📄 Category

sexual and reproductive health

44 papers

Sexual and reproductive health encompasses the full spectrum of physical and emotional well-being related to our bodies, relationships, and families. This vital field explores everything from contraception and pregnancy care to preventing infections and ensuring safe, consensual experiences for people of all backgrounds. It is a dynamic area of science where new discoveries constantly reshape how we understand our own biology and protect our futures.

At Gist.Science, we monitor every new preprint uploaded to medRxiv within this category to ensure you stay ahead of the curve. We process these emerging studies by transforming complex medical data into clear, plain-language explanations alongside detailed technical summaries, making cutting-edge research accessible to everyone without sacrificing scientific accuracy.

Below are the latest preprints in sexual and reproductive health, ready for you to explore.

📄 sexual and reproductive health

Strategies to improve uptake of adolescent family planning and post-abortion care services in Northern Uganda: a qualitative descriptive study

This qualitative study in Northern Uganda identifies that improving adolescent family planning and post-abortion care uptake requires a participatory, multilevel approach that integrates accessible sexual and reproductive health education, community engagement, confidential and respectful service delivery, and clear policy guidance.

Anyolitho, M. K., Omech, B., Kigongo, E., Acheka, E., Akello, J. A., Ongom, M. C., Udho, S., Odette, M., Acup, W.2026-09-27
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Barriers and incentives in the uptake of family planning services: Evidence from the Universal Access to Quality Contraception Project

This study of the Universal Access to Quality Contraception Project in Agra, India, reveals that while women's desire for additional children is driven by existing family size and son preference, the actual uptake of family planning services is significantly hindered by financial constraints and husband's views, underscoring the need for programs that combine financial incentives with targeted engagement of both women and men.

Barman, K., Gupta, I., Roy, K. P., Subbiah, R.2026-09-22
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Investigating the potential causal relationship between parity and long-term maternal cardiometabolic health outcomes using Mendelian randomization

Using a novel spousal Mendelian randomization framework alongside traditional methods in the UK Biobank, this study provides evidence for a small but causal relationship between higher parity and specific long-term cardiometabolic health outcomes, including increased type 2 diabetes risk and body mass index in women, while also revealing sex-specific effects on blood pressure, metabolism, and lipid profiles.

Brito Nunes, C., Fraser, A., Moen, G.-H., Hatton, A. A., Evans, D.2026-08-11
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Association between intimate partner violence and modern contraceptive use among women presenting for abortion care in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia

This cross-sectional study of 367 women seeking abortion care in Lusaka, Zambia, found that experiencing intimate partner violence significantly reduces the likelihood of modern contraceptive use, highlighting the need for targeted interventions addressing violence and the specific reproductive health needs of adolescents and peri-urban women.

Kaunda, E., Hazemba, A., Kaonga, P., Menon, J. A., Lubeya, K. M., Nankamba, N., Masumo, M., Vwalika, B.2026-08-02
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Preconception advice, care and services in the UK: who delivers what, where, how and to whom? A cross-sectional survey

A 2025 UK cross-sectional survey of 87 healthcare professionals reveals that while preconception care is delivered by a diverse workforce, it remains fragmented, opportunistic, and poorly supported by formal commissioning and infrastructure, necessitating strengthened integrated pathways and funding to ensure consistent and equitable provision.

Schoenaker, D., Cassinelli, E., Akagwu, O., Lakhani, S., Benton, M., Blundell, L., Brophy, S., Currie, S., Hall, J., Han (…)2026-07-27
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Determinants of adolescent fertility among ever-married women in Bangladesh: an analysis of the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey

This study analyzing the 2022 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey reveals that adolescent fertility among ever-married women is primarily driven by early age at first cohabitation, husband's education level, and large spousal age gaps, underscoring the need for multisectoral strategies to delay marriage and address socioeconomic inequalities.

Khan, M. I. H., Jahan, I., Islam, M. A., Karim, M.2026-07-24
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Cognition in younger women with premature ovarian insufficiency

This study of 125 young women reveals that while those with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) do not show broad objective cognitive decline, they experience significantly higher psychological distress and specific deficits in verbal analogical reasoning, underscoring the urgent need for proactive emotional support and targeted cognitive monitoring in early adulthood.

Naysmith, L., Rida, L., Hampshire, A.2026-07-16
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Quality of life in women with a human papillomavirus-positive screening test, cervical neoplasia, or cervical cancer in Latin America

This study of 1,073 women across five Latin American countries demonstrates that health-related quality of life significantly declines with the severity of HPV-related diagnoses, particularly in cervical cancer, while also varying by country due to sociodemographic and cultural factors.

Tejada, R. A., Ramirez, A. T., Ferrera, A., Cabrera, Y., Teran, C. A., Murillo, V., Trujillo, L., Salgado, Y., Rodriguez (…)2026-07-10
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Longitudinal Associations Between Endogenous Testosterone, C-Reactive Protein, and Interleukin-6 in Aging Men: Findings from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

This longitudinal study of aging men demonstrates that lower serum total testosterone levels are independently associated with elevated levels of inflammatory markers C-Reactive Protein and Interleukin-6 over time, suggesting testosterone may serve as a useful biomarker for chronic inflammatory states.

Sureshkumar, K., Grewal, M. R., Gurayah, A., Williams, A., Dubin, J., Masterson, T.2026-07-07