected it is called septic abortion.

About Fifteen percent of all clinically recognizable pregnancies end in spontaneous abortions. It is estimated that 30 to 50 million induced abortions are performed annually in the world and about half of these are performed illegally. In Ethiopia it is estimated that there are 3.27 million pregnancies every year of which approximately 500,000 end in either spontaneous or unsafely induced abortion

WHO characterizes unsafe abortion by the lack of skilled providers, safe techniques, and/or sanitary facilities. Unsafe abortion is the commonest cause of maternal mortality accounting for up to 32% of all maternal deaths in Ethiopia.

Abortion is more than a medical issue, or an ethical issue, or a legal issue. It is above all a human issue, involving women and men as individuals, as couples and as a member of the society.

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3.1. Public Health Importance of Abortion

3.1.1.Abortion-related morbidities and mortalities

Unsafe abortion is a global problem. Millions of women around the world risk their lives and health to end an unwanted pregnancy. Every day, 55, 000 unsafe abortions take place–95 % of them in developing countries-and lead to the deaths of more than 200 women daily. Globally, one unsafe abortion takes place for every seven births.

Every year, 68,000 deaths and about 5 million disabilities occur globally due to unsafe abortion. One out of every eight maternal deaths is due to abortion related complications. In some settings a quarter or more of all maternal deaths are abortion-related.

Many women fail to seek treatment for abortion-related complications, leading to countless-and uncounted- deaths outside of health care systems. Unsafe abortion is, however, one of the most easily preventable and treatable causes of maternal death and disability.

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Between 20 and 50 % of all women who undergo unsafe abortions need hospitalization for complications.

Acute Complications

•Incomplete abortion

•Sepsis

•Hemorrhage

•Uterine Perforation

•Bowel injury

Long-term Complications

•Chronic pelvic pain

•Pelvic inflammatory disease

•Tubal blockage and secondary infertility

•Ectopic pregnancy

•Increased risk of spontaneous abortion or premature delivery in subsequent pregnancies.

These complications can limit women’s productivity inside and outside the home, constrain their ability to care for children and adversely affect sexual life.

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3.1.2 Impact on the public health system

Treatment of abortion-related complications:

zOften require several days of hospitalization and staff time, as well as

zBlood transfusions, antibiotics, pain control medications and other drugs.

Providing this care depletes funds and medical supplies needed for other types of treatment. As much as 50 % of some hospital budgets in developing countries are used to treat complications of unsafe abortion. For example, a recent study in Tanzania showed that 34 to 57 % of all admissions to the gynecological ward of a hospital in Dares Salaam were women suffering from complications of abortion, costing the hospital $7.5 per day to treat each woman. The national health budget allocates only $1 per person per year for health care.

Magnitude of Abortion in Ethiopia

Accurate estimates are difficult to get, but it is clear that abortion is widespread and generally performed by untrained persons. It is the leading cause of maternal mortality. In a community-based study, abortion

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accounted for 54.2 % of the direct causes of maternal deaths. It is one of the top ten causes of admissions among women. Unsafe abortion accounts for nearly 60

%of all gynecologic admissions and almost 30 % of all obstetric and gynecologic admissions. In a study done in Addis Ababa; abortion hospital occupancy rate among mothers was 32. 2 %.

3.2.Why Women Find Themselves with Unwanted Pregnancy?

3.2.1 Non-use of contraception

The majority of unwanted pregnancies occur in Non- users of contraceptive methods.

Despite the fact that family planning services are more effective and available than ever before, estimates suggest that ,worldwide:

•350 million couples lack access to information about contraceptives and a full range of modern family planning methods

•105 million married women have unmet need for family planning

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•12 to 15 million women may also lack access to services that will enable them to achieve their reproductive intentions.

•Even after treatment for complications of unsafe abortion, many women leave hospitals without any counseling on how to prevent future pregnancies, and without a contraceptive method.

In Zambia, for example, 78 % of women treated for abortion complications indicated that they would like to receive information about family planning, and 44

%indicated they would have liked to receive a method. However, Family planning was discussed with only 33 % of the women, and none was offered a method to take home.

3.2.2Contraceptive failure

Contraceptive failure results in 8-30 million pregnancies each year either from inconsistent or incorrect use of family planning methods or method-related failure.

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3.2.3 Sexual coercion or rape

Twenty to fifty percent of women and girls report sexual abuse, rape or sexual coercion which carries about 5% risk of pregnancy in those in reproductive age unless emergency contraceptives given.

3.2.4 Other factors include:

•Lack of control over contraception;

•Young age or single marital status;

•Abandonment or unstable relationship;

•Mental or physical health problems;

•Severe malformation of the fetus; and

•Financial constraints.

3.3Why does induced Abortion Occur?

Each year women around the world experience 80 million unwanted pregnancies. Out of these mothers, nearly 42 million decide to have an abortion and about 20 million of them undergo unsafe abortion.

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A woman's decision to get an abortion is not made in a vacuum, but is bound up in society's feelings about abortion as well as her feelings about the pregnancy:

•Several social factors influence the emotional decision of obtaining abortion

•The cultural attitudes toward family size also influence woman’s perception of abortion. When large families are the norm, she is viewed as, at best, odd. However, as norms change and children become more of an economic burden, this should remove another source of external pressure.

•Religious attitudes strongly affect the decision

•Personal and interpersonal reasons for continuing the pregnancy can be a great source of conflict. Often, pregnancy is the unwanted by- product of wanted sexual relations, while a pregnancy that is desired to prove her ability as a woman may have little relationship to desire for the actual child.

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•Age and martial status are important factors in the decision along with number of other children already born.

In some instances abortion is the first responsible decision the woman has made, and often the effect is beneficial to other children in a large family or to the woman planning an unwise marriage. Counseling helps the outcome. A large benefit of legalized abortion is the opportunity to talk with a trained counselor.

Unsafe abortion is a public health problem, particularly among young women since:

•Poor access to family planning information and services →unplanned pregnancy

•They are less likely than older women to have the social contacts and financial means to obtain a safe abortion

•Young women are more likely to delay seeking help and hence seek terminations at more advanced stages of gestation when the risks of morbidity and mortality are higher.

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In many African countries, up to 70 % of all women hospitalized for abortion complications are younger than 20.

3.4 Legislation and policies

National laws and policies on abortion vary widely. In 98

%of the world’s countries; danger to the woman’s life is recognized as a legal basis for terminating a pregnancy. Only in a few countries- Chile, the Holy See, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Malta-is abortion illegal in all circumstances.

When abortion is illegal,

•It is most difficult for a woman to obtain it,

•Society is generally against abortion, and

•The psychological trauma is generally great.

Evidence shows that restrictive legislation is associated with higher rates of unsafe abortion and correspondingly high mortality.

Once abortion is legalized, a supportive relationship can be established and the decrease in external stress will be accompanied by a similar decrease in negative feelings.

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•Up to 23 unsafe abortion/1000 women restrictive laws compared to 2/1000 in permissive laws

•Mortality 34/1000 live births in restrictive countries compared to 1 or less per 1000 live birth in liberal laws

In Romania, for example, abortion-related deaths increased sharply when the law became very restrictive in 1966 (to 148/100,000), and fell after 1990 with a return to less restrictive legislation (9/100,000) in 2002.

3.5Inadequate services

In many developing countries, safe abortion services are not available to the full extent permitted by law. Many health workers lack vital information about the legal status of abortion, and do not know how to perform abortions. When women experience complications due to unsafe abortion, appropriate medical care is often unavailable or inaccessible.

Lack of protocols for post-abortion care, misdiagnosis, negative attitudes on the part of health care providers and case overload result in life-threatening. These

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factors also costly, delay services for women seeking treatment from the health system.

3.6What can be done about unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions?

•Ensure universal access to family planning

•Increase the availability of safe abortion services to the extent allowed by law

•Improve the quality and accessibility of post- abortion care

•Educate communities about reproductive health and unsafe abortion; and

•Work for changes in policies to safeguard women’s reproductive health.

I. Contraceptive services and information

Prevent unwanted pregnancies through comprehensive, client-oriented reproductive health services especially family planning.

•During service provision one must be non- judgmental in attitudes,

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•Confidential counseling and quality family planning information and services, including emergency contraception, should be universally accessible to all women,

•Special attention should be given to the needs of young people, marginalized women, women living in situations of conflict, and women at risk of sexual abuse, rape and violence.

II.Providing high quality appropriate services

In more than 131 developing countries, induced abortion is permitted in certain circumstances. In countries where abortion is legal:

•Services should be safe and available

•Service providers must be carefully trained to offer high quality services and compassionate counseling.

•Providers must be well-informed about the legal status of abortion and protocols for providing services, so that women who are eligible can access services quickly and without unnecessary delays or bureaucratic procedures.

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Available services should also be publicized within the community and links should be strengthened with women’s groups, health centers and related organizations to ensure that women who need services are informed about where and when to seek care. Appropriate technologies such as vacuum aspiration should be available. New technologies, such as non- surgical abortion, should be made available, where appropriate and feasible.

III. Offering post-abortion care

Whatever the legal status of abortion, high quality services for treating and managing complications of abortions should be accessible to all women to reduce related maternal death. The recently promoted abortion care approach is women-centered approach of provision of the services. In the woman –centered approach, the provider asks for and focuses on woman’s concerns and interests and takes a comprehensive approach to meeting every woman’s medical and psychological needs at the time of treatment.

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Key elements of post abortion care include:

1.Treatment of incomplete and unsafe abortion;

2.Counseling;

3.Family planning services;

4.Links to comprehensive reproductive health services; and

5.Community and service provider partnerships.

IV. Educating communities

Education is critical for reducing the public health problem of unsafe abortion. Health education messages should be based on the incidence and impact of unsafe abortion within communities, and be sensitive to people’s beliefs, attitudes and practices. They should offer information on: the legal status of abortion; preventing unwanted pregnancy; avoiding unsafe abortion; and recognizing and seeking appropriate treatment for abortion complications.

V. Supportive laws and policies

When laws are modified to allow greater access to abortion-related services, such as legal changes, must

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be accompanied by changes in the health service structure.

•Development of appropriate service delivery

standards; protocols, guidelines and administrative procedures;

•Restructuring of the health system to ensure that high quality, safe services are available at the lowest levels compatible with good quality care.

•Staff must be trained and willing to provide services; and

•Supplies of necessary equipment and drugs must be available

•Requisite funds must be allocated for all these activities.

Policies and laws can contribute to unsafe abortion by impeding women’s ability to protect their sexual and reproductive health.

Examples

–Prohibitions on contraceptive delivery to unmarried women and adolescents

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–Requirements for spousal consent for the use of family planning services

Such policies and laws should be reviewed and revised, taking into account the cultural, religious and moral values of the communities concerned.

3.7Grounds on Which Abortion is Permitted, revised abortion law of Ethiopia, (House of Parliament, 2005)

•When the pregnancy puts the woman’s life at risk

•Fetal impairment or deformity

•When pregnancy follows Rape or incest (based on the woman’s complaint only)

•When pregnancy occurs in minors (stated maternal age <18 years)

•The woman is physically and mentally unable to care for the would-be born child

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References for Further Reading

•WHO. Unsafe abortion. Fifth edition, 2007

•The Lancet Series on SRH. Unsafe abortion, 2006

•UN. World Abortion Policies, 2007

•MOH abortion protocol

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CHAPTER 4

FAMILY PLANNING

Learning objectives

At the end of the chapter, the student is expected to: o Understand the rationale for FP

Programs in developing countries

oUnderstand steps in counseling

oUnderstand the reasons behind non-use of contraceptive methods

oKnow different FP delivery systems

Introduction

Family Planning Refers to the use of various methods of fertility control that will help individuals (men and women) or couples to have the number of children they want and when they want them in order to assure the well being of children and the parents. Family planning simply means preventing unwanted pregnancies by safe methods of prevention. This is considered to be part of the basic human rights of all individuals or couples as it

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was endorsed by the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994.

Family planning programs provide services that help people achieve:

•The number of children they desire

•Reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies

•Reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infection (especially condom), and

•Improve the health of women and children by spacing birth.

To achieve the above objectives, the service should offer:

ƒA wide range of contraceptives and counseling for well informed choice

ƒScreening and follow up

ƒIntegrated services like prevention and treatment of STIs

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4.1.Origins and Rationale for Family Planning Programs in Developing Countries

4.1.1. Demographic Rationale

Reducing high fertility and slowing population growth provided the dominant rationale for FP programs in the 1960s and 1970s. The rationale was based on concerns over the potentially negative effects of rapid population growth and high fertility on living standards and human welfare, economic productivity, natural resources, and the environment in the developing world, but still surveys showed substantial unmet need for family planning.

4.1.2. Health Rationale

During the 1980s, the public health consequences of high fertility for mothers and children are set of concerns for international community especially for developing countries. High rates of infant, child, and maternal mortality as well as abortion and its health consequences, were pressing health problems in many

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developing nations and had also become of greater concern for international development agencies.

4.1.2. 1. Benefits to women’s health

Simply by providing contraceptives to women who desire to use it, we can reduce maternal deaths by as much as one-third because:

•Avoiding pregnancy at the extremes of maternal age

•Decreasing risks by decreasing parity: If all women had five births or fewer, the number of maternal deaths could drop by 26 % worldwide.

•Preventing high-risk pregnancies: decrease maternal deaths by quarter

•Prevention of unwanted pregnancy: reduces unnecessary risks of pregnancy, childbirth and risks of induced abortion

•Improving health through non-contraceptive benefits including prevention of STIs and reproductive cancers

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4.1.2.2.Family planning benefits children’s health

Family planning indirectly contributes to children’s health, development and survival by reducing the risk of maternal mortality and morbidity.

Spacing births at least 2 years apart has to do with their survival:

•On average, babies born less than two years after the previous birth in the family are about twice as likely to die in the first year as babies born after at least a 2-year interval.

•Even older children who are spaced too closely face an increased risk of death during the toddler and childhood years.

Planning births during the mother’s optimal age-not too old or too young: women who are very young or very old are more likely to have an infant or child death. Family planning prevents further pregnancies in a mother who has had numerous pregnancies already and avoids close birth spacing and sharing limited resources such as food.

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4.1.2.3.Family planning benefits women and their societies

Family planning reduces the health risks of women and gives them more control over their reproductive lives. With better health and greater control over their lives, women can take advantage of education, employment, and civic opportunities. If couples have fewer children in the future, the rate of population growth would decrease. As a result, future demands on natural resources such as water and fertile soil will be less. Everyone will have a better opportunity for a better quality of life.

4.1.3. Human Rights Rationale

This rationale became preeminent in the 1990s, in part because of the excesses reactions to the demographic rationale. It rests on the belief that individuals and couples have a fundamental right to control reproductive decisions, including family size and the timing of births. This rationale found its strongest articulation at the ICPD, held in Cairo, in 1994.

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4.2. Family Planning methods

The commonly used family planning methods are:

1 Natural Method

¾Breast feeding

¾Abstinence

¾Withdrawal (Coitus interrupts)

¾Calendar methods

¾Cervical mucus (Billing’s Method)

¾Sympathothermal

2 Artificial methods

¾Barrier methods

-Diaphragm

-Condom

¾Intra-uterine device (IUD)

¾Hormonal

-Pills

-Implants

-Injectable

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¾Surgical methods (Permanent)

-Tubal ligation (ligating the oviduct).

-Vasectomy (ligating the sperm duct). Emergency contraception

ƒIUD

ƒLevonorgestrel-only or combined estrogen- progesterone

ƒRU486

Even though various methods are available and accessible, clients do not get the opportunity to discuss with health care providers how/when to use and where to go. Therefore, it is important to ensure provision of information and counseling in family planning services.

The major activities to be carried out are:

1.Review of all available methods in a simple and understandable manner.

2.Understanding and respecting the clients’ right.

3.Follow the acronym GATHER- greet, ask, tell, help, explain, and return

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4.3.Fertility Trends and Contraceptive Use

Contraceptive use and fertility rates vary substantially among developing countries. In a few countries of Asia and Latin America, at least three-fourths of married women use a contraceptive method—levels equal to those in developed countries. In contrast, in some sub- Saharan African countries fewer than 10% of married women use contraception. An estimated 105 million married women, about 1 in every 5, have an unmet need for family planning—that is, they are sexually active and want to avoid pregnancy, but are not using contraception. The percentage of women with unmet need fell since 1990, but still large number of women have no access to family planning services. Sub- Saharan Africa stands out as the region having the highest unmet need for contraception in the world (24 %). Among the 60 developing countries surveyed since 1990, the TFR varies from 2.3 children per woman in Vietnam to 7.2 in Niger. The average is 4.5 children per woman for those 60 countries as a whole.

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The fertility decline in developing countries that began in the 1960s and 1970s continued through the 1990s. Among 38 developing countries with more than one survey since 1990, the total fertility rate (TFR) fell in almost all. Among developing countries surveyed since 1990, fertility is highest in sub-Saharan Africa, at an average of 5.3 children per woman, but subsequent surveys suggest that parts of Africa have started down the path already taken in other regions. Behind fertility declines, there is continued increase in contraceptive use, particularly use of modern methods. Population Reports estimate that in 2000 about 55% of married women of reproductive age in developing countries were using a contraceptive method. This level of contraceptive use is well below the level in the developed world of 75 % to 84 % of married women which is the level of contraceptive use generally considered necessary to achieve replacement-level fertility (each couple having an average number of two children with contraceptive prevalence rate of 75% to 84%).

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Replacement-level fertility is the fertility rate at which each generation has only enough children to replace itself. In industrialized countries, where mortality is lower than in most developing countries, the replacement fertility level is a TFR of about 2.1. In developing countries with higher mortality levels, particularly among children, can push replacement-level fertility higher—to as high as a TFR of 3.5 or 4.0. Compared with earlier demographic transitions elsewhere, the transition in sub- Saharan Africa is much slower. Many factors—cultural, economic, political, and demographic—help explain the difference. Some researchers point to continued strong cultural preference for large families, to large rural populations relying on subsistence farming, and to low levels of economic development. In addition, continued high rates of infant and child mortality have contributed to high fertility levels, because many couples may have “extra” children to make up for those who die young.

In the past, lack of government commitment to family planning programs in some countries limited access to the range of contraceptive methods and services needed to meet people’s needs. Moreover, some sub- Saharan countries have faced internal conflicts that

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have made it difficult to provide family planning. Nevertheless, if recent fertility trends in sub-Saharan Africa are any indication, fertility rates in the region will fall in the future as they already have elsewhere. Reflecting such an expectation, the latest medium variant UN projection shows a TFR in Africa of 2.4 children per woman by 2045-2050.

4.4.Men’s Attitude towards FP

Men’s attitude towards contraceptive use exerts an important influence on their partner’s attitude and eventual adoption of a method. Since 1990, 46 countries, most in sub-Saharan Africa, have taken nationally representative surveys of men’s family planning attitudes and behavior. In nearly all surveyed countries, most men know and approve of contraception. Most married men say that they want to have more children, however, and on average, they want more children than married women do.

4.5.Fertility among Different Groups

Fertility levels vary according to women’s educational attainment, residence, and other social and economic characteristics. Such differences often are substantial.

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In most surveyed countries, the more years of school that women have completed, the lower their fertility. Women’s educational attainment has a stronger effect on fertility than does men’s education or other characteristics of households, such as wealth for example in Malawi, among women with no education the TFR is 7.3, while among women who have completed secondary education, it is only 3.0. Education affects fertility through a number of interrelated factors, including women’s social and economic status, status within the household, age at marriage, family size desires, access to family planning information and services, and use of contraception. In all countries surveyed, the TFR is lower in urban than rural areas.

4.6.Counseling in Family Planning

4.6.1.Goal of Family Planning Counseling

The main goal of family planning is to improve the quality of life and reproductive health by empowering individuals and couples to exercise their right to safe sexuality, and to decide whether and when to have children and how many to have. This goal is to provide opportunities for people to discuss their circumstances,

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needs and options to help clients make informed decisions about contraception, fertility and sexual health.

The counselor should be trained with regards to FP. He/she should also have some personal qualities. The following points can be seen in this context.

a)Bridge Knowledge Gap

•Brief anatomy and physiology of reproductive health to clients.

•Explain about the contraceptive technology - the benefits, risks, effectiveness and mode of action for all available family planning methods.

•Myths and belief should be told.

b)Help Clients Make Informed Choice

•Consider that women may be unprepared to make their own choice.

•Encourage clients to take responsibility for decision- making.

•Give complete information about the method chosen by the client.

C)Provide Services

•Record should be kept for a client.

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•Give family planning services.

•Should schedule follow - up visits.

4.6.2. Steps in Family Planning Counselling

Counseling new clients about family planning needs a step-by-step process. The process includes learning, making choices, making decisions and carrying them out. It consists of six steps which can be remembered with the acronyms GATHER. Not every new client needs all the steps; some clients need more attention to one step than another.

The GATHER Steps

G-Greet clients in an open, respectful manner. Assure the client of confidentiality. Give as much time listening as talking.

A-Ask clients about themselves. Help client talk about their family planning practices, intentions, concerns, and wishes.

T-Tell clients about choices. Depending on the clients need, tell the client what reproductive health choices she/he might take. Focus on methods that interest

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the client. Also explain other services that the client may want.

H -Help clients make an informed choice. Help the client think about the options. Encourage the client to express opinions and ask questions. Consider medical eligibility criteria for the family planning method that interest the client. In the end, make sure that the client has made clear decision.

E-Explain fully how to use the chosen method: after a client chooses a family planning method, give her or him the supplies if appropriate. Encourage questions, and answer them openly and fully. Give condoms to any one at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) and encourage using condoms along with any other family planning method. Check that the clients understand how to use their method.

R -Return visits should be welcomed: Discuss and agree when the client will return for follow-up or more supplies if needed. Always invite the client to return any time for any reason.

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Counseling is crucial to help clients make and carry out their own choices about reproductive health and family planning, makes clients more satisfied and helps clients use family planning longer and more successfully.

Counseling should be tailored to each client. At the same time, most counseling about method choice covers six topics.

•Effectiveness

•Advantages and disadvantages

•Side effects and complications

•How to use

•STI prevention

•When to return

4.6.3.Adolescent Counseling on Family Planning

Most of the fertility related problems affecting adolescents come about because of family life, education both at home and school. Therefore, giving family life education and counseling are important to adolescents in order to tackle the problems.

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Adolescence, married or unmarried, face several potential problems in relation to their sexual and Reproductive Health. These includes:-

•Consequences of unwanted pregnancy which may result in unsafe abortion.

•High risks of early child bearing for the mother, infant and child.

•Diminished opportunities for education and education especially for females.

•Unprotected sexual intercourse exposes adolescents to a high risk of STD's. Consistent and correct use of condom is highly effective in preventing pregnancy and STI (dual protection).

4.7.Trends in Contraceptive Use in Ethiopia

According to EDHS, majority (79.5 %) of current contraceptive users obtain methods from the public sector. Thirty-four percent of currently married women have unmet need for family planning. Men desire larger family size than women:

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–Mean ideal number of children is 4.5 for all women and 5.1 for currently married women

–Mean ideal number of children is 5.2 among all men and 6.4 for currently married men

The TFR in the rural areas is 6.0, two and half times higher than the TFR in the urban areas (2.4). There are also substantial differences in fertility among regions. The level of fertility is inversely related to women’s educational attainment, decreasing rapidly from 6.1 children among women with no education to 2.0 children among women who have at least some secondary education, which is similar to reports from other regions.

4.8.Family Planning Delivery Strategies

Service delivery strategies need to be tailored to reach populations in different locations- urban areas, rural towns, villages, and remote areas. The most common service delivery sites include clinics, community-based distribution programs, commercial retail sales, workplace programs, postpartum programs, and private physicians.

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1. Clinic-based services

Aclinic-based approach is reasonable in areas where clients do not live far from the clinic. Clinics often have the advantage of being able to provide methods that are more medically complex, such as IUDs, implants, Injectable and sterilization. In urban areas and rural towns, FP is most often provided by clinics that integrate it with other health services for women and children or offer it only on certain days of the week.

2. Community-Based Distribution (CBD)

In areas that do not have clinics nearby, family planning services may be made available through CBD programs. In this approach, CBD workers, usually village women are trained to educate their neighbors about family planning and to distribute certain contraceptives. In some programs, CBD workers also provide some primary health care services. In some programs, the workers receive some kind of payment; in others they are strictly volunteers. A midwife, family planning nurse, program coordinator, or other staff member is usually responsible for supervising the CBD workers’ activities and managing any problems that occur. FP administrators may find that CBD services are most

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effective when a program is fairly new and people are not familiar with contraceptives. Adding CBD services to existing clinic services has been shown to make family planning more acceptable to a community and to increase a program’s impact. In Ethiopia, CBD workers provide FP to 1.7 % of current users from the public sector and 1.4 % of the private sector.

To establish CBD

–Selection of CBD workers

–Training (initial/in-service)

–Supervision

–Integrating into a functional referral system

–Incentives to CBD workers

3.Commercial Retail Sales

If people are willing to obtain contraceptives from sources outside the health care system, commercial retail sales can make contraceptive methods very accessible. In this approach, contraceptives such as OCPs and condoms are sold at reduced, subsidized prices in pharmacies, stores, shops, bars, beauty salons

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and barber shops and are advertised on the mass media. When this approach is used, retailers should be given training in basic information about the products and how to refer people who have problems with a contraceptive.

4.9.Reasons for Not Using Contraceptives

An understanding of the reasons why people do not use family planning methods is critical in designing programmes that are effective in reaching women with unmet need and to improve the quality of family planning services.

Main Reasons for Not Intending to Use are:

•Outside sub-Saharan Africa: At little risk of becoming pregnant.

•Sub- Saharan Africa: Currently pregnant or want to have more children.

Other reasons for not intending to use:

•Concerns with contraceptive side effects

•Religious or other opposition to family planning.

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Major Reasons in Ethiopia (EDHS)

•Fertility-related reasons (40 %) mainly desire for more children

•Opposition to use (23.6 %)

•Lack of knowledge (11.2%),

•Method-related reasons (13.6%)

The proportion of women who cited a desire for more children has dropped markedly from 42 percent in 2000 to 18 percent in 2005, suggesting that women are realizing the disadvantages of large family sizes.

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References for Further Reading

•Lancet Series on SRH. Family planning: an unfinished agenda

•CSA, EDHS 2005. Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey

•Men’s surveys. New findings. Population Reports 2004, Series M, Number 18

•The Reproductive Revolution Continues. Population Reports 2003, Series M, Number 17

•Jane T. Bertrand, Robert J. Magnani, Naomi Rutenberg. Handbook of indicators for FP program evaluation. December 1994

•Judith Bruce. Fundamental elements of the quality of care: a simple framework. Studies in FP. 1990, Vol. 21, No.2. pp 61-91

•Saumya RamaRao and Raji Mohanam. The Quality of Family Planning Programs: Concepts, Measurements, Interventions, and Effects. Studies in Family Planning. 2003; 34[4]: 227–248

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CHAPTER 5

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED

INFECTIONS

Learning Objectives

At the end of the chapter, the student is expected to:

•Describe the Classification of STIS

•Outline the public health significance of STIS

•Understand STI Control strategies and obstacles

•Understand advantages and limitations of syndromic approach

5.1Introduction

Reproductive tract infections (RTIs) are infections of the genital tract of women and men. There are three types of RTIs:

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1.Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

{Infections caused by organisms that are passed through sexual activity with an infected partner.

More than 40 have been identified, including Chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis B and C, herpes, HPV, syphilis, trichomoniasis, and HIV.

2.Endogenous infections

–Infections that result from an overgrowth of organisms normally present in the vagina.

–These infections are not usually sexually transmitted, and include bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis.

3.Iatrogenic infections

–Infections introduced into the reproductive tract by a medical procedure such as menstrual regulation, induced abortion, IUD insertion, or childbirth.

–This can happen if surgical instruments used in the procedure are not properly sterilized, or if an infection already present in the lower

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reproductive tract is pushed through the cervix into the upper reproductive tract.

These three types of RTIs overlap and should be considered together. For example, some STIs, like gonorrhea or Chlamydia, can be spread in the reproductive tract if not treated prior to a procedure. In addition, some non-sexual infections, such as candidiasis, can be passed on through sexual activity. Not all STIs are RTIs; and not all RTIs are sexually transmitted; STI refers to the way of transmission whereas RTI refers to the site where the infections develop.

5.1.1. Main STI Pathogens

More than 30 pathogens are transmissible through sexual intercourse-oral, anal, or vaginal. The main sexually transmitted bacteria are:

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (causes gonorrhoea)

Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydial infections)

Treponema pallidum (causes syphilis)

Haemophilus ducreyi (causes chancroid)

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reported prevalence of STIs in Ethiopia is 2 % in women and 1.5 % in men.

The links between STIs and HIV is one of the reasons that force the world to give attention to almost neglected sexually transmitted infections, because:

•The presence of an untreated STI enhances both acquisition and transmission of HIV. HSV-2 plays an important role in the transmission of HIV infection.

•STI treatment is an important HIV prevention strategy in a general population

•Integration of HIV/AIDS programs with STIs prevention and care programs is economically advantageous (similar interventions and target audiences)

•Clinical services offering STI care are important for providing information and education about STIs including HIV in order to promote lower risk behavior.

Another reason to consider STIs as public health problems is because STIs can lead to the development of serious complications like:

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•Women: cervical cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.

•Men: sub-fertility

•Newborn: blindness and lung damage

•Syphilis can result in congenital syphilis for the baby and fatal cardiac, neurological and other complications in adults

•Genital warts can lead to ano-genital cancers

Untreated gonococcal and chlamydial infections in women will result in pelvic inflammatory disease in up to 40% of cases. One in four of these will result in infertility. In pregnancy, untreated early syphilis will result in a stillbirth rate of 25% and be responsible for 14% of neonatal deaths – an overall perinatal mortality of about 40%. Syphilis prevalence in pregnant women in Africa, for example, ranges from 4% to 15%. Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes about 500 000 cases of cervical cancer annually with 240,000 deaths, mainly in resource poor countries. Worldwide, up to 4000 newborn babies become blind every year because of

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eye infections attributable to untreated maternal gonococcal and chlamydial infections.

STIs constitute a huge health and economic burden, especially for developing countries, where they account for 17 % of economic losses due to ill-health. Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections is the leading cause of genital ulcer disease (GUD) in developing countries. Data from sub-Saharan Africa show that 30%–80% of women and 10%–50% of men are infected. Throughout the world, HSV-2 seropositivity is uniformly higher in women than in men and increases with age. HSV-2 plays an important role in the transmission of HIV infection. A study in Mwanza, the United Republic of Tanzania, showed that 74% of HIV infections in men and 22% in women could be attributable to HSV-2 ulcers. Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which may be transmitted sexually results in an estimated 350 million cases of chronic hepatitis and at least one million deaths each year from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. A vaccine to prevent hepatitis B infection, and thereby reduce the incidence of liver cancer, exists.

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The socioeconomic costs of STIs and their complications are substantial:

•Ranks among the top 10 reasons for health-care visits in most developing countries, and substantially drain both national health budgets and household income.

•Care for the sequel of STIs accounts for a large proportion of tertiary health-care costs

•The social costs of STIs include conflict between sexual partners and domestic violence.

These are the main reasons to consider STIs as public health problems and to design and implement appropriate intervention both preventive and curative.

5.2Classification of STIs

1.Diseases characterized by genital ulcer

•Chancroid, Genital herpes simplex virus,

Granuloma inguinale (Donovanosis), Lymphogranuloma Venarum, Syphilis

2.Diseases characterized by urethritis and cervicitis

•Chlamydial infection, Gonorrhea

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3.Diseases characterized by vaginal discharge

•Bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, Vulvo- vaginal candidiasis

4.Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

5.Epididymitis

6.Human papilomavirus infection (Genital wart)

7.Vaccine preventable STDs

•Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B

8.Proctitis, Proctocolitis and enteritis

9.Ectoparasitic Infections

•Pediculosis Pubis, Scabies

Prognostic classification of STDs

Curable (mostly bacterial)

GonorrheaSyphilis

ChlamydiaTrichomoniasis

Incurable (virus)

•HIV/AIDS

•Hepatitis

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•Herpes

•Human papilloma virus

5.3Traditional Approaches to STI Diagnosis

1.Etiologic diagnosis: using laboratory tests to identify the causative agent

2.Clinical diagnosis: using clinical experience to identify the symptoms typical for a specific STI.

•Even in a well-structured health system, etiological and clinical diagnoses are problematic because they are low in sensitivity.

•Etiological diagnosis is expensive and time-consuming; it requires special resources and delays treatment.

•With clinical diagnosis, it is easy to diagnose some STIs incorrectly and also to miss mixed infections.

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5.4The STI Syndromes and the Syndromic Approach to Case Management

Many different agents cause STIs, however, some of these agents give rise to similar or overlapping clinical manifestations.

Aim of Syndromic management of STIs:

•Prompt and effective detection and treatment of STDs

•Decrease STD incidence and prevalence by reducing period of infectiousness

The main STI syndromes are:

oUrethral discharge

oGenital ulcer o Inguinal bubo o Scrotal swelling

o Vaginal discharge

o Lower abdominal pain o Neonatal conjunctivitis

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NB. Some of the flow charts are annexed at the end of the book.

Main Features of Syndromic Management

•Periodic laboratory-based classification of the main causal pathogens by the clinical syndromes they produce

•Use of flow charts derived from this classification to manage a particular syndrome

•Treatment for all important causes of the syndrome

•Education and counseling of the patient on how to prevent re-infection

•Notification and treatment of self

Principles in the Syndromic management

•Many STIs can be identified and treated on the basis symptoms and signs.

•Treatment covers several possible infections responsible for the syndrome

•Syndromic management will reduce the cost of laboratory work up and extra visits to the clinic and treatment delay.

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Advantages and Limitations of Syndromic Management

Advantages of Syndromic management:

•Immediate treatment: Clients receive diagnosis and treatment within a single visit.

•Effectiveness: Clients are treated for a potential mixed infection. The use of flowcharts with appropriate treatment recommendations reduces the chance of ineffective treatment. This approach helps to prevent incorrect diagnoses in settings where clinical diagnosis is common.

•Ease of use: It is easy to teach and learn. So, all levels of health care providers and facilities can use it. It requires good training, but not specialized knowledge about STIs/RTIs.

•Low costs: There are cost savings since expensive lab tests are not used.

Limitations and concerns:

•Limitations in diagnosing vaginal discharge: Vaginal discharge poses a particular challenge since the syndrome might not be related to an

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STI. Because of the potential for negative reactions from clients and partners when the infection may not even be caused by an STI, it is important to consider each case on an individual basis. Women who do not have STIs, but who have non-sexually transmitted RTIs that cause vaginal discharge may be told that they should have their partners come for treatment; this can lead to relationship problems, including violence.

•Potential for over treatment: Clients are treated for multiple infections, although some will have no infection or only one. This is costly in terms of unnecessary drug use, waste of drugs that could be used to treat other clients, and the potential for microorganisms to develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs.

•Ineffectiveness against asymptomatic infections: This approach cannot be used with clients who are infected, but show no signs and symptoms.

•Need for data: Algorithms, risk assessment tools, and treatment protocols should be based on information that is difficult to collect in many

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settings, including: disease surveillance data, studies of risk factors, and microbial resistance tracking in the geographic location where the Syndromic approach is being used.

5.5Why Invest in STI Prevention and Control Now?

To reduce STI-related morbidity and mortality

•To prevent HIV infection because:

–Genital ulcer diseases have been estimated to increase the risk of transmission of HIV 50–300-fold per episode of unprotected sexual intercourse

–Improved syndromic management of STIs reduced HIV incidence by 38% in a community intervention trial in Mwanza, Tanzania

–Thailand also reduced HIV prevalence by effectively controlling STIs

•To prevent serious complication in women

–STIs are main preventable cause of infertility

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–PID, ectopic pregnancy and cervical cancer

•To prevent adverse pregnancy outcome

–Perinatal deaths

–Spontaneous abortions

–Preterm deliveries

–Ophthalmia neonatorum

Universal institution of an effective intervention to prevent congenital syphilis should prevent an estimated 492 000 stillbirths and perinatal deaths per year in Africa alone.

5.5. STI Control Strategies

1. Prevention by promoting safer sexual behaviors;

What is safer sex? It is any sexual activity that reduces the risk of passing STI and HIV from one person to another.

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Some safer sex practices:

ƒConsistent use of condom every time individual is having sex

ƒReducing the number of sex partners-sex with uninfected monogamous is safe

ƒMassaging, rubbing touching, dry kissing, hugging or masturbation instead of intercourse

ƒTo be away from unsafe sexual practices, like “dry sex”

ƒNot to have intercourse with partner having genital sore or discharge

2.General access to quality condoms at affordable prices;

3.Promotion of early recourse to health services by people suffering from STIs and by their partners;

4.Inclusion of STI treatment in basic health services;

5.Specific services for populations with frequent or unplanned high-risk sexual behaviors

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6.Proper treatment of STIs, i.e. use of correct and effective medicines; treatment of sexual partners; education and advice; reliable supply of condoms;

7.Screening of clinically asymptomatic patients;

8.Provision for counseling and voluntary testing for HIV infection;

9.Prevention and care of congenital syphilis and neonatal conjunctivitis;

10.Involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector and the community, in prevention of STIs and prompt contact with health services for those requiring care.

Many people with an STI/RTI do not seek treatment since they are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and do not realize that anything is wrong. Others who have symptoms may prefer to treat themselves or seek treatment at pharmacies or from traditional healers. Even those who come to a clinic may not be properly diagnosed and treated. In the end, only a small proportion of people with an STI/RTI may be cured and avoid re-infection.

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In order to address these challenges, health providers should:

•Raise awareness in the community about STIs/RTIs and how they can be prevented

•Promote early use of clinic services.

•Promote safer sexual practices when counseling clients.

•Detect infections that are not obvious.

•Prevent iatrogenic infection

•Manage symptomatic STI/RTI effectively

•Counsel patients on staying uninfected after treatment.

5.6Obstacles to Provision of Services for STI Control

ƒDecline in interest and resources for STIs prevention and control globally in favor of ART and VCT

ƒLack of integration of prevention and care activities for STIs (including HIV) into sexual and reproductive health services

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ƒProblem with Syndromic management of women with vaginal discharge, especially in low prevalence areas

ƒIntervention efforts to prevent STIs have failed to take into consideration the full range of the underlying determinants

ƒInability to ensure consistent supplies of STI medicines and condoms

ƒCounseling on risk reduction is also usually lacking

ƒInadequate participation of partners, especially communities

ƒDiagnostic problem: either asymptomatic or do not seek care

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Barriers to STI control-finding people with STI

People with STI

Accurate diagnosis

Correct treatment

Completed treatment

Cure

Source: WHO integrating STI/RTI care for reproductive health, a guide to essential practice, 2005

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References

•RTIs. RHO (www.rho.org)

•STI Fact Sheet 2004

•Lancet SRH series 5: Global control of STIs, 2006

•WHO. Prevention and Control of STIs: draft global strategy. May 2006

•WHO. Sexually transmitted and other reproductive tract infections. 2005

•WHO. Training modules for the syndromic management of STIs. 2nd edition

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CHAPTER 6

HIV/AIDS AND REPRODUCTIVE

HEALTH

Learning objective

•To know the HIV/AIDS Global, regional and national status

•To understand main modes of transmission of HIV

•To know the main preventive strategies

6.1. Introduction

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a human tragedy. Since the epidemic began in the early 1980s, AIDS has caused more than 30 million deaths and orphaned more than 14 million children worldwide. With no cure in sight, the AIDS-causing virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), continues to spread around the world, causing more than 13,000 new infections each day.

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By the end of 2007, 33.2 million people were living with HIV, including 2.5 million children under 15 years old. Over 95 percent of these HIV cases occurred in the developing countries of sub-Saharan

Africa and South and Southeast Asia.

In 2007, approximately 2.5 million new adult HIV infections with 420,000 newly infected under 15 years children and 2.1 million AIDS-related adult deaths occurred worldwide with 330,000 deaths of children under 15 years. Women accounted for approximately more than half of the new infections and 2.1 million AIDS deaths.

HIV/AIDS exacts a heavy toll on its victims. People living with HIV/AIDS face tremendous health risks from opportunistic illnesses (such as tuberculosis) that compromise their way of life and dramatically increase their risk of death. In sub-Saharan Africa, average life expectancy has dropped to 47 years, 15 years less than it would have been without AIDS. In addition to health risks, people living with HIV/AIDS face social and cultural barriers, including stigmatization, discrimination, and rejection from health-service providers, friends, and relatives. These barriers, often worsened by the

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concurrence of the HIV and tuberculosis epidemics, can affect their access to health and medical services, the quality of services they receive, and their daily livelihoods.

The consequences of HIV/AIDS extend beyond its immediate victims, also affecting surviving family members, communities, and societies. It is estimated that for each woman who dies of AIDS in Africa, two children will be orphaned. More than 90 percent of children orphaned by AIDS live in sub-Saharan Africa, and the numbers are increasing daily. In the next decade, the number of orphans is also expected to increase in Asia, the Americas, Central and Eastern Europe, and the countries of the Newly Independent States (NIS). In developing countries, AIDS orphans face extreme economic uncertainty and are at higher risk of malnutrition, illness, abuse and sexual exploitation than children orphaned by other causes. In addition, these surviving children face the stigma and discrimination that accompany HIV/AIDS, leaving them socially isolated and often deprived of basic social services such as education.

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Because HIV/AIDS affects people during their most productive years, when they are responsible for the support and care of others, it carries profound social and economic repercussions for communities and societies. HIV/AIDS is the primary cause of disease burden in developing countries and accounts for about 2.8 percent of the global burden of disease worldwide. It is now the leading overall cause of death in Africa, accounting for more than 6 percent of the disease burden in some cities, and is the fourth greatest cause of death worldwide.

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Sub Saharan Africa continues to be the most affected region by HIV/AIDS with:

•More than 68% of adults infected with HIV ( >22.5 million)

•90% of infected children with HIV

•70% of AIDS deaths in 2007

•1.7 million people newly infected

•Majority of people living with HIV/AIDS are women.

UNAIDS/WHO classification of HIV epidemic states

Low level: HIV prevalence has not consistently exceeded five percent in any defined sub- population

Concentrated: HIV prevalence is consistently over 5 percent in at least one defined sub-pulation, but below one percent in pregnant women in urban areas.

Generalized: HIV prevalence is consistently over one percent on pregnant women nation-wide.

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6.2.Modes of Transmission of HIV

Several large studies have confirmed that there is no risk of transmission through casual contacts with household members, such as sharing meals, sleeping together (without sexual contact), handshaking, hugging, or holding a baby. There have been no reports of transmission in out-of-home childcare settings or in schools.

The primary modes of transmission of HIV are: sexual transmission, transfusion, or exposure to, infected blood products, or exposure to contaminated needles and other equipment; and MTCT. Each mode of transmission is associated with a different risk of acquiring HIV infection. The greatest risk of transmission of HIV infection follows an HIV-contaminated blood transfusion. Ninety percent of individuals who receive a transfusion of HIV-contaminated blood acquire infection. In many developing countries, screening of blood products before transfusion is inadequate or nonexistent.

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Contaminated blood products continue to be a significant source of new HIV infections. Re-use of needles or syringes in the health care setting has led to many infections in infants and children. If equipment must be re-used, strict adherence to proper decontamination and sterilization procedures is essential. Intravenous drug abuse carries a risk of approximately 0.5 to 1% per exposure if needles or injection equipment used by an HIV-infected person are shared.

When visible blood or other body fluids are present, (for example, on bandages) there may be a small risk of HIV transmission through an intact skin. Therefore, in such situations, gloves should be worn. Hands should be washed immediately with soap and water, if contact with blood or other bodily fluids occurs.

6.2.1. Sexual Transmission of HIV

Heterosexual transmission is the primary mode of acquiring HIV in developing countries. Women, especially young girls, are more likely than men to become infected following heterosexual intercourse. Cases of HIV infection resulting from sexual abuse of

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children, and even infants, have been reported. Adolescents are increasingly at risk from unprotected sexual intercourse or the use of contaminated needles.

Disturbing gender differences in rates of HIV infection have been reported in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where several countries report that the number of teenage girls infected with HIV is up to six times greater than the number of teenage boys who are infected. Studies suggest that girls are more susceptible than mature women to HIV infection per sexual act.

Many girls are exposed to older HIV-infected men who seek sexual partners less likely to be HIV infected, or to men who request sexual favors in exchange for economic support. Worldwide, sexual abuse and trafficking of children increases the risk of HIV infection in very young children. Some studies place the number of children in forced prostitution as high as 10 million. The fairly widespread (and false) myth that having sex with a virgin can cure HIV infection has resulted in HIV infected men seeking younger sexual partners. Young girls, who are viewed as less likely to be HIV infected,

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may command a premium as prostitutes, placing them at high risk for acquiring HIV.

6.2.2. MTCT of HIV

Children can become infected with HIV through the same modes as those by which adults are infected (exposure to contaminated blood or other body fluids, eg, through transfusions of infected blood products, through contact with needles or other instruments contaminated with infected blood or other body fluids, and through sexual abuse), and also through MTCT.

Perinatal transmission encompasses MTCT before delivery (antepartum), during delivery (intrapartum), or following delivery through breast-feeding in the first few days of life (postnatal). In medical literature, the term "perinatal" is used synonymously with "vertical" to describe MTCT, but generally does not include transmission by breast-feeding after the first few days of life. In resource-rich countries, where safe alternatives to breast-feeding are available perinatal (intrauterine and intrapartal), HIV transmission accounts for virtually all new cases of HIV infection in children. A small

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proportion of children may be infected as the result of sexual abuse.

Rates of MTCT

The majority of children born to HIV-infected mothers are uninfected. Without interventions to prevent MTCT of HIV, rates of MTCT range from 13% in Europe to approximately 40% in Africa. Although there are many possible explanations for this difference, the distinct difference in the prevalence of breast-feeding among HIV-infected mothers in resource-rich versus resource- poor settings is likely implicated.

Timing of MTCT

MTCT of HIV occurs during three different time periods: antepartum, intrapartum, and postnatally through breast- feeding. With the advent of highly sensitive techniques for detecting virus in the peripheral circulation of the infant, it is possible to estimate the timing of MTCT more accurately. In the absence of breast-feeding, an estimated 50 to 70% of transmissions occur around the time of delivery, with the remainder occurring in utero. Therefore, without breast-feeding, most MTCT is presumed to be a result of exposure to HIV during late

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Risk Factors for MTCT

Several factors put a woman at a higher risk of transmitting HIV to her child.

Maternal Factors

•High maternal viral load

•Low CD4 count

•Advanced maternal disease

•Viral or parasitic placental infections during pregnancy, labour and childbirth

•Maternal malnutrition ( including iron and folate, vitamin A, and zinc deficiencies)

•Nipple fissures, cracks, mastitis and breast abscess

Infant factors

•First infant in multiple birth

•Preterm low birth weight

•Duration of breastfeeding

•Mixed feeding

•Oral diseases in child

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Obstetric and Delivery Practices

•Rupture of membrane for more than four hours

•Injuries to birth canal during child birth (vaginal and cervical tears)

•Ante partum procedures e.g. amniocentesis, external cephalic version

•Invasive childbirth procedures (e.g. episiotomy, fetal scalp monitoring)

•Vaginal delivery

•Delayed infant cleaning and eye care

•Routine infant airway suctioning

6.2.3.Breast-Feeding Transmission

Breast-feeding is associated with increased transmission overall. A randomized clinical trial comparing breast-feeding with formula feeding demonstrated the efficacy of complete avoidance of breast-feeding for the prevention of MTCT.

In resource-poor settings, breast-feeding offers the best opportunity for inexpensive, readily available, and safe infant nutrition. In most communities, breast-feeding is

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naturally viewed as a caring and nurturing response of a mother toward her infant. There are many studies that document the beneficial aspects of breast-feeding in protecting against many kinds of infection. Unfortunately, HIV is one particularly serious infection that can be transmitted by means of breast-feeding. This presents a dilemma for the HIV-infected mother when alternative means of safely feeding her infant are difficult to obtain. There were many recommendations for this problem, but the current recommendation for mothers who are living in developing countries is exclusive breast feeding for six months and abrupt weaning with no mixing of breast milk with weaning food.

HIV/AIDS prevention and control

The steady growth of HIV prevalence throughout the world stems not from the deficiencies of available prevention strategies and tools, but rather from the failure to use them. At present, there are more HIV infections every year than AIDS-related deaths. The trends in increasing infections pose a major threat to the global response to AIDS.

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Effective HIV prevention programming focuses on the critical relationships between the epidemiology of HIV infection, the risk behaviours that transmit HIV, and the cultural, institutional and structural factors that drive risk behaviours. Risk behaviours are enmeshed in complex webs of economic, legal, political, cultural and psychosocial determinants that must be analyzed and addressed by policies that are also effectively implemented and through scaled-up programming.

Prevention and treatment must be scaled up in a balanced way, to capitalize fully on synergies between the two. Comprehensive HIV prevention requires a combination of programmatic interventions and policy actions that promote safer behaviours, reduce biological and social vulnerability to transmission, encourage use of key prevention technologies, and promote social norms that favour risk reduction.

Essential Policy Actions for HIV Prevention

1.Ensure that human rights are promoted, protected and respected and that measures are taken to eliminate discrimination and combat stigma.

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2.Build and maintain leadership from all sections of

society, including governments, affected communities, nongovernmental organizations, faith- based organizations, the education sector, media, the private sector and trade unions.

3.Involve people living with HIV, in the design, implementation and evaluation of prevention strategies, addressing the distinct prevention needs.

4.Address cultural norms and beliefs, recognizing both the key role they may play in supporting prevention efforts and the potential they have to fuel HIV transmission.

5.Promote gender equality and address gender norms and relations to reduce the vulnerability of women and girls, involving men and boys in this effort.

6.Promote widespread knowledge and awareness of how HIV is transmitted and how infection can be averted.

7.Promote the links between HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.

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8.Support the mobilization of community-based responses throughout the continuum of prevention, care and treatment.

9.Promote programmes targeted at HIV prevention needs of key affected groups and populations.

10.Mobilizing and strengthening financial, and human and institutional capacity across all sectors, particularly in health and education.

11.Review and reform legal frameworks to remove barriers to effective, evidence based HIV prevention, combat stigma and discrimination and protect the rights of people living with HIV or vulnerable or at risk to HIV.

12.Ensure that sufficient investments are made in the research and development of, and advocacy for, new prevention technologies.

HIV prevention strategies

The main strategies proposed by the United Nations AIDS programme are:-

1.Condom use

2.Education

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3.HIV prevention for key population

4.HIV post exposure prophylaxis

5.Male circumcision

6.New HIV prevention technologies

7.Prevention of mother to child transmission

8.Social and behavior change

Condom use

Conclusive evidence from extensive research shows that correct and consistent condom use significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission.

The male latex condom is the single, most efficient, available technology to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Along with the female condom, it is a main component of comprehensive strategies to reduce risks of sexual exposure to HIV.

Condom promotion must be incorporated into a comprehensive prevention strategy that involves leadership from all sections of society, addresses cultural norms and beliefs, promotes gender equality, and promotes widespread knowledge and awareness of

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how HIV is transmitted and how condoms can avert infection.

Prevention programmes need to ensure that high-quality male and female condoms are readily and consistently available to all those who need them, when they need them, and that people have the knowledge and skills to use them correctly. Condoms must be promoted in ways that help overcome sexual and personal obstacles to their use. Complex gender and cultural factors can be a challenge for HIV prevention education and condom promotion.

Education

The education sector is critical to HIV prevention for young people and can also play a vital role in support for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV.

Education in school settings

Simply ensuring young people’s access to school or other educational opportunities is an important aspect of HIV prevention. Not only are higher levels of education associated with safer sexual behaviours and delayed

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sexual debut, but school attendance provides students the benefits of school-based sexuality education and HIV prevention programming.

Young people in many parts of the world are denied sex and health education in schools because parents and other authorities fear that it encourages early sexual activity.

But there is compelling evidence from studies conducted around the world and in many different cultures that, in fact, sex education encourages responsibility. Knowledgeable young people tend to postpone intercourse or, if they do have sex, to use condoms.

Experience shows, however, that information is not enough. Young people also need life skills such as decision-making, communication and negotiation. They need to understand the concepts of risk behaviour, such as unprotected sex and the use of alcohol and drugs, the possible consequences of such behaviour and how to avoid them. And they need to know where to go for services and help. AIDS education should cover all these aspects.

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Among the most effective approaches to sex and health education in schools are the use of role play to personalize issues, and peer education, in which young people are trained to spread messages and promote responsible behaviour among their friends and colleagues.

Education outside school settings

Out-of-school youth are a diverse group that includes young people who have dropped out of school or college, children kept out of school by families who cannot afford to send them or who need their labour at home, and children living on the streets. Such youngsters are often especially vulnerable to HIV. Bored, alienated and sometimes hopeless at finding them selves excluded from the mainstream, they may seek escape and thrills in drugs, alcohol or sex. Providing them with the information and skills they need to protect themselves from HIV is a special challenge. The fact that they are not part of an institution such as a school or workplace makes them difficult to reach. Moreover, their levels of literacy vary.

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Experience shows that peer education, which involves training representatives among out-of-school youth to convey information, is one of the most effective strategies. Peer educators understand the lives and concerns of others out of school and are therefore more trusted.

Another effective strategy is to use entertainment such as street theatre, music and puppetry, which draws people in and provides a focus as well as an alternative pastime to risky activities.

HIV prevention among key populations

Although comprehensive HIV prevention programmes must be made available to all, actions must be taken to ensure that specialized and focused HIV prevention programmes are developed and available for people most at risk.

UNAIDS encourages countries to “know their epidemic and their current response”. Knowing their epidemic and response enables countries to “match and prioritize the response” by identifying, selecting and funding those HIV prevention measures that are most appropriate and

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effective for the country in relation to its specific epidemic scenario(s) and settings. Matching and prioritizing the response entails identifying those populations most-at-risk and vulnerable, gauging the extent to which new HIV infections are occurring within these populations and the extent to which they are consulted and engaged in tailoring the response for their communities.

Engaging these key populations within HIV prevention activities is critical to an effective response, so too is ongoing analysis of what works, the costs and benefits of the different HIV prevention measures and their feasibility given the available human and financial resources.

Key populations include:

Children and orphans

Indigenous people

Injecting drug users

Men who have sex with men

Migrants and mobile workers

Peacekeepers

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People in the education sector

People in the health sector

People living with HIV

Prisoners

Refugees and internally displaced people

Rural communities

Sex workers and their clients

Women and girls

Workplace populations

Young people

HIV post-exposure prophylaxis

The immediate use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent HIV sero conversion after exposure to potentially HIV- infected blood or body fluids is called Post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection (HIV-PEP).

The efficacy of HIV-PEP has been shown in occupational settings but, the evidence is indirect. Studies suggest that when initiated within 12, 24, or 36 hours after exposure, HIV-PEP is more effective than

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initiation within 48 to 72 hours, and that HIV-PEP is not effective when given more than 72 hours following the exposure. Furthermore, a 28-day course of drug therapy appears to be more effective than courses lasting 3 or 10 days.

Since HIV-PEP is not 100% effective, the importance of primary prevention must be reinforced. The use of HIV- PEP following possible occupational exposure in settings such as hospitals has become a routine component of occupational safety policy in most of North America and Europe.

Non-occupational use of HIV-PEP has been introduced and is being studied in settings supporting sexual assault survivors, rape survivors in refugee camps, and persons in communities at high risk of HIV, such as sex workers, people who use injection drugs, men who have sex with men, and people in prisons. Risk behaviour has not been shown to increase substantially among HIV-PEP users and in communities where HIV-PEP is available.

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A key consensus at the 2005 Joint International Labor Organization/World Health Organization Technical Meeting for the Development of Policy and Guidelines regarding occupational and non-occupational HIV-PEP was that HIV-PEP must be part of comprehensive HIV prevention, occupational health, and post-rape care service policies. Services must be provided as part of a comprehensive prevention package that emphasizes primary prevention.

Male circumcision

Male circumcision is one of the oldest and most common surgical procedures known. It is undertaken for cultural, religious, social as well as medical reasons.

The evidence that adult male circumcision is efficacious in reducing sexual transmission of HIV from women to men is compelling. The partial protective effect of male circumcision (approximately 60% reduction in risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection) is remarkably consistent across the observational studies (ecological, cross-sectional and cohort) and the three randomized controlled trials conducted in diverse settings.

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In response to the urgent need to reduce the number of new HIV infections globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNAIDS Secretariat convened an international expert consultation in March 2007 to determine whether male circumcision should be recommended as an HIV prevention measure. Based on the existing evidence, experts attending the consultation recommended that male circumcision now be recognized as an additional important intervention to reduce the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men.

Male circumcision should always be considered as part of a comprehensive HIV prevention package. Moreover, wherever male circumcision services are offered, training and certification of providers, as well as careful monitoring and evaluation of programmes, will be necessary to ensure that these meet their objectives and that quality services are provided safely, with adequate equipment and with appropriate counselling and other services.

The communication strategies around male circumcision will be critical, since men should not develop a false

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sense of security and engaging in high-risk behaviours that could undermine the partial protection provided by male circumcision. Additional research is still required in a number of areas to inform the further development of male circumcision programmes such as the impact of male circumcision on sexual transmission from HIV- infected men to women, the protective benefit of male circumcision in the case of insertive partners engaging in anal intercourse, and research into the resources needed for, and most effective ways, to expand quality male circumcision services.

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV

Each day, approximately 1,800 children become infected with HIV, the vast majority of whom are newborns. A pregnant woman who is HIV-positive can pass the virus on to her baby in the womb or during childbirth, or postnatal, through breastfeeding.

In the absence of any intervention, the risk of mother-to- child-transmission (MTCT) of HIV is around 15-30%, if the mother does not breastfeed the child. But it can rise as high as 30-45% with prolonged breastfeeding.

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The risk of transmission can be reduced by up to 50% with the administration of a short course of antiretroviral drugs to mother and baby around the time of delivery, in conjunction with replacement feeding.

However, less than 8% of pregnant women worldwide are currently offered services to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV.

Prevention of perinatal HIV transmission requires a comprehensive package of services that includes preventing primary HIV infection in women, preventing unintended pregnancies in women living with HIV, preventing transmission from pregnant women living with HIV to their infants, and providing care, treatment and support for women living with HIV and their families.

Health systems need to be strengthened so that interventions to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV infection, including the use of antiretroviral drugs, can be safely and effectively implemented. Moreover, HIV testing in pregnancy has a number of benefits in terms of prevention and care for mother and child, although to avoid or minimize negative consequences

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testing must be voluntary and confidential and accompanied by quality counseling.

Timely administration of antiretroviral drugs to the HIV- diagnosed pregnant woman and her newborn significantly reduces the risk of mother-to-child HIV transmission. Positive mothers should also be provided with access to ART for the protection of their own health.

Combination regimes appear to be most effective, but were until recently regarded as too costly for widespread use in low- and middle-income countries. In recent years, projects to prevent mother-to-child transmission in resource-limited settings have primarily focused on provision of single-dose intrapartum and neonatal nevirapine, which cuts the risk of HIV transmission by more than 40%. While the benefits of single-dose nevirapine outweigh the risk of resistance in these settings, development of affordable regimens with superior resistance profiles is an urgent global priority.

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National guideline recommendation for PMTCT (Ethiopian)

1. Women presenting during pregnancy

Facilities where ART service is functional and available:

Mother:

•Ante partum: AZT (300 mg Bid) starting at 28 weeks of pregnancy or as soon as feasible thereafter

•Intrapartum: Single dose (Sd) NVP (200 mg) + AZT ( 600 mg at onset of Labour) and 3TC (150 mg at onset of labour and every 12 hours until delivery)

•Postpartum : AZT ( 300 mg Bid) and 3TC (150 mg Bid) for 7 days

Infant:

•Single dose (Sd) NVP ( 2 mg/kg) + AZT (4 mg/kg Bid for 7 days)

Note: if mother did not receive adequate dose of, i.e. less than four weeks of, AZT before delivery, the AZT dose for the infant should be extended for four weeks

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Facilities with no ART service OR when referral to the nearest ART clinic is not possible or difficult for the client):

Mother:

•Single dose (Sd) NVP (200 mg) at the onset of Labour

Infant:

•Single dose (Sd) NVP within the first 72 hours of birth

NB. If mothers come to health institution and should be on ART they should start the recommended regiment of HAART any time after the first trimester with AZT based regime(AZT + 3TC+ NVP) unless they have anemia in which AZT is substituted with D4T (D4T +3TC + NVP).

2.Women presenting in Labour who have NOT received any antenatal prophylaxis

Facilities where ART service is functional and available:

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Mother

•Intra Partum: Single dose (Sd) NVP (200 mg) + AZT( 600 mg during labour) + 3TC (150 mg during labour and every 12 hours until delivery)

•Postpartum : AZT ( 300 mg Bid) + 3TC (150 mg Bid) for 7 days

Infant

•Single dose (Sd) NVP ( 2 mg/kg) + AZT ( 4 mg/kg Bid) for four weeks

Facilities with no ART service AND referral to the nearest ART clinic is not possible or difficult for the client):

Mother

•Single dose (Sd) NVP (200 mg) at onset of labour

Infant

•Single dose (Sd) NVP within the first 72 hours of life

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3.Infant born to women living with HIV who do not receive any ARV prophylaxis

Facilities where ART service is functional and available:

•Single dose (Sd) NVP ( 2 mg/kg) + AZT (4 mg/kg Bid for four weeks)

Facilities with no ART service AND referral to the nearest ART clinic is not possible or difficult for the client:)

•Single dose (Sd) NVP within first 72 hours of birth

NOTE: The best time to initiate ARV prophylaxis for the infant is immediately after delivery or within 12 hours if possible

•At any time during ARV provision for the mother and the infant; AVOID the use of double dosing of NVP

Social and behaviour change

Unlike some infectious diseases, transmission of HIV is mediated directly by human behaviour, so changing behaviours that enable HIV transmission is the ultimate

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goal or outcome required for HIV prevention. Sexual behaviour, which remains the primary target of HIV prevention efforts worldwide, is widely diverse and deeply embedded in individual desires, social and cultural relationships, and environmental and economic processes. So too are the behaviours related to transmission through injecting drug use and from mother to child. This makes HIV prevention a complex task with multiple dimensions, that requires both policy and programmatic actions.

Effective, inexpensive and relatively simple HIV prevention interventions do exist, but the pace of the epidemic is clearly outstripping most country efforts in closing the coverage gap of effective HIV prevention services. This gap reinforces the importance of addressing the deep-rooted drivers of the epidemic – e.g. actions to address gender inequality and ensures that human rights are respected.

UNAIDS policy and practical guidance on HIV prevention stresses that effective and comprehensive HIV prevention would require addressing both individual

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risk as well as vulnerability, and reducing the impact of HIV on individuals and communities.

In the context of HIV, risk is defined as the probability that a person may acquire HIV infection. Certain behaviours create, enhance and perpetuate such risk (UNAIDS, 1998). These include behaviours such as injecting drug use, unprotected casual sex, and multiple concurrent long term sexual partners with low and inconsistent condom use (UNAIDS, 2007). Risk arises from individuals engaging in risk behaviours for a variety of reasons such as lack of information, inability to negotiate safer sex, unavailability of condoms, etc. Over the recent years, the approach to HIV has broadened to not only focus on individual risks, but also on the environmental and social factors that influence such behaviour, and the key role that power relationships and gender inequalities play in influencing risk (UNAIDS, 1998).

On the other hand, vulnerability from a health perspective, results from societal factors that adversely affect one’s ability to exert control over one’s health. Vulnerability is influenced by the interaction of a range

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of factors including certain personal, social, economic and political factors that make people or certain groups of people more vulnerable to infection than others. These include age, sex, poverty, gender inequalities, certain laws, etc. Factors affecting risk and vulnerability should be considered in designing an effective AIDS response, more so in behaviour change programmes.

Despite recent evidence in expansion of access to prevention, treatment, care and support services, the fundamental role of human behaviour in the continued spread of HIV is increasingly clear. Fostering health enhancing behaviour change outcomes demands a persistent commitment to meeting the diverse and changing needs of individuals, and to addressing the characteristics of their social, cultural and physical environments that place them at risk.

Communication for behaviour change

Information, Education and Communication – sometimes called IEC - are a critical part of the puzzle for achieving the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. However,

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information, education and communications must be combined with other interventions to succeed.

Methods of communication range from one-to-one personal interactions to posters placed in school classrooms to prevention messages on national television. The focus may range from reducing stigma or decreasing HIV infection, but the ultimate goal is behaviour change.

Effective social mobilization involves an integrated communication strategy that includes a variety of communication actions such as sustained advertising, peer education, and community mobilization, all coherently focused so as to reinforce each other. The strategy is aimed at a defined group of people for an identified behavioral result.

Communication for behaviour change often involves reaching out to marginalized populations whose needs and behaviours are different from those of the rest of the community. Information must be provided in language familiar and appropriate to each group of people and in settings that are comfortable for them. Outreach and education by peers are two strategies that have been

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shown to be highly successful in overcoming the mistrust of individuals who are marginalized. For example, sex workers can be trained to provide HIV prevention education and to promote condom use among their peers.

National programmes must identify the array of behaviour change needs and communication strategies throughout the country. Resources can then be devoted to development of programming specific to each cultural or behavioural group at high risk of HIV infection. UNAIDS and its partners provide technical assistance and guidance regarding the processes as well as the needs of various communities affected by HIV.

Whatever the local epidemiological and social conditions, effective HIV prevention programmes prioritize and focus on the intervention needs of people most at risk of exposure to HIV and likely to engage in HIV risk behaviours, and they focus programme efforts on reaching adequate numbers of these key audiences with good quality services. These audiences should be segmented, and information and services should be tailored to meet each subpopulation’s needs.

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Segmenting in this sense means identifying subpopulations within each key audience that are different enough to require different approaches or messages (for example, distinguishing transgendered persons from men who have sex with men, or street- based from brothel-based sex workers). It does not mean singling out those populations for blame or persecution, or stigmatizing an HIV prevention measure as only for specified people. Effective HIV prevention includes efforts to ensure that segmenting the response does not lead to stigmatization and other unintended adverse consequences.

Uniting for HIV prevention

Across the world, a small, but growing number of countries have reduced HIV prevalence through sound prevention efforts. However, in 2005, there were still 4.1 million new HIV infections with over 40% of new adult infections occurring among young people aged 15-24. According to latest estimates, HIV prevention services reach only one in ten of those most at risk.

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In an era where the world has committed to working towards universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010, there is clearly an urgent need to intensify HIV prevention efforts in both size and scale to halt growing infection rates and sustain the gains that have already been made in the AIDS response such as increased numbers of people on HIV treatment.

To this aim, UNAIDS is ‘uniting for HIV prevention’ with others who share this goal – including civil society, treatment activists, the private sector and governments -

-to call for the global community to mobilize an alliance for intensifying HIV prevention.

At the XVI International AIDS Conference that took place in Toronto, Canada in August 2006, representatives from UNAIDS, the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations (ICASO), the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), the governments of India and Sweden and Merck pharmaceuticals outlined the concept of ‘uniting for HIV prevention’

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“There is an urgent need to build on good work already taking place and mobilize an alliance for HIV prevention that goes ‘beyond the converted’ involving more than ‘the usual suspects’, and with strong links to HIV treatment activism,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot.

“We need an alliance that is united by commitment to the goal of saving lives, even if we may have different tactics. We need an alliance that draws in the best and brightest minds of our generations, and that is a partnership between governments, people living with HIV, the most vulnerable groups, civil society, faith- based organizations, business and international institutions,” he said.

‘Uniting for HIV prevention’ is a consolidation of existing advocacy and public mobilization efforts around HIV prevention and aims to harness the collective strengths of organizations in bringing about a sustainable response to HIV epidemic. The UNAIDS policy position paper on intensifying HIV prevention provides a common ground around which advocacy for scaling up HIV prevention is based.

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‘Uniting for HIV prevention’ aims to:

ƒFoster leadership on HIV prevention with key stakeholders at the global, regional and national level to achieve community action

ƒPromote and support joint activity, activism and partnership amongst a variety of stakeholders

ƒPromote sound evidence and draw on the experience of communities

ƒAct as a convening body around scaling-up HIV prevention

The broad and inclusive grouping of organizations ‘uniting for prevention’ will seek to influence policy makers as well as generate public opinion on the need to bridge the HIV prevention gap. Together, they seek to strengthen the movement and create the enabling environment which is required to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

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‘Uniting for Prevention’ – the players and their roles

Civil society

“Uniting for prevention” will bring together a large number of civil society organizations that work on difference facets of the AIDS response across different sectors and with a variety of community groups. These include networks of people living with HIV, young people, women’s groups, human rights organizations, faith-based organizations, AIDS service organizations and community groups. They can bring pressure on their constituencies to prioritize HIV prevention.

Governments

’Uniting for Prevention’ will bring together government leaders to push for greater acceleration and resource allocation for HIV prevention efforts.

Treatment activists

As the forerunner of treatment activism, their push for HIV prevention is a wake-up call to the world on how gains made in treatment will not be sustained if the rate of scale up of HIV prevention does not dramatically increase in the next few years.

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Private sector

The growth of the private sector is dependent upon a healthy and vibrant workforce and a healthy population that can propel economic growth. The private sector can also help in lending their expertise to rapidly scale up HIV prevention efforts and invest in innovations that can make HIV prevention simpler.

UNAIDS

UNAIDS will unite the various stakeholders involved in global HIV prevention efforts, and lead advocacy programmes calling for a comprehensive, scaled up and fully funded HIV prevention response.

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indignity of harmful practices and when they realize that it is possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of their culture." Health professionals worldwide struggle with how to address harmful health practices. The basic question of whether a practice is harmful or necessary is often hotly debated—debates that sometimes rely on simplistic divisions between "Western" and local medical values. In many cases, this division masks more complicated reasons for defending harmful practices, the victims of which tend to be women and children and others who are less powerful in their society. These reasons often include power struggles, local and national politics, and/or lack of understanding about the risks of the practice. Sometimes a harmful practice is so deeply rooted that it seems impossible to change. But in every country people have pushed forward positive social changes, and harmful practices have been ended. For example, foot binding was once the norm in many parts of China. Women without tiny, hobbled feet were considered unmarriageable. Women were completely dependent on men since they were unable to walk well. Yet, the practice was eliminated in a short time, in conjunction with major political, social, and economic

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changes in that society. In the nineteenth-century Europe, women endured pain and physical damage from constrictive whalebone corsets which caused their waists to appear slim. This practice was also recognized as dangerous, and fell out of favor. At the same time, Western medicine is recognizing the benefits of some traditional health practices, which fall into an overarching category described by some as "Indigenous Knowledge." Traditional plants are being researched by drug companies, and the health benefits of non-Western therapies such as Indian yoga, Chinese acupuncture, and African community support systems are increasingly being recognized. As leaders in Western medicine learn more about helpful traditional practices, and vice versa, health professionals in all countries can draw from the best of these worlds in order to help their clients make healthy choices.

Harmful Practices

-Female genital mutilation: primarily in Africa

-Early marriage: Asia, the Middle East, Africa

-Severely restricted weight gain during pregnancy: Philippines, France, other countries

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-Withholding colostrum (initial breast milk with special nutritional value) from newborn: China, Guinea Bissau

-Low levels of breast feeding: United States, France, other European countries

-Postpartum nutritional restrictions: Latin America

-Vaginal douching: United States, selected European countries, other countries

-"Dry sex" practices (removal of vaginal fluid with absorbent materials): Africa, Latin America, Southeast Asia

-Breast and penis implants: United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, other countries

7.2. Violence against Women

Globally, at least one in three women has experienced some form of gender-based abuse during her lifetime. Violence against women is any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or

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private life. Abuse of women and girls is best understood within gender framework because it stems in part from women’s and girls’ subordinate status in the society. In addition to causing injury, violence increases women's long-term risk of a number of other health problems, including chronic pain, physical disability, drug and alcohol abuse, and depression. Women with a history of physical or sexual abuse are also at increased risk for unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Females of all ages are victims of violence, in part because of their limited social and economic power compared with men.

Violence against women (VAW) encompasses, but is not limited to:

„Spousal battering

„Sexual abuse of female children

„Dowry-related violence

„Rape including marital rape

„Traditional practices harmful to women such as

FGM

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„Non-spousal violence

„Sexual harassment and intimidation at work and in school

„Trafficking in women

„Forced prostitution

„Violence perpetrated or condoned by the state, such as rape in war

„In the 1990s, Violence against women, VAW emerged as a focus of international attention and concern

-In 1993, the UN General Assembly passed the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

-The Cairo Program of Action recognized gender-based violence as an obstacle to women’s reproductive and sexual health and rights.

-The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action devoted an entire section to the issue of violence against women.

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-In 1996, the 49th World Health Assembly adopted a resolution declaring violence a public health priority.

-In 1999, the United Nations Population Fund declared VAW a public health priority.

7.2.1.Magnitude of the Problem

Violence against women (VAW) is the most pervasive, yet least recognized human rights abuse in the world. Around the world, at least one woman in every three has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Two of the most common forms of violence against women are abuse by intimate partner violence (IPV) and coerced sex.

I.Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

Intimate partner violence occurs in all countries, irrespective of social, economic, religious or cultural group. Although women can be violent in relationships with men, and violence is also sometimes found in same-sex partnerships, the overwhelming burden of partner violence is borne by women at the hands of

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men. A multi-country population-based household surveys in 15 countries reported life-time prevalence of physical or sexual partner violence, or both from 15 % to 71 %, between 4 % and 54 % reported violence in one year. Although intimate partner violence is a common cause of injury in women, injury that requires treatment is not the most common outcome of such violence. Thus, increasingly emphasis has been placed on early identification of women during antenatal care, other obstetric or gynecological consultation, primary health- care, and mental health-services.

In Ethiopia, the life-time prevalence of physical and sexual violence were reported to be 48.7% and 58.6%, while the corresponding rates for the previous year were 29.0% and 44.4%, respectively. The proportion of women reporting life-time and current experience of either physical or sexual partner violence, or both was 70.9% and 53.7%. Research suggests that physical violence in intimate relationships is often accompanied by psychological abuse and in one-third to over one-half of cases by sexual abuse.

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Figure 4: The Life Cycle of Violence Against Women and its Effects on Health*

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Events Triggering Violence

A wide range of studies have produced a remarkably consistent list of events that are said to trigger partner violence. These include:

‰Not obeying the man

‰Arguing back

‰Not having food ready on time

‰Not caring adequately for the children or home

‰Questioning the man about money or girlfriends

‰Going somewhere without the man’s permission

‰Refusing the man sex

‰The man suspecting the woman of infidelity

In many developing countries, women often agree with the idea that men have the right to discipline their wives, if necessary by force. The EDHS 2005 reported that 81

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%of women believed a man is justified in beating his wife at least for one reason. The most widely accepted reasons for wife-beating are going out without telling the partner and neglecting the children (about 64 percent).

II. Sexual Coercion

Sexual coercion exists along a continuum, from forcible rape, to non-physical forms of pressure that compel girls and women to engage in sex against their will. The touchstone of coercion is that a woman lacks choice and faces severe physical and social consequences if she resists the sexual advances.

Sexual violence includes:

„Rape within marriage or dating relationships

„Rape by strangers

„Systematic rape during armed conflict

„Sexual harassment

„Sexual abuse of children

„Forced first sex

„FGM

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„Forced marriage

„Denial of the right to use contraception

III. Impact on Health

„Physical: injuries, bruises, chronic pain syndromes, disability, fractures, GI disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, reduced physical functioning

„Sexual and reproductive health: gynecological

disorders, infertility, PID, pregnancy complications/miscarriage, sexual dysfunction, STIs including HIV/AIDS, unsafe abortion and unwanted pregnancy

„Psychological and behavioral: alcohol and drug abuse, depression and anxiety, poor self- esteem, psychosomatic disorders, unsafe sexual behavior, phobias and panic disorder

„Fatal health consequences: AIDS-related mortality, maternal mortality, homicide, and suicide

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Impact on Reproductive Health

„Women who live with violent partners have a difficult time protecting themselves from unwanted pregnancy or disease.

‰Violence can lead directly to unwanted pregnancy or STIs, including HIV infection, through coerced sex, or else indirectly by interfering with a woman’s ability to use contraceptives, including condoms.

„One in every four women is physically or sexually abused during pregnancy, usually by a partner.

‰Violence during pregnancy has been associated with miscarriage, late entry into prenatal care, stillbirth, premature labor and birth, fetal injury, and low birth weight.

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What Can Be Done Against Gender Based Violence (GBV)?

„Initiatives against gender-based violence take many forms, including police and judicial reforms, legislative initiatives, community mobilization to encourage behavior change, and the reorientation of health services.

„The most effective approach is integrated and multi-level: in the short term it provides services for victims and punishes perpetrators, while in the long term it addresses the social and economic determinants of violence.

„Prevention strategies also need to focus on:

‰Empowering women and raising their status

‰Combating norms of violence, and

‰Reducing poverty and alcohol consumption

„PAHO's integrated strategy to address gender- based violence, which was developed and tested in Central America, operates at four different

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levels: the community, the clinic, the health sector, and the macro or political level

Health care providers can do:

Health care providers can play a crucial role in addressing violence against women because health care providers often are well placed to recognize victims of violence and to help them. Since violence increases the risk of other health problems for women, early help can prevent serious conditions that follow from abuse.

Health care providers can help solve the problem of violence against women if they learn how to ask clients about violence, if they become better aware of signs that can identify victims of domestic violence, and help women protect themselves by developing a personal safety plan.

Health workers can educate themselves about physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and explore their own biases, fears and prejudices. They can also provide supportive, non-judgmental care to victims of violence and ask clients about in a friendly, gentle way.

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Leaders of Reproductive Health Programs Can:

‰Establish policies and procedures to ask women clients about abuse

‰Establish protocols that clearly indicate appropriate care and referral for victims of violence

‰Promote access to emergency contraception

‰Lend facilities to women’s groups seeking to organize support groups and to hold meetings

Why have health care providers been slow to address violence against women?

¾Lack of technical competence and resources

¾Cultural stereotypes and negative social attitudes

¾Institutional constraints

¾Women’s reluctance to disclose violence

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HCPs can screen women for domestic violence when they come for:

‰Antenatal and postnatal care

‰Reproductive health services: Family planning and prevention of STIs

‰Mental health services

‰Emergency departments

Supporting Women Who Disclose Abuse

‰Assess for immediate danger

‰Provide appropriate care

‰Document women’s condition

‰Develop a safety plan

‰Inform women of their rights

‰Refer women to community resources

Moving outside the clinic

•Community health promotion

•Communication campaigns

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7.3. Female genital mutilation (FGM)

It is estimated that at least 2 million girls are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) each year. FGM is practiced in at least 26 of 53 African countries. Prevalence varies from 98 percent in Somalia and 97 percent in Egypt to 5 percent in Uganda. The practice is also found among some ethnic groups in Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, as well as parts of India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. FGM has become a health and human rights issue in Australia, Canada, England, France, and the United States, due to the continuation of the practice by immigrants from countries where FGM is common.

FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organs for cultural or non- therapeutic reasons. In 1995, the World Health Organization developed the following four broad categories for FGM operations:

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Type I: Excision (removal) of the clitoral hood with or without removal of part or the entire clitoris.

Type II: Removal of the clitoris together with part or all of the labia minora.

Type III (infibulation): Removal of part or all of the external genitalia (clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora) and stitching and/or narrowing of the vaginal opening leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual flow.

Type IV (unclassified): All other operations on the female genitalia, including pricking, piercing, stretching, or incision of the clitoris and/or labia; cauterization by burning the clitoris and surrounding tissues; incisions to the vaginal wall; scraping (angurya cuts) or cutting (gishiri cuts) of the vagina and surrounding tissues; and introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina.

These procedures are not reversible, and their effects last a lifetime. Type I and II account for up to 85 percent of FGM operations. Type III is common throughout

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Djibouti, Somalia, and Sudan, as well as in parts of Egypt, Ethiopia, and Kenya. While health complications occur most frequently with Type III operations, they occur with all types and can lead to death.

Health consequences of FGM seem to vary according to the type and severity of the procedure. Complications may range from immediate, such as bleeding and shock, to a wide range of longer-term problems for women and their newborn children. Psychological effects may be profound and permanent. Additionally, FGM may increase the risk of HIV or Hepatitis B, due to unclean conditions often associated with the procedure.

Global efforts to promote alternatives to FGM are increasing

Efforts to promote alternatives to FGM are increasing worldwide. International health organizations and conventions have uniformly condemned the procedure. The 1994 Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) included a recommendation to ". . . urgently take steps to stop the practice of female genital mutilation and to

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protect women and girls from all such similar unnecessary and dangerous practices." The 1995 Platform for Action of the Fourth World Conference on Women urged governments, international organizations, and nongovernmental groups "to develop policies and programmes to eliminate all forms of discrimination against the girl child, including female genital mutilation." FGM is recognized as a human rights violation in the U.S. State Department's annual country reports. In 1997 United Nations agencies (WHO, UNICEF, and UNFPA) issued a joint position paper and are increasing their efforts to eradicate FGM.

7.4. Early Marriage (EM):

It has been a common practice, particularly in much of rural Ethiopia to get girls married at an early age as 10 – 15 years old. The young adolescent or preadolescent girl is not ready physically and psychologically for intercourse, pregnancy, child bearing and child rearing.

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Some of the reasons for early marriage are:

•Parents desire to see the marriage of their daughters and their grandchild before they die

•Strengthen the family or business ties between the two parties to be married

•Avoid the possibility of a daughter not getting married or becoming not eligible for marriage

•Avoid premarital sex or loss of virginity and its consequences

Harmful effects of early marriage include:

•Psychological effect on the girl bride leading to different somatic problems. The small genitalia are traumatized ending up in tears, bruising, cystitis, and damage to the urethra.

•Preclampsia, prolonged and obstructed labour leading to fistula formation

•Haemorrhage and shock at delivery

•Still born babies

•Loveless marriage often ending in divorce

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•Difficulty in managing a household by the young girl

•Deprivation of the girl of her education leading to poor opportunity for employment and gainful income

Marriage by abduction

Is a gross violation of women’s rights. It has been common in some parts of Ethiopia. In some cases the girl may be willing and ready to proceed with the marriage. In these cases, the consequences are less grave. However, when the girl objects and fights against the abductors she can be severely hurt and even get killed.

Reasons for Marriage by Abduction:

•Refusal or anticipated refusal of consent by parents or girl

•Avoid excessive wedding ceremony expenses

•Ease the economic burdens of the conventional bride price

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•Outsmart rivals when the girl has many suitors and/or the inclinations of the girl or her parents are not predictable

•Difference of ethnic origins or economic status of partners may also be reasons for possible abduction.

Harmful effects of marriage by abduction

•Battering, inflicting bodily harm, suffocation, and severe disabilities and death may ensue.

•Conflict created between families may lead to feuding lasting for generations. There are incidents of ethnic conflicts due to marriage by abduction

•The outcome may be an unhappy, unstable and loveless marriage

•Psychological stress on the girl. Might end up in suicide.

•There are large expenses related to conflict resettlements as compensation to the family or for court cases

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•Discontinuation of schooling and other opportunities for the girl.

Other harmful traditional practices that are prevalent in Ethiopia include Uvulectomy, milk teeth extraction, food prohibitions for mothers, eye brow incision, and soiling the umbilicus of the new born with cow dung. Each of these traditional practices have mistakenly perceived advantages.

Uvulectomy is supposed to prevent problems of feeding (swallowing), avoid noisiness and improve speech. Milk teeth extraction is assumed to prevent diarrhoea and cure various diseases. Eye brow incision is undertaken to prevent eye diseases and blindness. Certain food items which contain important nutrients are believed to cause diseases in women and children. These harmful traditional beliefs and practices might result in serious health outcomes including serious bleeding, acquiring dangerous and fatal infection and malnutrition.

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Suggested intervention strategies to minimize and eliminate harmful traditional practices include:

•Educate the community and the leaders by using acceptable and effective methods

•Provide legal support against the negative aspects of traditional practices and formulate legislative measures to eliminate them

•User friendly health facilities to deal with problems related to harmful traditional practices

•Endeavour to educate practitioners of harmful traditional practices about the dangers of such practices

•Imposing punishment on such practitioners if they persist with the practice

•Should a victim be willing to testify or discuss his/her dilemma, on the case to the public as example to others.

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References

•Heise LL, Ellsberg M, Gottemoeller M. Ending Violence against women. Baltimore, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Centre for Communications Programs, 1999 (Population reports, Series L, No.11)

•Krug EG et al., eds. World Report on Violence and Health. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002

•Reproductive Health Outlook. Gender and Sexual Health (www.rho.org)

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For girls, puberty is a process generally marked by the production of estrogen, the growth of breasts, the appearance of pubic hair, the growth of external genitals, and the start of menstruation. For boys, it is marked by the production of testosterone, the enlargement of testes and penis, a deepening of the voice and a growth spurt.

Why Focus on Young People?

•Young people constitute a large and growing segment of the population.

At the turn of 21st century 1.7 billion people were between the ages of 10 and 24.

–Eighty six percent of these live in less developed countries.

–In Ethiopia, young people age 10-24 constitute more than a third of the population.

•Certain health problems (like STIs and HIV) are more prevalent in this age group

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•Behaviors starting in adolescence frequently lead to health problems, which may emerge in later life, at immense cost to the individual and their society.

•While young people face many new problems, there are also new opportunities which if combined with the energy and creativity of young people can bring tremendous dividends and can help them play vital role in their family and to the society as a whole.

•Future economic development depends on having increasing proportion of reasonably well educated, healthy and economically productive population.

8.1. Global Youth Today

The current generation of young people is the healthiest, most educated, and most urbanized in history. However, there still remain some serious concerns:

Education: Despite increasing attention given worldwide to education, 121 million children worldwide are out of school, with 9 million more girls than boys. As

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of 2003/4, the net enrollment ratio in primary education was 86 % for developing countries and 64 % for sub- Saharan Africa. The net enrollment ratio for Ethiopia is

42.3%. In the least developed countries, only 22 percent of boys and 13 percent of girls are able to continue their education beyond the primary level. In Ethiopia, the net attendance ratio for secondary school is only 15.6 %. The gap between boys’ and girls’ enrollment is most apparent at the secondary level. In Ethiopia, the ratio of girls to boys is 0.91 in primary education and 0.65 in secondary education. Youth with low levels of education experience severely limited future prospects for economic self-sufficiency. Educating girls is essential to reducing child mortality, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases. Furthermore, educated women will most likely have healthy children who will complete schooling. Decades of research have shown that educated women have greater control of their reproductive lives, such as decisions about the number and spacing of their children.

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Sexuality: Globally, most people become sexually active during adolescence. Premarital sexual activity is common and is on the rise worldwide. Rates are highest in sub Saharan Africa, where more than half of girls aged 15-19 are sexually experienced. Millions of adolescents are bearing children, in sub-Saharan Africa, more than half of women give birth before age 20. In Latin America and the Caribbean, this figure drops to one third. For example, unwanted and out of wedlock pregnancy, is poorly tolerated in many societies. If it happens, the blame is usually put on the girl and regarded as disgrace to the family and reduced chance of getting husband. The traditional society solves this problem or conflict by early marriage. The need for improved health and social services aimed at adolescents, including reproductive health services, is being increasingly recognized throughout the world. Approximately one billion people – nearly one out of every six persons on the planet are adolescents; 85 percent live in developing countries. Many adolescents are sexually active and, in some regions, as many as half are married.

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Health: Sexual activity puts adolescents at risk of various reproductive health challenges. Each year, about 15 million adolescents aged 15-19 years give birth, as many as 4 million obtain an abortion, and up to 100 million become infected with a curable sexually transmitted disease (STI). Globally, 40 percent of all new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections occur among 15-24 year olds; recent estimates are that 7,000 are infected each day. These health risks are influenced by many interrelated factors, such as expectations concerning early marriage and sexual relationships, access to education and employment, gender inequities, sexual violence, and the influence of mass media and popular culture.

Challenges: Adolescents often lack basic reproductive health information, skills in negotiating sexual relationships, and access to affordable, confidential reproductive health service. Incompetent providers further limit access to services where they exist, as do legal barriers to information and services. Many adolescents lack strong stable relationships with parents

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or other adults whom they can talk to about their reproductive health concerns.

Despite these challenges, programs that meet the information and service needs of adolescents can make a real difference. Successful programs help young people develop life-planning skill, respect the needs and concerns of young people, involve communities in their efforts, and provide respectful and confidential clinical services.

Characteristics of the adolescence period

The period is characterized by:

•The period when the individual progresses from the point of initial appearance of secondary sex characteristics to sexual maturity.

•It is period when psychological processes and patterns of identification to those of an adult.

•Transition from the state of total socio-economic dependence to relative independence.

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•Period of rapid physiological changes and vulnerability to physical, psychological and environmental influences.

•Period of physical, biological, psychological and social maturity from childhood to adulthood.

Transition from childhood to adulthood involves adjustment encompassing physiological, psychological, cognitive, social and economic changes. The process is universal, but varies by individual and culture.

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Table 5: Effects of social environment on adolescent RH behavior

Factors	Positive influences						Negative influences
Education	Good health and sex education						Early unwanted pregnancy, school dropping,
	followed by correct behavior						unemployment, prostitution, drug abuse,
							crime, etc,
Media	Spread	information		on	healthy		Pornography, smoking, crime (films, papers,
	sexuality						advertisement)
Entertainment	Sports,	in	door		games,		Crimes, drugs and alcohol abuse,
	educational films						prostitution, early sexual activities
Family	Integrated stable			families		are	Abusive behaviour in families
	role models. They can give						Disintegrated families
	appropriate		information			and
	guidance on healthy life style
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Residence	Healthy neighborhood			"negative neighborhood" e.g. prostitution
				areas
Religion	Spiritual support			Prohibition of information on sexuality
	Facilitation of the adolescents in
	different activities
Health services	Accessible	information	and	Negative attitudes of health professionals on
	services for adolescents			adolescent sexuality

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Sexual activity among women 15-19

Country	Married	single, sexually active
Botswana	6%	60%
Kenya	20 %	26%
Costa Rica	18%	11%
Jamaica	20%	35%
Bangladesh	48 %	NA
Indonesia	18%	NA
United States	5%	52%

8.2.Reproductive Health Risks and consequences for adolescents

Adolescent reproductive health is affected by pregnancy, abortion, STIs, sexual violence, and by the systems that limit access to information and clinical services. Reproductive health is also affected by nutrition, psychological well-being, and economic and

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gender inequities that can make it difficult to avoid forced, coerced, or commercial sex.

8.2.1. Pregnancy:

In many parts of the world, women marry and begin childbearing during their adolescent years. Pregnancy and childbirth carry greater risk of morbidity and mortality for adolescents than for women in their 20s, especially where medical care is scarce. Girls younger than age 18 face two to five times the risk of maternal mortality as women aged 18-25 due to prolonged and obstructed labor, hemorrhage, and other factors. Potentially life- threatening pregnancy-related illnesses such as hypertension and anemia also are more common among adolescent mothers, especially where malnutrition is endemic. One in every 10 births worldwide and 1 in 6 births in developing countries is to women aged 15-19 years.

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Unsafe abortion: About one in 10 abortions worldwide occurs among women age 15-19 and each year one million to 4.4 million adolescents in developing countries undergo abortion, and most of these procedures are performed under unsafe conditions due to:

-Lack of access to safe services.

-Self-induced methods

-Unskilled or non-medical providers

-Delay in seeking procedure

Adolescent unwanted pregnancies often end in abortion. Surveys in developing countries show that up to 60 percent of pregnancies to women below age 20 are mistimed or unwanted. In Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand, and the United States in the late 1980s, more than 50 percent of all abortions occurred in women under 25. Pregnant students in many developing countries often seek abortions to avoid being expelled from school.

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For example, the percentage of women aged 20-24 who gave birth by age 20, in some regions are shown below:

China14%, Latin American/Caribbean 27-50%; North Africa/Middle East 13-41%; Sub-Saharan African 25- 75%, South Asia 16-66%; Southeast Asia 21-33%; United States 22%.

Induced abortion often represents a greater risk for adolescents than for older women. Adolescents tend to wait longer to get help since they cannot access a provider or because they may not realize that they are pregnant; this risk is compounded in conditions. In Nigeria, for example 50-70 percent of mothers hospitalized for complications of induced abortion are younger than 20; 3 of 5 women seeking health care for unsafe abortion in developing countries are under 20. Some of the complications of abortion are infection, hemorrhage, and intestinal perforation, injury to reproductive organs and toxic reactions to drugs. These complications can result in infertility, psychological trauma or death.

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highest rate occurs among adolescents aged 15 to 19. Sexually transmitted infections can lead to life-long health problems, including infertility. Worldwide, half of all sexually transmitted infections occur in adolescents. Approximately 333 million cases of curable STIs occur each year and each day half a million young people are infected with a sexually transmitted diseases, available data suggest that one-third of STIs infections in developing countries occur among 13-20 year olds, one out of every 20 adolescents contracts STI,. In rural Kenya, for example, 41 percent of women aged 15-24 attending maternal and child health or family planning clinics had STI, compared to about 16 percent of all women of reproductive age. Adolescents also are at increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. Recent estimates are that over 40 percent of HIV infections occur in young people aged 15-24; 7,000 of 16,000 new infections each day. New infections among females out number males by a ratio of 2 to 1.

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Young people tend to be at higher risk of contracting STIs, including HIV/AIDS, for several reasons. Intercourse often is unplanned or unwanted. Even when she is consensual, adolescents often do not plan ahead for condom or other contraceptive use, and inexperienced users are more likely to use methods incorrectly. Furthermore, adolescent girls are at greater risk of infection than older women because of the immaturity of their reproductive system. Other reasons are little knowledge of STIs, failure to seek treatment, multiple partners, partners with multiple partners and use of drug and alcohol.

8.2.3. Female Genital Cutting (FGC)

FGC, the partial or complete removal of external genitalia or other injuries to the female genitalia, is a deeply rooted traditional practice that has severe reproductive health consequences for girls. In addition to the psychological trauma at the time of the cutting, FGC can lead to infection, hemorrhage, and shock. Uncontrolled bleeding or infection can lead to death

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within hours or days. Some forms of FGC can lead to Dyspareunia, recurrent pelvic infection, and dystocia. The ICPD Programme of Action calls FGC a basic human rights violation and urges governments to stop the practice. In some countries, such as India arranged marriage of girl younger than 14 is still common.

8.2.4.Commercial Sex

•Sexual exposure is occurring at ages as young as 9-12 years as older men seek young girls as sexual partners to protect themselves from STD/HIV infection. In some cultures, young men are expected to have their first sexual encounter with a prostitute.

•Adolescents, especially young girls, often experience forced sexual intercourse in sub– Saharan Africa, some girls’ first sexual experience is with a sugar daddy, who provides clothing, school fees, and books in exchange for sex.

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•Millions of children live and work on the streets in developing countries and many are involved in “survival sex”, where they trade sex for food, money, protection or drugs. For example, a survey in Guatemala City found that 40 percent of 143 street children surveyed had their first sexual encounter with someone they did not know; all had exchanged sex for money, all had been sexually abused, and 93 percent had been infected with an STD. In Thailand, an estimated 800,000 prostitutes are under age 20; of those, 200,000 are younger than 14. Some are sold into prostitution by parents to support other family members.

8.2.5.Sexual violence

Sexual abuse occurs worldwide. One-third of teenagers experience abuse, with in heterosexual relationships, in United States. Rape and involuntary prostitution can result in physical trauma, unintended pregnancy, STIs, psychological trauma and increased likelihood of high- risk sexual behavior.

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8.2.6.The health risks of adolescent sexuality is more than older people

1.Maternal death: Girls aged 15-19 are up to twice as likely to die during pregnancy or delivery as women aged 20-34.

Maternal mortality per 100,000 live births by age group: younger versus older mothers

Country	20-34 years	15-19 years
Ethiopia	435	1270
Indonesia	575	1100
Bangladesh	479	869
Nigeria	223	526
Brazil	80	108

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2.Infant and child mortality: children born to adolescents are more likely to die during their first five years of life than those born to women age 20- 29.

3.Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): each year, 1 in 20 adolescents worldwide contracts STIs (including HIV/AIDS).

4.Violence/sexual abuse: Adolescent girls may lack the confidence and decision-making skills to refuse unwanted sex.

5.Unwanted pregnancy

Every year, approximately 50 million unwanted pregnancies are terminated. Some 20 million of these abortions are unsafe. About 95 % of unsafe abortions take place in developing countries, causing the deaths of at least 200 women each day. Many adolescents face unintended births for example in sub-Saharan Africa about 50 % of last births in women under 20 years were

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unintended, in Latin America about 30 % of last births in women under 20 years were unintended.

6.Psychological and socio-economic consequences of pregnancy for unmarried adolescents

•Psychological stress, poor self esteem, lack of hope and social stigma

•Disrupted education, poor academic achievement

•Leaving home and prostitution

•Poor socio-economic future, poor earning capacity: fewer career or job opportunities.

•Unstable marriage

•Unwanted child- mistreated, abandoned

•Their children face psychological, social and economic obstacles

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8.3Causes for early unprotected sexual intercourse in adolescents

•Lack of knowledge on physiology of the reproductive system and human sexuality

•Declining age of menarche

•Early marriage

•Urbanization, migration, (western cultural influences)

•Sexual violence and coercion

•Peer influence

•Lack of knowledge on family planning

•Unavailability and inaccessibility (including culturally) of services

•(negative) attitude of the society (including service providers) towards use of family planning services by the adolescents

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•Sense of guilt, fear of discovery, disapproval or rejection

8.4Effects of gender roles

•Expectations of sexual activity of boys and girls

•Views regarding responsibility for contraception

•Social consequences of pregnancy

Factors affecting RH needs of adolescents

oAge

oMarital status

oGender norms

oSexual status

oSchool status

oChild bearing status

oRural/urban residence

oPeer pressure

oCultural/ political conditions

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