📄 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

Understanding the acceptability, barriers and facilitators to implementing the 4CMenB vaccine for the prevention of gonorrhoea in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men

This study found that while the 4CMenB vaccine for gonorrhoea prevention is highly acceptable among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and healthcare professionals, successful implementation and equitable uptake depend on overcoming structural barriers through accessible community-based delivery, clear communication, and sustained system-level support.

Osman, R., Jajja, A., Weil, B., Doyle, T., Berners-Lee, B., Lorencatto, F., Mohammed, H., Campbell, H., Ladhani, S. N. (…)2026-07-04
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Hormonal Contraceptives Drive Genital Lipid Metabolism Reprogramming and Susceptibility to HIV Infection

This study demonstrates that injectable hormonal contraceptives (DMPA) reprogram genital lipid metabolism by depleting structural membrane lipids and increasing triglycerides, likely through interactions with the microbiome, thereby weakening the epithelial barrier and increasing susceptibility to HIV infection, whereas oral contraceptives containing estrogen exhibit contrasting metabolic effects.

Gebrehiwot, A. G., Niazy, M., Ambaw, Y. A., Henriquez, N., Wessels, J. M., Lajoie, J., Kimani, J., Fowke, K. R., Wolday (…)2026-06-17
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Genital Inflammatory Responses in Women Living with HIV Randomized to Copper or Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Contraceptives: A secondary analysis of a randomized trial

In a secondary analysis of a randomized trial involving women living with HIV, the study found that while the copper intrauterine device (C IUC) induced broad and sustained increases in cervicovaginal cytokines among women on antiretroviral therapy, the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG IUS) caused minimal inflammatory changes, suggesting LNG IUS is a less inflammatory contraceptive option for this population.

Happel, A.-U., Passmore, J.-A. S., Sinkala, M., Jaumdally, S., Gamieldien, H., Hu, N.-C., Langwenya, N., Jones, H. E., H (…)2026-05-26
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Fertility rates across generations in twins and singletons: A total population study in Finland

This Finnish total population study reveals that while dizygotic female twins exhibit modestly higher fertility and a greater likelihood of twin births compared to singletons and monozygotic twins, these sex- and zygosity-specific differences are confined to the twin generation and do not persist in subsequent generations.

Niemi de Paiva, S., Hukkanen, M., Latvala, A., Kaprio, J., Zellers, S.2026-05-25
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Knowledge and utilization of family planning and safe abortion services among married women of reproductive age in the Raute community of Nepal: a census-based cross-sectional study

This census-based study of Nepal's marginalized Raute community reveals that while over half of married women utilize family planning, primarily through injectables, there is a critical lack of awareness regarding safe abortion policies and negligible access to these services, highlighting an urgent need for culturally tailored, mobile outreach and legal literacy programs to improve reproductive health equity.

Joshi, M., Bhatt, A., Sharma, A., Thapa, M., Khanal, S.2026-05-22✓ Author reviewed ⓘ
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Using HiFi Long-Read Whole Genome Sequencing To Enhance Diagnosis In Patients With Subfertility And/Or Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

This multicenter study demonstrates that PacBio HiFi long-read whole genome sequencing serves as a comprehensive single-test diagnostic tool for couples with unexplained subfertility or recurrent pregnancy loss, identifying clinically significant genetic variants in approximately 10% of cases while characterizing diverse genomic variations.

Teo, J. X., Cheawsamoot, C., Kim, D., Goh, J. C.-Y., Kam, S., Chan, S. S.-M., Yang, L., Liu, S., Chua, K. P., Cheng, W. (…)2026-05-08
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Adolescent satisfaction with public health services and contraceptive use in Nepal - A sequential explanatory mixed methods study

This sequential explanatory mixed-methods study in Nepal reveals that while a majority of adolescents report satisfaction with public health services, underlying issues such as judgmental provider attitudes and privacy concerns significantly influence their contraceptive use, highlighting the critical need to strengthen health system factors like confidentiality and appointment accessibility.

Dangol, S. K., Dangal, M. R., Marahatta, S. B., Nepal, A.2026-05-06
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Menopause in the All of Us Research Program: A Descriptive Summary of Electronic Health Record and Survey Response across Sociodemographic Characteristics

This study characterizes menopause-related data across survey, electronic health record, and genomic modalities in nearly 396,000 All of Us Research Program participants, revealing significant under-ascertainment in EHRs compared to self-reports and providing critical insights into age distributions and sociodemographic variations to guide future menopause research design.

Staples, J. W., White, S. L., Giacalone, A., Pozdeyev, N., Sammel, M. D., Stranger, B. E., Valencia, C. I., Santoro, N. (…)2026-04-25
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Antenatal Screening for Sexually Transmitted Infections to Reduce Preterm Birth or Low Birthweight (Philani Ndiphile Study): A Randomized Three-Group Trial

In a randomized trial among pregnant women in South Africa, neither one-time nor two-time antenatal screening and treatment for *Chlamydia trachomatis*, *Neisseria gonorrhoeae*, and *Trichomonas vaginalis* significantly reduced the composite outcome of preterm birth or low birthweight compared to standard syndromic care, although the two-time screening strategy was associated with a statistically significant 23% reduction in preterm birth alone.

Babalola, C. M., Medina-Marino, A., Mdingi, M. M., Wilson, M. L., Mukomana, F., Muzny, C. A., Taylor, C. M., Gigi, R. M. (…)2026-04-21
📄 sexual and reproductive health

Testing trajectories for GetCheckedOnline in British Columbia: Implications for equity, stewardship and sustainability of digital STI testing services

This study of British Columbia's GetCheckedOnline service reveals that while a small subset of high-risk users accounts for the majority of tests, overall utilization aligns with prevention needs rather than indiscriminate overuse, supporting a stewardship approach focused on risk-based education rather than universal restrictions.

Iyamu, I. O., Haag, D., Bartlett, S., Worthington, C., Grace, D., Gilbert, M.2026-04-14