Title:	Critical Issues in Reproductive Health
Authors:	Andrzej Kulczycki Andrzej Kulczycki
Keywords:	Critical Issues
Issue Date:	2014
Publisher:	Springer
Description:	Poor reproductive health can have devastating consequences on individuals and families, along with adverse impacts for health care systems, economic well-being and society. Good reproductive health contributes to healthy sexuality, individuals and families, as well as wanted children and more optimal societal and economic outcomes. Although a number of countries had earlier adopted the concept, it was the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) which explicitly recognized sexual and reproductive rights as fundamental to women’s health, and gave much momentum to the fi eld. It also moved beyond the confi nes of traditional family planning approaches, set new goals for reproductive health and rights, and highlighted their importance for policymakers and publics worldwide. However, a political backlash soon ensued, the HIV/AIDS epidemic worsened with no apparent end in sight, and new funding priorities and mechanisms emerged. The revised international agenda for poverty reduction and development articu- lated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in 2000 acknowl- edged the need to reduce maternal mortality and HIV/AIDS. However, it fell short of more explicitly recognizing the interplay between reproductive health, poverty reduction and development, and largely side-tracked other reproductive health issues. The MDG goal of maternal mortality reduction is the most off-track goal and unmet reproductive health needs remain large, notwithstanding recent progress and a changed international political environment. In 2001, shortages in reproductive and sexual health were estimated to account for nearly one-fi fth of illness and pre- ventive death worldwide, and one-third among women of reproductive age. This toll stemmed largely from problems related to pregnancy and to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), notably HIV/AIDS, which are particularly acute in the world’s poorest communities. There have been recent signifi cant reductions in the globalizatio burden of disease from maternal conditions and HIV/AIDS, but with the target dates for realizing the ICPD vision (2014) and MDG goals (2015) imminent, it is clear that much more work is needed on how best to improve reproductive health knowl- edge, policy and care. This book presents a set of papers intended to stimulate and advance such research by highlighting various understated and vital cross-cutting themes for the reproductive health fi eld, especially as it looks forward to the next decade. The book attempts to address a number of critical issues in reproductive health, including cur- rent debates and controversies; identify research, policy and practice gaps and pri- orities; and illustrate innovative solutions to addressing some of the multiple challenges in these areas. The book thereby seeks to enhance interest and enlighten scientifi c, policy and programmatic dialogue on reproductive health. It is intended for health, social, and behavioural scientists and professionals; students in health- related fi elds, the social sciences, and current affairs; as well as others interested in reproductive health. Addressing reproductive health challenges from a broader interdisciplinary perspective is needed. Contributing authors represent many differ- ent disciplines and most are well-established in their respective areas of expertise and known for their scholarly and dispassionate analyses. The chapters presented here are topical and thought-provo
URI:	http://10.6.20.12:80/handle/123456789/52664
ISBN:	978-94-007-6722-5
Appears in Collections:	Population Studies

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