Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Repository

The Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Repository, managed by the Aga Khan University Libraries, is a digital repository offering a central location for the deposit, maintenance and long-term preservation of the research and other scholarly production on Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Repository in Eastern Mediterranean Region. One of our key missions is to ensure that these scholarly and creative endeavors are accessible to the widest possible audience. Candidates for deposit in SRHR Repository include guidelines: Guidelines, SRHR Evidence (including best practice, Systematic reviews), SRHR Policies and strategic plans (resolutions), Training resources (including regional resources), Monitoring & Evaluation Tools (including surveys), Statistics and SRHR Communication Material (Digital Media (Videos / Infographics). For more information about submitting your work to SRHR IR, please contact us at repositorysrhr@gmail.com

Recent Submissions

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    Priorities for research on family planning impact: recommendations of a WHO Think Tank meeting
    (Family Medicine and Community Health, 2023-10) Ali, Moazzam; Kiarie, James; Shah, Iqbal
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    A meta-analysis into the mediatory effects of family planning utilization on complications of pregnancy in women of reproductive age
    (PLoS One, 2024-03-18) Jahanfar, Shayesteh; Maurer, Olivia; Lapidow, Amy; Oberoi, Anjali Rajkumari; Steinfeldt, Meredith; Ali, Moazzam
    Background: Despite conflicting findings in the current literature regarding the correlation between contraceptives and maternal health consequences, statistical analyses indicate that family planning may decrease the occurrence of such outcomes. Consequently, it is crucial to assess the capability of family planning to mitigate adverse maternal health outcomes. Objectives: This review investigates the effects of modern contraceptive use on maternal health. Search methods: This systematic review is registered on Prospero (CRD42022332783). We searched numerous databases with an upper date limit of February 2022 and no geographical boundaries. Selection criteria: We included observational studies, including cross-sectional, cohort, case-control studies, and non-RCT with a comparison group. We excluded systematic reviews, scoping reviews, narrative reviews, and meta-analyses from the body of this review. Main results: The review included nineteen studies, with five studies reporting a reduction in maternal mortality linked to increased access to family planning resources and contraceptive use. Another three studies examined the impact of contraception on the risk of preeclampsia and our analysis found that preeclampsia risk was lower by approximately 6% among contraceptive users (95% CI 0.82-1.13) compared to non-users. Two studies assessed the effect of hormonal contraceptives on postpartum glucose tolerance and found that low-androgen contraception was associated with a reduced risk of gestational diabetes (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.58-1.22), while DMPA injection was possibly linked to a higher risk of falling glucose status postpartum (OR 1.42, 95% CI 0.85-2.36). Two studies evaluated high-risk pregnancies and births in contraceptive users versus non-users, with the risk ratio being 30% lower among contraceptive users of any form (95% CI 0.61, 0.80). None of these results were statistically significant except the latter. In terms of adverse maternal health outcomes, certain contraceptives were found to be associated with ectopic pregnancy and pregnancy-related venous thromboembolism through additional analysis.
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    Use of contraceptives, empowerment and agency of adolescent girls and young women: a systematic review and meta-analysis
    (BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 2024-07-12) Lassi, Zohra S; Rahim, Komal Abdul; Stavropoulos, Alexandra Maria; Ryan, Lareesa Marie; Tyagi, Jyoti; Adewale, Bisi; Kurji, Jaameeta; Bhaumik, Soumyadeep; Meherali, Salima; Ali, Moazzam
    Introduction: The evidence on adolescent empowerment, which involves access to personal and material resources for reproductive autonomy and economic equity, is limited. This systematic review assesses the use of contraceptives in empowering and strengthening the agency and vice versa among adolescents and young women. Methods: We ran the searches in six electronic databases: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), The Campbell Library, MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Web of Science. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using ROBINS-I and ROB-II tools as appropriate. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4. Results: Forty studies that assessed the impact of empowerment on contraceptive use were included. Of these, 14 were non-randomised studies for intervention (NRSIs), and the remaining 26 were randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The results from RCTs show a significant effect of the sexual and reproductive health empowerment in increasing ever use of contraception (RR 1.22; 95% CI 1.02, 1.45; n=9; I²=77%; GRADE: Very Low), and insignificant effect on unprotected sex (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.74, 1.26; n=5; I²=86%; GRADE: Very Low) and adolescent pregnancy (RR 1.07; 95% CI 0.61, 1.87; n=3; I²=36%; GRADE: Very Low). None of the studies assessed impact of contraceptive use on empowerment. Conclusions: Empowerment of adolescents and young women certainly improves contraceptive use in the immediate or short-term period. However, more robust studies with low risk of bias, longer-term outcomes, and impact of contraceptive use on empowerment and agency-strengthening are required. To increase contraceptive use uptake, tailored policies and delivery platforms are necessary for youth in low- and middle-income countries.
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    Assessing the impact of contraceptive use on mental health among women of reproductive age - a systematic review
    (BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 2024-05-30) Jahanfar, Shayesteh; Mortazavi, Julie; Lapidow, Amy; Cu, Cassandra; Al Abosy, Jude; Morris, Katherine; Becerra-Mateus, Juan Camilo; Andrenacci, Paola; Badawy, Marwa; Steinfeldt, Meredith; Maurer, Olivia; Bohang Jiang; Ali, Moazzam
    Background: Contraceptive use is the principal method by which women avoid unintended pregnancy. An unintended pregnancy can induce long-term distress related to the medical, emotional, and social consequences of carrying that pregnancy to term. Objectives: This review investigates the effects of modern contraception techniques such as birth control pills, long-acting reversible contraceptives (e.g., intrauterine devices, implants), and condoms on mental health status. Methods: We searched multiple databases from inception until February 2022, with no geographical boundaries. RCTs underwent a quality assessment using the GRADE approach while the quality of observational studies was assessed using the Downs and Black scoring system. Data were analyzed through meta-analysis and relative risk and mean difference were calculated and forest plots were created for each outcome when two or more data points were eligible for analysis. Main results: The total number of included studies was 43. In women without previous mental disorders, both RCTs (3 studies, SMD 0.18, 95% CI [0.02, 0.34], high quality of evidence) and cohort studies (RR 1.04 95% CI [1.03, 1.04]) detected a slight increase in the risk of depression development. In women with previous mental disorders, both RCTs (9 studies, SMD - 0.15, 95% CI [-0.30, -0.00], high quality of evidence) and cohort studies (SMD - 0.26, 95% CI [-0.37, -0.15]) detected slight protective effects of depression development. It was also noticed that HC demonstrated protective effects for anxiety in both groups (SMD - 0.20, 95% CI [-0.40, -0.01]). Conclusions: Among women with pre-existing mental disorders who use hormonal contraceptives, we reported protective association with decreased depressive symptoms. However, the study also draws attention to some potential negative effects, including an increase in the risk of depression and antidepressant use among contraceptive users, a risk that is higher among women who use the hormonal IUD, implant, or patch/ring methods. Providers should select contraceptive methods taking individual aspects into account to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
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    Assessing the impact of hormonal contraceptive use on menstrual health among women of reproductive age – a systematic review
    (The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 2024-07-15) Jahanfar, Shayesteh; Mortazavi, Julie; Lapidow, Amy; Cu, Cassandra; Al Abosy, Jude; Ciana, Hartman; Morris, Katherine; Steinfeldt, Meredith; Maurer, Olivia; Bohang, Jiang; Anjali Oberoi, Rajkumari; Ali, Moazzam
    Background: Contraceptive methods are well-established in their ability to prevent pregnancy and increase individual agency in childbearing. Evidence suggests that contraceptives can also be used to treat adverse conditions associated with menstruation, including abnormal and prolonged uterine bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding, painful menstruation, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and premenstrual dysphoric disorders.This review investigates the effects of contraceptive techniques such as contraceptive pills, and long-acting reversible contraceptives (e.g. intrauterine devices, implants) on menstrual morbidity. Methods: Over ten databases with no geographical boundaries were searched from inception until October 2023. Study designs were one of the following types to be included: parallel or cluster randomised controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, controlled before and after studies, interrupted time series studies, cohort or longitudinal analyses, regression discontinuity designs, and case-control studies. Ten team members screened the papers in pairs with a Kappa score of more than 7, and Covidence was used. Conflicts were resolved by discussion, and the full papers were divided among the reviewers to extract the data from eligible studies. Results: Hormonal contraceptives are considered a well-tolerated, non-invasive, and clinically effective treatment for abnormal and prolonged uterine bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding, painful menstruation, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and premenstrual dysphoric disorders. Our studies investigating quality of life or well-being in women with heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids have found improvements in all dimensions assessed. Conclusions: Hormonal contraceptives significantly reduce pain, symptom severity, and abnormal bleeding patterns associated with women who suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids.