Susheela Singh - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Susheela Singh

... Elisabeth Åhman y Iqbal Shah, Organización Mundial de la Salud (Suiza); Paschal Awah, Janie B... more ... Elisabeth Åhman y Iqbal Shah, Organización Mundial de la Salud (Suiza); Paschal Awah, Janie Benson, Eunice Brookman-Amissah y Merrill ... de la Familia, Región del Hemisferio Occidental (IPPF/WHR por sus siglas en inglés), (Estados Unidos); Rebecca Cook, Universidad ...

African Population Studies, Oct 1, 2004

BMJ Global Health, Jul 1, 2020

► About 16 million abortions take place in India annually, of which 75% occur outside of health f... more ► About 16 million abortions take place in India annually, of which 75% occur outside of health facilities, mainly through medication abortion. ► A recent study on nine states in India estimated that 67% of abortions reported by women are unsafe; however, women greatly under-report abortions and this estimate is likely to be non-representative. ► Facility-based data provide alternative measures of the extent of unsafe abortion-the number and rate of women treated annually for abortion complications.

This report draws on national survey data from 70 developing countries to provide an overview of ... more This report draws on national survey data from 70 developing countries to provide an overview of adolescent women’s needs for and use of sexual and reproductive health services.The proportion of recent births to mothers younger than age 20 that are unplanned is particularly high-more than half-in most Latin American and Caribbean countries. In a third of countries in Africa more than 40% of such births are unplanned. Levels are lower in Asian countries typically within the range of 10-20%. Adolescent women who have an unmet need for contraception report that their main reasons for nonuse of a contraceptive method are infrequent sex and not being married. A number of other factors such as lack of access health concerns and worry about side effects are also important. A minority of sexually active adolescent women who have an STI or STI symptoms seek care in a health facility. Adolescent women in Africa and Asia are more likely than those in Latin America and the Caribbean to either r...

To help decision-makers evaluate the investments needed in developing countries this report provi... more To help decision-makers evaluate the investments needed in developing countries this report provides new estimates for 2014 of the needs for and costs and benefits of sexual and reproductive health interventions in three key areas: Contraceptive services; Maternal newborn and other pregnancy-related care; Selected services related to HIV and other STIs for women of reproductive age. The report shows the immediate and direct benefits of investing in each set of interventions individually and the additional benefits of investing in them all simultaneously as well as the cost implications of the investments. It also summarizes important findings from other studies that have quantified the broad long-term benefits of these investments for individuals and societies. This report focuses in particular on the populations with the greatest needs for services to highlight those who are most vulnerable and dependent on public-sector care and subsidies. Assessing the differences among populatio...

Background Safe abortion services are essential if women are to fulfill their right to have the n... more Background Safe abortion services are essential if women are to fulfill their right to have the number of children they want, when they want them. This paper examines the provision of abortion and menstrual regulation (MR) services in four South Asian countries that have many commonalities in sexual and reproductive outcomes and in barriers to accessing needed services, despite variation in their abortion laws —Nepal, India (six states), Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Methods Using representative health facility surveys, we assess availability of legal abortion/MR services —relevant in three of the countries—and post-abortion care, relevant for all four countries. We examine the role of the public sector in providing these services and the proportion of facilities located in rural areas, as indicators of service accessibility for poor and rural women. We assess quality of abortion care through selected indicators: provision of WHO-recommended methods, vacuum aspiration (VA) and medicatio...

The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues-from stopping the spread ... more The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues-from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives.

T his report is part of a larger study titled Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion in India (UPAI), ... more T his report is part of a larger study titled Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion in India (UPAI), which was conducted to provide muchneeded information on the incidence of abortion and pregnancy, as well as access to and quality of safe abortion services, in six Indian states.

The Lancet. Global health, 2018

Reliable information on the incidence of induced abortion in India is lacking. Official statistic... more Reliable information on the incidence of induced abortion in India is lacking. Official statistics and national surveys provide incomplete coverage. Since the early 2000s, medication abortion has become increasingly available, improving the way women obtain abortions. The aim of this study was to estimate the national incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy for 2015. National abortion incidence was estimated through three separate components: abortions (medication and surgical) in facilities (including private sector, public sector, and non-governmental organisations [NGOs]); medication abortions outside facilities; and abortions outside of facilities and with methods other than medication abortion. Facility-based abortions were estimated from the 2015 Health Facilities Survey of 4001 public and private health facilities in six Indian states (Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh) and from NGO clinic data. National medication abortion drug sales...

Unintended pregnancies often have negative effects on the well-being of women and families, and p... more Unintended pregnancies often have negative effects on the well-being of women and families, and periodic estimation of global unintended pregnancy incidence can help evaluate the actual and potential impact of family planning programs. We estimate pregnancy rates and the distribution of pregnancies by intention status and outcome at worldwide, regional and subregional levels in 2012, and assess recent trends in these events using previously published estimates for 2008 and 1995. Numbers of births are based on United Nations estimates. Published estimates of recent trends in induced abortion rates were used to make estimates for 2012. A model-based approach was used to estimate miscarriages. The planning status of births was estimated using nationally representative surveys in 86 countries. Preliminary findings indicate that 211 million pregnancies occurred in 2012, up from 208 million in 2008. The overall and unintended pregnancy rates were 132 and 55 per 1,000 women aged 15-44, res...

Issues in brief (Alan Guttmacher Institute), 2013

The current law in Pakistan permits abortion only under narrow circumstances. As a result, women ... more The current law in Pakistan permits abortion only under narrow circumstances. As a result, women resort to clandestine and unsafe abortion procedures, which often lead to complications. This report summarizes findings from a study that examined the conditions under which women obtain abortion in Pakistan; the incidence, coverage and quality of facility-based postabortion care (PAC); and the extent to which recommended standards for PAC have been implemented in health facilities.

African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2002

This article reviews methodologies and data sources that have been used to measure HIV prevalence... more This article reviews methodologies and data sources that have been used to measure HIV prevalence and sexual behaviours associated with the transmission of HIV in Nigeria. The review includes 35 studies on HIV prevalence and methodology and 34 studies on sexual behaviour published

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2012

International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2009

public sentiment may suddenly place reproductive providers in unfamiliar territory, being asked t... more public sentiment may suddenly place reproductive providers in unfamiliar territory, being asked to meet new demands while still learning requisite skills. Instant results are expected by the media. Cooperation from colleagues in regions already providing such services is invaluable. In conclusion, international cooperation and collaboration in obstetrics and gynecology are not simply desirable, but essential. Scientific advances, clinical improvement, and public confidence will proceed only with fluid, multidirectional collaboration.

Modern family planning methods include all hormonal methods (i.e., the pill, injectables and impl... more Modern family planning methods include all hormonal methods (i.e., the pill, injectables and implants), IUDs, male and female sterilization, condoms and modern vaginal methods.

American Journal of Men's Health, 2008

The condom is the only known method that provides simultaneous protection against unplanned pregn... more The condom is the only known method that provides simultaneous protection against unplanned pregnancy and some sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, among sexually active people. Using data from the Demographic and Health Surveys from 18 Sub-Saharan African countries, this study examined condom use and reasons for using the method at last intercourse among sexually active young men aged 15 to 29. Most young men were aware of the condom (73%-98%), but its use at last intercourse was quite variable, ranging from 6% in Madagascar to 74% in Namibia. In 10 countries, more young men reportedly used condoms for preventing STIs alone than they did for preventing pregnancy alone. In 6 countries, at least one third of the users used the method for both purposes. Use of the condom at last intercourse was associated with union status, education, residence, and exposure to television in at least two thirds of the countries.

African Journal of Reproductive Health, 2007

Adolescents' views of and preferences for sexual and reproductive health services highlight promi... more Adolescents' views of and preferences for sexual and reproductive health services highlight promising directions and persistent challenges in preventing pregnancy and HIV and treating sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) in this population. Results from nationally-representative surveys of 12-19 yearolds in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda in 2004 show that contraceptive and STI services and HIV testing are still under-utilized. A substantial proportion of sexually-active adolescents do not know of any source to obtain contraception or get STI treatment, and social-psychological reasons (e.g., embarrassment or fear) and financial cost remain common barriers to getting services. Adolescents' preferences are overwhelmingly for public clinics, with strongly positive perceptions of confidentiality, accessibility and cost. Some gender and country differences exist, yet overall females and males' views are similar. Results highlight the need to inform youth about sources, increase availability of government health facilities and improve youth's access to them, especially by reducing social barriers. (Afr J Reprod Health 2007; 11[3]:99-110) Opinions des adolescents sur, et leurs préférences pour, les services de la santé sexuelle et de reproduction au Burkina-Faso, au Ghana, au Malawi et en Ouganda. Les opinions des adolescents sur, et leurs préférences pour, les services de la santé sexuelle et de reproduction mettent l'accent sur les directions prometteuses et sur les défis persistants dans la prévention de la grossesse et du VIH et le traitement des infections sexuellement transmissibles (IST) dans cette population. Les résultats obtenus des enquêtes à represéntation nationale des adolescents âgés de 12 -19 ans au Burkina-Faso, au Ghana, au Malawi et en Ouganda en 2004 montrent que les services des contraceptifs et des IST et le test de dépistage sont encore sous-utilisés. Une grande proportion des adolescents qui sont sexuellement actifs ne connaissent pas les sources pour obtenir la contraception ou le traitement pour les IST; ensuite, des raisons socio-psychologiques (l'embarras et la peur) et le coût financier demeurent des obstacles à l'obtention des services. Les préférences des adolescents sont largement pour des cliniques publiques avec leur fortes perceptions positives de la confidentialité, de l'accessibilité et du coût. Il existe aussi certaines différences au niveau des genres et des pays, pourtant, en général, les opinions des mâles et des femelles sont similaires. Les résultats mettent l'accent sur la nécessité de renseigner la jeunesse sur les sources, d'augmenter la disponibilité des établissements de santé et d'améliorer l'accès de la jeunesse à ces établissements, surtout par la réduction des obstacles sociaux. (Rev Afr Santé Reprod 2007; 11[3]:99-110).