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
Item Family planning and abortion service availability and utilisation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana(Reproductive Health, 2025-11-20)Background: The effect of COVID-19 has manifested both in the capacity of healthcare systems to provide services as well as create a good balance between pandemic management and maintenance of essential health services. Earlier studies in Ghana during the pandemic reported low patronage of family planning (FP) services but a sudden spike in emergency contraceptive pill utilization. This paper seeks to assess health service availability and readiness, client needs for, and utilization of FP and abortion services during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Ghana. Methods: This study was a panel study with two-time data collection points six to nine months apart. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. A one-time survey was used to assess SRH service utilization by 997 clients. Qualitative data involved a total of 24 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 128 In-depth Interviews (IDIs) with female clients and their male partners, and 32 IDIs with healthcare practitioners in the four selected facilities. Also, the WHO Service Availability, Readiness and Assessment tool was completed for the health facilities at baseline and endline. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were conducted for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Results: Age of clients and their male partners participating in IDIs ranged between 18 and 50 years (mean = 33.2 years) while participants for community FGDs ranged between 16 and 56 years (mean = 32.0 years). The majority (68%) of clients visiting the health facility for SRH care sought FP services while 5% sought abortion/post-abortion care of which 71% needed post-abortion care. Attendance data showed sensitivity to the occurrence of the different waves of COVID-19. Family planning and abortion services were generally available but witnessed some short-lived disruption. Healthcare managers reported financial stress which led to innovations in procurement of PPEs and hand sanitizers. Telemedicine facilities did not provide SRH care. Fear of stigma was a major barrier to access to abortion care. Conclusion: The relatively low COVID-19 infection rates in Ghana preceded by the national COVID-19 preparedness strategy may explain the low impact on disruption of FP and abortion services. Development of SRH specific guidelines and strengthening telemedicine facilities to include SRH care may reduce future disruption.Item The safety of intrauterine devices during breastfeeding: an updated systematic review(BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health, 2025-11-03)Objectives: To update a 2016 review and answer three questions: (1) Among women using an intrauterine device (IUD), does breastfeeding increase the risk of adverse events? (2) Among breastfeeding women, does IUD use increase the risk of adverse events? (3) Among breastfeeding women, does copper (Cu)-IUD use increase risk of adverse breastfeeding or infant outcomes? Methods: We searched multiple databases from inception to August 2023. We extracted prespecified data and assessed risk of bias (RoB) for each article and certainty of evidence for each outcome. Results: Thirty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria; 16 were newly identified since the previous review, most with high RoB. Evidence suggested no effect of breastfeeding on IUD-related adverse events (ie, expulsion, bleeding, pain and infection) compared with not breastfeeding; however, an increased relative risk of perforation was observed with breastfeeding at the time of IUD insertion compared with not breastfeeding. For perforation, relative measures of association ranged from 1.4 to 10.1, and absolute rates varied (eg, 0.6-7% or 6.8 per 1000). Evidence suggested no effect of IUD use on risk of adverse events (ie, bleeding, pain and infection) among breastfeeding women compared with no IUD use. Evidence suggested no effect of Cu-IUD use on breastfeeding or infant outcomes among breastfeeding women compared with no Cu-IUD use. Conclusions: We continued to find an increased relative risk of IUD perforation among breastfeeding women compared with no breastfeeding; however, the absolute risk is low. No other adverse effects with IUD use and breastfeeding were observed. The certainty of evidence for all outcomes was very low.Item Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 6th ed.(Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 6th ed., 2025-11-03)Item Competency and outcomes framework for adolescent health and well-being(World Health Organization, 2025-10-29)Item Global standards for quality health care services for adolescents(World Health Organization, 2025-10-23)
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