Industrialization and "development" during the last 200 years have led to an increase of pesticides, an intensified use of synthetic chemicals, higher levels of environmental pollution, and more exposure to hazardous working conditions. Environmental toxins, many of which are endocrine disruptors, are stored in fat tissue, increasing reproductive health risks for both women and men. Women’s bodies are particularly vulnerable as sites for creating, growing, feeding, and nurturing the next generation. And yet, women’s lives are consistently devalued, especially in a capitalist economy, so that a woman’s rights to her own reproductive health are no longer guaranteed. In this thesis I first review ecological destruction, environmental policies, and food safety/security issues for women. I then examine neoliberal globalization as an active participant in the destruction of the environment and an attack on global health. I discuss how utilizing feminist theory effectively, and actively, will ensure women the right to their health. I employ postmodern feminist and refigured ecofeminist theory to demonstrate how a feminist perspective is necessary in the development of policies that address the problem of endocrine disruptors in terms of women’s reproductive health and the health of future generations. Finally, I suggest that the precautionary principle must include a feminist perspective to fully succeed.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder among females of childbearing age, affecting between 6-8% of the population. It is also the most common cause of infertility. Females with PCOS may have two or more of a constellation of symptoms that can potentially leave them at odds in terms of normative ideals of femininity. This study examines how feminist theory interrogates and analyzes knowledge about the body and PCOS, integrating the lived experiences of women to provide a deeper, more meaningful understanding of what it means to be a woman with PCOS.

Background Violence is a global public health problem and violence among youth is a matter of high priority. Adolescence and young adulthood are important periods for the foundation of future health. Youth victimization may have serious health consequences, making it important to address the occurrence and socio-medical context for possible interventions against violence. Aims To analyze prevalence, risk patterns and gender differences in emotional, physical, sexual, and multiple-violence victimizations and the associations between violence victimization and sexual ill health, sexual risk behaviors and mental health in Swedish youth. Methods A cross sectional study using two samples, a national sample from nine youth health centers in Sweden and a population-based sample from a middle-sized Swedish city. The questionnaire included standardized instruments addressing violence exposure (NorAQ), socio-demographics, mental and sexual ill-health and sexual risk behaviors, alcohol and substance use. Proportions and crude and adjusted odds ratios with a 95% CI were calculated. Results A total of 2,250 young women and 920 men, aged 15-23, answered the questionnaire at the youth health centers. In upper secondary school, 1,658 women and 1,589 men, aged 15-22, answered the questionnaire. High prevalence rates with gendered differences both in rates and in co-occurrence of different types of violence were found. Women were more often exposed to emotional violence and sexual violence than men, while men were more often physically victimized. For both women and men, violence victimization before the age of 15 was strongly associated with all types of violence victimizations during the past year. Strong associations were found between multiple-violence victimization and poor mental health in both genders. Among the sexually experienced students, consistent associations between lifetime multiple-violence victimization and various sexual ill-health and sexual risk behaviors were found in both genders, except for non-contraceptive use. Conclusions High prevalence of violence victimization in youth and strong associations between victimization, especially multiple victimization, and poor mental and sexual health were found. This needs to be recognized and addressed in social and medical settings.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are human rights, thus they should be universally accessible. Young women and girls are often considered a disadvantaged group with low access to human rights. Various feminist scholars have highlighted gender inequality as the cause of this marginalisation. Intersectionality scholars instead argue the marginalisation of women to be more complex. The approach emphasises that oppressed women and girls are not only discriminated because of their gender but that the prevalence of intragroup discrimination hampers them from accessing their rights. This thesis aims to study if and how social identities, more specifically class and ethnicity, affect adolescent girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and rights within the South African school realm. A case study is conducted on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on secondary- and high school teachers and on how the subject Life Orientation is implemented to create access to SRHR. Empirical results of the study indicate that class- and ethnic belonging impacts the access of female students to their rights in various ways. Monetary resources, information and knowledge influence social identities and access to SRHR in Life Orientation. As well as overall school conditions, including level of school violence and harassment. Finally, this thesis illustrates that privileged girls are also impeded from accessing their SRHR, due to the implementation of school fees. This system allows guardians to gain substantial influence and constrain school teachings of controversial topics.

Management of Public Health IMPROVEMENT OF PUPILS‘ REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE IN SIAULIAI TOWN Asta Damkuvienė Supervisor prof. habil. dr. R.Kalėdienė Department of Social medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Kaunas University of Medicine. – Kaunas, 2005.- P.72. Aim of the study: to explore the state of pupils‘ reproductive health care and to provide for improvement possibilities in Siauliai town. Methods: pupils of 15 - 19 years old from randomly selected classes from Siauliai schools participated in the research. 425 questionnaires were distributed and 400 answers have been received (94,1%). Girls made 74,3% of the respondents, and boys made 25,7% of them. We evaluated how the answers depended on sexual activity and gender. The difference was considered meaningful if p<0,05. Results: 47,5% of the pupils were sexually active. The boys were more sexually active (71,8%) than the girls (39,1%). 50,5% of the pupils began sexual relations at the age of 16. Contraceptives were used by 45,8% of sexually active respondents. The main information source about sexual life to 65,8 of the respondents were their friends. To the sexually active pupils it was more frequent source than to not active ones (respectively 71,1 and 61,1). Most of the pupils indicated parents as desirable source of knowledge (61,5%). 52,3% of the respondents pointed out their knowledge in intimate relations as sufficient. 77,8% of the respondents had chosen a family doctor. Choosing a doctor statistically depended... [to full text]

This thesis is an investigation of the interactions of insulin resistance (IR), metabolic markers, neutrophil function, and reproductive health in peripartum dairy cows, including the evaluation of a hand-held glucometer for diagnosis of IR. The neutrophil functions of interest were oxidative burst and phagocytosis capacity, and reproductive diseases were endometritis and cervicitis. A total of 81 Holstein cows were enrolled 3 wk prior to expected calving date from November 2010 until October 2011, and were followed until 5 wk postpartum. Known markers of IR, neutrophil function, and disease were monitored through this period. The hand-held glucometer was identified as a useful alternative to laboratory measurements of glucose. Markers of IR influenced phagocytosis capacity and reproductive disease. High haptoglobin concentrations were associated with increased risk of reproductive disease and diminished oxidative burst function. Metabolically related inhibition of neutrophil function may be important in development of reproductive disease. / National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ontario Graduate Scholarship Program

<p>The reproductive health of individuals is severely compromised by HIV infection, with candidiasis being the most prevalent oral complication in patients. Although not usually associated with severe morbidity, oropharyngeal candidiasis can be clinically significant, as it can interfere with the administration of medications and adequate nutritional intake, and may spread to the esophagus. Azole antifungal agents are commonly prescribed for the treatment and prophylaxis of candidal infections. However, the emergence of drug resistant strains and dose limiting toxic effects have complicated the treatment of candidiasis. Consequently, safe and effective and affordable medicine is required to combat this fungus. Commercial garlic (Allium sativum) has been used time since immemorial as a natural antibiotic, however very little is known about the antifungal properties of two indigenous South African species of garlic, namely Tulbaghia alliacea and Tulbaghia violacea, that are used as folk medicines for a variety of infections. This study compares the in vitro anti-candidal activity of Tulbaghia alliacea, Tulbaghia violacea and Allium sativum extracts. It was found that the greatest concentrations of inhibitory components were extracted by chloroform or water. The IC50 concentrations of Tulbaghia alliacea were between 0.007 &ndash / 0.038% (w/v). Assays using S. cerevisiae revealed that the T. alliacea extract was fungicidal, with a killing half-life of approximately 2 hours. This inhibitory effect of the T. alliacea extracts was observed via TLC, and may be due to an active compound called Marasmicin, that was identified using NMR. This investigation confirms that extracts of T.alliacea exhibit anti-infective activity against candida species in vitro.</p>

The study aimed to explore adolescents knowledge, perceptions and behaviors regarding sexual reproduction and sexual reproductive health services in community junior school in Tutume Botswana. A descriptive exploratory design using both the qualitative and quantitative approach was used to guide the research process. Data was collected by means of a self administered questionnaire and two focus group discussions. A total of 76 participants answered the questionnaire and 2 focus group discussions one consisting of the 15 to 17 year olds and the other one consisting of 12 to 15 year olds were conducted. The results of the survey highlighted adequate levels of knowledge regarding sexual matters among adolescents in the school with the bulk of the information being provided by the teacher. Parents, nurses, siblings, peers and the media played a low key role in providing adolescents with information regarding sexual reproduction and sexual reproductive health services. The results of the focus group discussion showed marked underutilization of the local clinic for curative, preventive and promotive services by adolescents. The poor utilization resulting mainly from perceived barriers such as provider attitudes, subjective norms, cultural taboos, inadequacy of the clinic, judgmental attitudes from provider and parents as well as lack of encouragement from authority figures like parents and teachers. Adolescents in the focus group discussion perceive themselves as being susceptible to HIV but did not appreciate the benefits of using preventive measures even though the survey group showed sound knowledge on contraception. Improving the services to align them to adolescent friendly services, improving the delivery of information through other means apart from the teacher and reducing the barriers that discourage adolescents from reaching the reproductive health services will go a long way in improving the utilization of the services by adolescents. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This thesis focuses on how reproductive health is made meaningful in the context of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Kentucky. Using ethnographic field methods, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews, the paper explores how staff members negotiate definitions of reproductive health as employees of Planned Parenthood health center. The analysis addresses reproductive health discourse among the clinic staff and how reproductive health is used as a site of intervention. It also explores the sociocultural processes and interactions the staff members engage in at the national and local levels and the role these play in shaping the conceptualization of reproductive health and how it is deployed at the clinic level. This analysis illuminates the fluid nature of reproductive health meanings and the ways in which health care delivery is contextually and socially mediated.

Background: The number of childbearing adolescents in Vietnam is relatively low but they are more prone to experience adverse outcome than adult women. Reports of increasing rates of abortion and prevalence of STIs including HIV among youth indicate a need to improve services and counselling for these groups. Midwives are key persons in the promotion of young people’s sexual and reproductive health in Vietnam. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis is to describe the prevalence and outcome of adolescent pregnancies in Vietnam (I), to explore the social context and health care seeking behavior of pregnant adolescents (II), as well as to explore the perspectives of health care providers and midwifery students regarding adolescent sexuality and reproductive health service needs (III, IV). Methods: The studies were conducted from 2002 to 2005, combining qualitative and quantitative research methods. A population based prospective survey was used to estimate rates and outcomes of adolescent pregnancies (I). Pregnant and newly delivered adolescents’ experiences of childbearing and their encounters with health care providers were studied using qualitative interviews (II). Health care providers’ perspective on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and views on how to improve the quality of abortion care was explored in focus group discussions (FGD). The values and attitudes of midwifery students about ASRH were investigated using questionnaires and interviews (IV). Descriptive statistics was used to analyse quantitative data (I, IV) and content analysis were applied for qualitative data (II, III, and IV). Findings: Adolescent birth rate was similar to previously reported in Vietnam but lower when compared to other Asian countries. The incidence of stillborn among adolescents was higher than for women in higher reproductive ages. The proportion of preterm deliveries was 20 % of all births, higher than previous findings from Vietnam. About 2 % of the deliveries were home deliveries, more common among women with low education, belonging to ethnic minority and/or living in mountainous areas (I). Ambivalence facing motherhood, pride and happiness but also worries and lack of self-confidence emerged as themes from the interviews; and experience of ‘being in the hands of others’ in a positive, caring sense but also in a sense of subordination in relation to husband, family and health care providers (II). Health care providers at abortion clinics and midwifery students generally disapproved of pre-marital sex, but had a pragmatic view on the need for contraceptive services and counselling to reduce the burden of unwanted pregnancies and abortions for young women. Providers and midwifery students expressed a need for training on ASRH issues (III, IV). Conclusion: Cultural norms and gender inequity make pregnant adolescent women in Vietnam vulnerable to sexual and reproductive health risks. Health care providers experience ethical dilemmas while counselling unmarried adolescents who come for abortion and this has a negative impact on the quality of care. Integrated ASRH in education and training programmes for health care providers, including midwives, as well as continued in-service training on these issues are suggested to improve reproductive health care services in Vietnam.