A Systematic Review of Refugee Women's Reproductive Health (original) (raw)
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Reproductive health for resettling refugee and migrant women
2004
The negotiation of reproductive rights for refugee and migrant women is complicated by the experiences of displacement and migration. Notions of community, family and authorities, and rules of access to resources, are in constant flux and may differ from the traditional systems that migrant or resettling refugee women are familiar with. This article presents the qualitative findings of a three-year study focusing on the reproductive health of African and Middle Eastern refugee and migrant women resettled in Victoria.
The health-related quality of life of Syrian refugee women in their reproductive age
PeerJ, 2020
Background. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) for refugee women in reproductive age is highly affected by physical, political, psychosocial and environmental conditions in countries of asylum. HRQoL is enormously affected by the satisfaction of this vulnerable group with the physical, psychological, emotional and social care services provided in this critical time. Therefore, this study aimed toassess the HRQoL among Syrian refugee women of reproductive age living outside camps in Jordan. Methods. A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted with a convenience sample of 523 Syrian refugee women in the host communities in Jordan.Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured using the short-form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. Results. Significant negative correlations were found between SF-36 individual subscales score and the length of marriage, the number of children, parity and family income. The strongest correlations were between pain scale and length of marriage (r = −.21), and between Energy/Fatigue and 'number of children' (r = −.21). Conversely, antenatal care was positively correlated with physical, role emotional, pain, and general health. Physical functioning and general health were predicted significantly with less years of marriage, younger age at marriage, less violence and by higher family income. Conclusion. This study suggests low HRQoL scores for women of reproductive age across all domains. Several factors such as years of marriage, age at marriage, the number of children, violence, antenatal care and family income affected the women's general health. The provision of appropriate and accessible reproductive and maternal healthcare services in antenatal visits is critical for ensuring the immediate and longterm health and wellbeing of refugee women and their families.
Maternal health and pregnancy outcomes among women of refugee background from Asian countries
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2015
Background: Women of refugee background from Africa are reported to have a greater risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to women born in resettlement countries. However, there is currently little insight into whether adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common among migrant women of refugee background, compared to women who have migrated for non-humanitarian reasons. To inform whether women of refugee background require additional services in pregnancy compared to non-refugee migrant women from similar world regions we aimed to describe and compare maternal health, pregnancy care attendance and pregnancy outcomes among migrant women from Africa with or without a refugee background. Methods: Retrospective, observational study of singleton births at a single, metropolitan, maternity service in Australia 2002-2011, to women born in humanitarian source countries (HSC) and non-HSC from North Africa (n = 1361), Middle and East Africa (n = 706) and West Africa (n = 106). Results: Compared to non-HSC groups, age < 20 years (0-1.4% vs 2.3-13.3%), living in relatively socio-economically disadvantaged geographic areas (26.2-37.3% vs 52.9-77.8%) and interpreter need (0-23.9% vs 9.7-51.5%) were generally more common in the HSC groups. Compared to non-HSC groups, female genital mutilation (0.3-3.3% vs 5.1-13.8%), vitamin D insufficiency (8.7-21.5% vs 23.3-32.0%), syphilis (0-0.3% vs 1.2-7.5%) and hepatitis B (0-1.1% vs 1.2-18%) were also generally more common among the HSC groups. Unplanned birth before arrival at the hospital (3.6%) was particularly high in the North African HSC group. HSC-birth was associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio = 3.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.8-7.1) among women from Middle and East Africa, after adjusting for maternal age, parity, body mass index and relative socio-economic disadvantage of area of residence. The West African HSC group had the highest stillbirth incidence (4.4%). Conclusions: Migrant women of refugee background from different African regions appear to be at greater risk of specific adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to migrant women without a refugee background. Awareness of differing risks and health needs would assist provision of appropriate pregnancy care to improve the health of African women and their babies.
BMC Women's Health
Background The Syrian conflict has been responsible for the highest exodus of refugees, with Lebanon hosting the greatest number of refugees per capita, which placed a significant strain on an already overburdened healthcare system. Women are the most vulnerable group in times of conflict and displacement, with sexual and reproductive health and rights often neglected. This study focuses on the obstetric characteristics and pregnancy outcomes of Syrian Refugee (SR) women in Lebanon, in Comparison to their pre-displacement data. Methods This study is a secondary analysis of de-identified data from the Sijilli database. The data reported and analyzed were the refugees’ socio-demographics, obstetric history, pregnancy outcomes, experienced maternal and neonatal complications, breastfeeding history and duration, and contraception use and types. Data were reported in both frequencies and means/medians. Chi-square test, t-test, and ANOVA tests were used to compare pregnancies in Syria to ...
Reproductive Health Experiences of Syrian Refugees Residing in Jordan
Journal of midwifery and reproductive health, 2020
Background & aim: In 2016, 28% of Syrian women residing in Amman experienced at least one unplanned pregnancy, and 17% did not access antenatal care for pregnancy. This study aimed to elucidate the imminent need for greater accessibility to comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare among Syrian refuges residing in Jordan. Methods: This ethnographic case study was conducted in 2017 in order to understand the reproductive health experiences of 21 male and female Syrian refugees residing in Amman. Participants were selected based on purposive sampling. Study interviews examined the experiences of participants regarding their pregnancy outcomes, influencing factors for their reproductive decisions, and gaps in sexual and reproductive healthcare in Amman. Results: Participants indicated great SRH need specifically related to the education on contraceptive methods. Participants confirmed that reproductive health services in Syria were more accessible, affordable, and comprehensive...
Health and Socio-Cultural Experiences of Refugee Women: An Integrative Review
Journal of immigrant and minority health / Center for Minority Public Health, 2016
Approximately half of the global refugee population are women, yet they remain largely understudied from the perspective of gender. The aim of this review was to investigate the impact of refugee women's resettlement and socio-cultural experiences on their health. This review also explored factors promoting resilience in refugee women. Eight databases were searched for peer-reviewed manuscripts published from 2005 to 2014. Grey literature was also reviewed. Data were extracted for population, data collection methods, data analysis, and findings. The Resource-Based Model was used as an overarching framework for data synthesis. Following the screening of titles and abstracts, 20 studies met the study inclusion criteria. Cultural factors, social and material factors, personal factors, and resilience factors were identified as main themes influencing the health of refugee women. Promotion of factors that enables resettlement is important in promoting the health and wellbeing of refu...
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2014
Background: Women of refugee background from Africa are reported to have a greater risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to women born in resettlement countries. However, there is currently little insight into whether adverse pregnancy outcomes are more common among migrant women of refugee background, compared to women who have migrated for non-humanitarian reasons. To inform whether women of refugee background require additional services in pregnancy compared to non-refugee migrant women from similar world regions we aimed to describe and compare maternal health, pregnancy care attendance and pregnancy outcomes among migrant women from Africa with or without a refugee background. Methods: Retrospective, observational study of singleton births at a single, metropolitan, maternity service in Australia 2002-2011, to women born in humanitarian source countries (HSC) and non-HSC from North Africa (n = 1361), Middle and East Africa (n = 706) and West Africa (n = 106). Results: Compared to non-HSC groups, age < 20 years (0-1.4% vs 2.3-13.3%), living in relatively socioeconomically disadvantaged geographic areas (26.2-37.3% vs 52.9-77.8%) and interpreter need (0-23.9% vs 9.7-51.5%) were generally more common in the HSC groups. Compared to non-HSC groups, female genital mutilation (0.3-3.3% vs 5.1-13.8%), vitamin D insufficiency (8.7-21.5% vs 23.3-32.0%), syphilis (0-0.3% vs 1.2-7.5%) and hepatitis B (0-1.1% vs 1.2-18%) were also generally more common among the HSC groups. Unplanned birth before arrival at the hospital (3.6%) was particularly high in the North African HSC group. HSC-birth was associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio = 3.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.8-7.1) among women from Middle and East Africa, after adjusting for maternal age, parity, body mass index and relative socioeconomic disadvantage of area of residence. The West African HSC group had the highest stillbirth incidence (4.4%). Conclusions: Migrant women of refugee background from different African regions appear to be at greater risk of specific adverse pregnancy outcomes compared to migrant women without a refugee background. Awareness of differing risks and health needs would assist provision of appropriate pregnancy care to improve the health of African women and their babies.
Reproductive health services for refugees by refugees: an example from Guinea
Disasters, 2010
The need to involve refugees in their own reproductive health (RH) services has long been recognised, but there is a lack of published examples describing how this can be achieved collaboratively between refugee initiatives, UNHCR, bilateral development organisations and international relief agencies. This paper outlines the work, outputs and lessons learnt of the Reproductive Health Group (RHG), an organisation of Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugee midwives and laywomen providing RH services to fellow refugees in Guinea's Forest Region between 1996 and 2000. Working as part of the Guinean health system, RHG midwives and community facilitators helped make the RH services in their region the most effective in Guinea at the time. Looking at RHG's achievements, the challenges it faced and partly overcame, it is argued that refugee organisations can plan and implement RH services for refugees where UNHCR and its international partners ensure that they receive funding and technical assistance.