Reproductive Health Matters articles from November 2008

Reproductive Health Matters archives from November 2008

Reproductive cancers: high burden of disease, low level of priority.(EDITORIAL)(Editorial)
November 1, 2008... IT has taken this journal 16 years to focus on reproductive cancers, and there is no excuse for that. There are many others in the field who have equally inexcusably neglected this important health issue for many years in developing countries,...

Cervical cancer: the route from signs and symptoms to treatment in South Africa.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: In South Africa, in 2005-06, 100% of primary health care clinics in South Africa had health professionals trained to conduct Pap smears, yet the screening rate was only 1.3% and one in 26 women develop cervical cancer during their...

Prevention of cervical cancer.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: This article reviews the burden of cervical cancer in South Africa and shows that it remains the most common cancer among South African women, particularly women with least access to cervical cancer screening. It explains the...

Achieving effective cervical screening coverage in South Africa through human resources and health systems development.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: South Africa's cervical screening policy recommends three free Pap smears at ten-year intervals for all women over 30 years of age, aiming to achieve 70% coverage by 2010 by targeting the age group most at risk of developing...

Cervical cancer: the sub-Saharan African perspective.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women worldwide and the leading cause of cancer deaths in developing countries. While incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer have fallen significantly in developed...

Social inequality in Pap smear coverage: identifying under-users of cervical cancer screening in Argentina.(Survey)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: In Argentina, the unequal distribution of the burden of cervical cancer is striking: the mortality rate of the province of Jujuy (15/100,000) is almost four times higher than that of the city of Buenos Aires (4/100,000). We aimed to...

A Pan American Health Organization strategy for cervical cancer prevention and control in Latin America and the Caribbean.
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Latin America and the Caribbean, and disproportionately affects poorer women. Mortality rates in the region are seven times greater than in North America. In light...

Cervical cancer screening using visual inspection with acetic acid: operational experiences from Ghana and Thailand.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Thailand in 2000 and Ghana in 2001 initiated cervical cancer prevention programmes using a single-visit approach with visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) with cryotherapy for pre-cancerous lesions. This service was integrated...

Development of a visual inspection programme for cervical cancer prevention in Bangladesh.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Cervical cancer is the most common reproductive cancer in women in Bangladesh, and most women come for diagnosis and treatment when it is too late. To support early detection of pre-cancerous conditions and prevent cervical cancer,...

Benefits, cost requirements and cost-effectiveness of the HPV16, 18 vaccine for cervical cancer prevention in developing countries: policy implications.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Approximately 70% of eases of cervical cancer worldwide are caused by genotypes 16 and 18 of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is sexually transmitted. With the availability of an effective vaccine against these HPV types, there is...

Human papillomavirus vaccination in the United Kingdom: what about boys?(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: In September 2008 the UK Department of Health initiated a human papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme for girls aged 12-13 for prevention of cervical cancer, which is most often caused by two HPV types. An important question,...

Making the case for cervical cancer prevention: what about equity?(Report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Cervical cancer is a major cause of suffering and premature death among women in the developing world, yet it is largely prevented in most higher-income countries. From ah equity perspective, cervical cancer is unequally distributed...

Breast cancer in Mexico: a pressing priority.(Report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Breast cancer is a serious threat to the health of women globally, and an unrecognised priority in middle-income countries. This paper presents data from Mexico. It shows that breast cancer accounts for more deaths than cervical...

Breast cancer in India and a voluntary organisation in Andhra Pradesh.(LETTER)(Letter to the editor)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... ACCORDING to a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, there will be approximately 250,000 new cases of breast cancer in India by 2015. At present, India reports around 100,000 new cases annually. (1) Breast cancer will become...

The intruder.(breast cancer)
November 1, 2008... EVERY decade of my adult life has been marked by at least one traumatic event related to my reproductive system. In my 20s I had surgery several times to remove benign fibro-adenomas in my breasts, a consequence of being on the birth control...

Experiences of joy and fear.(cancer)
November 1, 2008... LIFE hit me with its full colours and sounds when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And the feeling of being alive was so acute, as if it was an entity in itself, like when you are short of breath and breathing becomes a conscious experience....

I am a woman who lives with breast cancer.(Essay)
November 1, 2008... I am a woman, and I am a woman who lives with breast cancer, and I am a woman who lives with breast cancer in Mexico. * Being a woman defines much of what I am experiencing, as well as my approach to treatment and the choices I have made....

So far so good.(breast cancer survivor)(Essay)
November 1, 2008... BECAUSE sexual and reproductive health problems are near-universal experiences, it has always been clear to me that I could expect to go through many of the problems that my work is about. I've used half a dozen brands and types of the...

"Losing my chestnut": one gay man's wrangle with prostate cancer.(Essay)
November 1, 2008... I am a sexuality activist, researcher and theorist, with 35 years of experience working, thinking, writing and debating in sexuality and gender politics, and 25 years of working in HIV/AIDS. I can talk about sex under water! For me, like...

Couple-centred testing and counselling for HIV serodiscordant heterosexual couples in sub-Saharan Africa.(Report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: In Africa, a large proportion of HIV infections occur within stable relationships, either because of prior infection of one of the partners or because of infidelity. In five African countries at least two-thirds of couples with at...

HIV-positive mothers in Viet Nam: using their status to build support groups and access essential services.(Report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Various support and self-help groups for people living with HIV and their families have developed in Viet Nam in recent years. This paper reports on a case study of Sunflowers, the first support group for HIV positive mothers in...

Male circumcision for HIV prevention: what about protecting men's partners?(AIDS CONFERENCE PRESENTATION)(Conference notes)
November 1, 2008... MALE circumcision for HIV prevention has been one of the "hot" topics at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City this year. I think that's great. Everywhere the subject has been raised, widely differing views have been expressed. It...

Analysis of socio-political and health practices influencing sex ratio at birth in Viet Nam.(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Viet Nam has experienced rapid social change over the last decade, with a remarkable decline in fertility to just below replacement level. The combination of fertility decline, son preference, antenatal sex determination using...

Your faith of mine: a pregnancy spacing intervention in an ultra-orthodox Jewish community in Israel.(Report)
November 1, 2008... Abstract: Ultra-orthodox (haredi) Jews in Israel have an exceptionally high fertility rate of 7.7. As most fathers spend their days studying the Bible, the women struggle to support their large families under severe economic pressures. Some...

Risk of cancers and the oral contraceptive pill.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)
November 1, 2008... The safety of the pill could not be known until observations had been made of women who had used the pill for many years. Between 1968 and 1969, 45,590 women in the UK were enrolled in a study and followed up for a mean of 24 years. On balance,...

Ovarian cancer and oral contraceptives.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The use of oral contraceptives is known to reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer, but the eventual public-health effect depends on how much the reduced risk persists after oral contraceptive use ceases. To assess this effect, a collaborative...

Fall in HRT use associated with fall in breast cancer, Australia.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(hormone replacement therapy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Results from the Women's Health Initiative in 2002, showing that the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, led to a rapid drop in HRT use. In the USA, an 11% reduction in breast cancer...

Environmental risk of breast cancer, diverse beliefs and evidence.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)
November 1, 2008... There is a significant degree of disagreement between various stakeholders about breast cancer causation, and a lack of effective dialogue among them. This paper reports on a project which explored the different standpoints taken up by various...

Three-dimensional technique boosts breast cancer identification.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Stereomammography, a new technique for detecting breast cancer which allows doctors to view breast tissue in three dimensions, missed 40% fewer cases of the disease, and resulted in half as many false positives, according to preliminary results...

Human papillomavirus detection by penile site in young men, Kenya.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... As part of a randomised clinical trial, 98 young, HIV-negative, uncircumcised men in Kisumu, Kenya, provided penile exfoliated cells from three anatomical sites. Penile HPV prevalence varied by site: 50% in the glans, coronal sulcus and inner...

HPV testing for primary cervical cancer screening.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)
November 1, 2008... The Dutch POBASCAM trial aimed to determine whether the effectiveness of cervical screening improves when HPV DNA testing is added to cytological testing. 17,000 women participating in a regular cervical screening programme in the Netherlands...

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, UK.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... A prospective cohort study involving 2,817 school-gifts from 36 secondary schools in Manchester, UK assessed the feasibility and acceptability of delivering the HPV vaccine. Parents were sent information, consent forms and reminders. 20.3% of...

Anal cytology screening for lesions among HIV-positive patients.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Anal carcinoma is relatively rare although its incidence is increasing, particularly among HIV-positive men who have sex with men. Anal carcinoma shares many similarities with cervical cancer, and based on the cervical cancer screening...

Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and higher long-term risk of cancer.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... In some countries, such as the UK, women have long-term intensive surveillance after conservative treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade three (CIN III), whereas in others, such as the Netherlands and Finland, they return to...

Adverse pregnancy outcomes after cervical intraepithelial neoplasia treatment.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Premalignant lesions of cervical cancer detected by screening are often treated by excision or ablation. Excisional techniques include cold knife conisation, laser conisation, and large loop excision of the transformation zone. Commonly used...

Fertility preservation in cancer patients and physician--patient communication.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... With cancer survival rates increasing, the new focus is on survivorship and quality of life. Infertility is an expected consequence following treatment of most cancers, with sustained infertility developing in 50-95% of cancer survivors....

Health insurance and cervical cancer screening in Latin America and Caribbean.(ROUND UP: Reproductive cancers)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A cross-sectional study of 6,357 women aged over 60 from seven cities used data from the Health, Well-Being and Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean Study. Prevalence of Pap smear during the previous two years ranged from 21% in Bridgetown...

HIV treatment as prevention.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Conference notes)
November 1, 2008... The use of HIV treatment as prevention was one of the main topics discussed at the International AIDS Conference. Because HIV treatment lowers viral load, often to undetectable levels, the risk of HIV transmission is greatly reduced. In early...

State of the epidemic and the response 2008.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A million more people were on antiretroviral therapy (ART) by the end of 2007 than a year before, most of them in Africa. In 2007, 33% of pregnant HIV-positive women received PMTCT drugs--up from 10% in 2004. The numbers of children receiving...

Criminalisation of HIV exposure or transmission is bad public policy.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Recent years have seen increased prosecutions for HIV exposure or transmission, particularly in Europe and North America. In parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, legislators have created new HIV-specific criminal offences and...

Declaration on sex education in Latin America and Caribbean.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... At the first meeting of health and education ministers to stop HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean, the "Prevention with Education" declaration was signed by representatives of 29 Latin American countries. Prior to the AIDS conference, where...

Latin American countries launch programmes to improve health care for sexual minorities.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Several Latin American countries launched new programmes in late 2007 and early 2008 to improve health care for sexual minorities, including homosexuals and transsexuals. Programmes focus on reducing stigma and discrimination and are part of...

Uganda tests pill to prevent HIV infection.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... An antiretroviral drug taken in a single pill before unprotected sex to reduce HIV transmission will be tested by 3,900 discordant couples having unprotected sex in a Phase III trial in Uganda soon. The plan is to follow them for four years....

Keeping Kenyan girls in school lowers future HIV levels.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Up to 13,000 Kenyan girls drop out of school every year due to pregnancy, and around 17% of gifts have sex before age 15. The 2004 Demographic and Health Survey found that better educated girls were less likely to marry early, more likely to...

Predicting cervical smear abnormalities in HIV-positive women, Thailand.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... With HIV-positive women living longer, it is important to identify those at risk for abnormal Pap smears who might benefit from early treatment. A cross-sectional study of 385 HIV-positive women in Bangkok found that the only significant...

One-stop reproductive health clinic for HIV positive women, UK.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... HIV-positive women may be reluctant to attend gynaecology or family planning clinics for fear of divulging their condition. A specialist clinic was opened within an HIV clinic in London. Retrospective case-notes of 197 new patients were...

Breastfeeding, antiretroviral prophylaxis and HIV.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Kuhn and colleagues found no significant difference in HIV-free survival in Zambia at 24 months between children whose mothers were encouraged to do abrupt weaning at four months and those encouraged to continue breastfeeding for as long as...

HIV screening during labour is feasible but is it acceptable?(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Testing pregnant women for HIV at the time of labour and delivery is the last opportunity for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), particularly in settings such as India where many women present for delivery without prior...

Traditional Xhosa male circumcision in South Africa.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Ritual male circumcision is a secretive and sacred rite practised by the Xhosa of South Africa. Recently, the alarming rate of death and injury among initiates has led to media attention and government regulation. In both years 2007 and 2008,...

Costing the scale-up of adult male circumcision, Mozambique.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... This article estimates the cost in terms of public finance and human resources of a rapid scale-up in Mozambique of adult male circumcision, a country with a low male circumcision rate and high HIV prevalence. There are three principal...

Male circumcision and human papillomavirus risk.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Male circumcision was an important topic at the conference. Dirk Taljaard, an investigator in the South African randomised controlled trial in Orange Farm, presented a substudy of the effect of circumcision on three STIs--gonorrhoea,...

Does circumcision protect gay men against HIV?(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Randomised controlled trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that male circumcision reduces men's risk of contracting HIV during heterosexual intercourse but less is known about its protective effect among men who have sex with men (MSM)....

Men who have sex with men and HIV.(ROUND UP: HIV/AIDS and International AIDS Conference 2008)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... A presentation outlined the epidemiology, response and human rights issues in the context of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM). The same results are seen in every HIV prevalence study among MSM, with rates much higher than the general...

Condom vending machines in Brazzaville, Congo.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The availability of condoms in the Republic of Congo has increased due to strategically placed vending machines selling three-packs of Ami 3 condoms for 100 CFA francs (US$0.28). Condom dispensers are now found in most of Congo's busiest towns...

Tackling low condom use in Swaziland.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... An initiative led by the National Emergency Council on HIV/AIDS is getting Swazi men to open up about their condom use (or lack thereof) and attitudes towards sexual health. In 2007 Swaziland's HIV prevalence was 26% among the sexually active,...

Violence and condom failure among female sex workers in China.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The vulnerability of female sex workers to STIs suggests the importance of examining sexual risk behaviour. Through face-to-face questionnaires, this research examined factors associated with condom slippage or breakage among 200 female sex...

Condom breakage among African-American men.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... African-American men are at high risk of HIV acquisition. Condom breakage is an understudied aspect of their sexual protective behaviour. This study identified user errors leading to condom breakage among 264 young, African-American men newly...

Condoms catching on in Sao Tome and Principe.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... With funding from the UN Population Fund and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, small wooden boxes containing 144 condoms each are now placed in highly visible locations such as restaurants, night clubs and stores on Sao...

Philippines endorses condoms despite church.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Philippine Health Department will promote the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV despite disapproval from the Roman Catholic church. "The use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS is different from their use for birth...

Cappuccino with condom, Ethiopia.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A newly opened cafe, Bellissima, in Addis Ababa, is linking business with a message. Each order comes with a packet of Sensation condoms and is served in Sensation cups by staff wearing Sensation T-shirts. Bellissima's owner, Hayat Ahmed, 26,...

Searching for Dr Condom.(ROUND UP: Condoms)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Little is known about the origins of the condom and the identity of Dr Condom--if such a medic ever existed--has remained sheathed in mystery. Records from Asia document condoms made from oiled paper, animal membrane, tortoiseshell or animal...

Using census data to study maternal mortality, South Africa.(ROUND UP: Maternal mortality)
November 1, 2008... The 2001 South African census included a question on deaths in the previous 12 months and questions on external causes and pregnancy-related deaths. A microdata sample from the census permitted researchers to assess maternal mortality. The...

Free maternity care in Ghana to reduce maternal mortality.(ROUND UP: Maternal mortality)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Ghana's maternal mortality ratio, estimated by WHO to be 560 per 100,000 live births, is one of the lowest in the region but has been declared a national emergency. Only 35% of deliveries are supervised by a skilled birth attendant, partly due...

Economic disparities widening in Asia-Pacific region.(ROUND UP: Maternal mortality)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The divide between rich and poor is rising within sub-regions of Asia and the Pacific, according to UNICEF's report Asia-Pacific's Children 2008, covering 37 countries. Pakistani boys are more likely to be immunised than girls and have better...

Sex crimes by aid workers and combatants under-reported.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Report)
November 1, 2008... Two recent reports highlight the problem of sexual violence in conflict situations, perpetrated not only by combatants but also by aid workers and United Nations peacekeepers. (1) The extent of sexual abuse by aid workers and peacekeepers is...

New regional safe abortion coalition launched.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... In June a group of 21 representatives of organisations and institutions from 10 countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (former Soviet Union republics) met in Kiev to discuss future collaboration in promoting safe abortion. As a result of...

Breastfeeding campaign urgently needed in Yemen.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The UNICEF office in Yemen has expressed concern over the decline in breastfeeding, which will lead to higher rates of malnutrition and death among under-fives. The rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Yemen had increased from 13% in 1991 to 17%...

Death by stoning suspended in Iran but still legal.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The sentence of four Iranians to die by stoning has been commuted by the Iranian judiciary, and the sentence of five other pending cases is under review. The eight women and one man were initially sentenced on convictions that included...

New Security Council resolution on sexual violence in conflict.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... On 19 June 2008, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 1820 to end sexual violence in conflict. The acknowledgement that sexual violence is an issue for the Security Council was important as some members, particularly China and Russia,...

Iranian government withdraws discriminatory Family Protection Bill.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A proposed Family Protection Bill, passed by the legal and judicial commission of the Iranian Parliament in July 2008, was returned to the judiciary commission as a result of intense opposition by numerous groups, including the One Million...

Kenyan debate on reforming abortion laws.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A new draft bill on women's reproductive health and rights seeking to decriminalise abortions has sparked intense debate in Kenya. The bill, prepared by a network including the Kenya chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, the...

Google and Microsoft remove adverts for sex selection in India.(ROUND UP: Advocacy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Google and Microsoft have pulled adverts for sex selection products and other services considered illegal in India after being threatened with legal action by opponents of sex selection. India's Supreme Court had last month asked the two...

Review of gender mainstreaming in health.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The concept of "gender mainstreaming" evolved from attempts to improve women's share of the gains of development in the early 1970s. This paper aims to understand what has been achieved, and how to move forward, by drawing on experiences in...

Intersections of gender and class in health status.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Gender and class, as well as race, ethnicity, and caste, affect people's vulnerability to ill health, their access to health care resources, and the consequences of disease. This literature review looks at existing, and limited, research on the...

Has donor prioritisation for HIV displaced other health aid?(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Using data from the OECD's Development Assistance Committee, this paper considered donor funding from 1992 to 2005 for four health agendas--HIV/AIDS, population, health sector development and infectious disease control. HIV/AIDS' relative share...

European Court rules on the right of same-sex couples to adopt.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... On 22 January 2008, the European Court of Human Rights delivered a verdict in the E.B. v. France case, in which a kindergarten teacher who has lived with her partner, another woman, for 18 years, qualified for adoption but was refused due to...

Abortion doctor Henry Morgentaler awarded "Order of Canada".(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Abortion provider Henry Morgentaler has been awarded Canada's highest civilian honour, the Order of Canada, at the age of 85. The award is for distinguished Canadians who have made a significant impact on Canadian society. Dr Morgentaler, a...

Limits of conscientious objection in reproductive medicine.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Although respect for conscience is important in reproductive medicine, conscientious refusals should be limited if they constitute an imposition of religious or moral beliefs on patients, negatively affect a patient's health, are based on...

Poverty and baby trade in Tajikistan.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... More cases are being reported of women living below the poverty line selling newborns in Tajikistan. Limited access to contraception often leads to unwanted pregnancy; many women cannot afford to raise a child and a child born out of a wedlock...

New reproductive health bill in Philippines.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act of 2008 is now pending in Congress in the Philippines, having already been approved in the Committee on Health. Some of its key provision include creating an enabling environment for women...

Laws on sex work in Norway and Sweden.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Swedish law on sex work, which penalises buyers of sex, will be evaluated by a special investigator. The Sex Purchase Law was adopted in 1999 and has drawn international attention. The country is interested in the extent to which the...

Bill to legalise abortion rejected in Brazil.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... A bill to legalise abortion in Brazil was rejected in the Justice Commission of the lower house of the Congress. The political climate around abortion is hostile, and there are currently 31 anti-abortion bills proposed. In June 2008, a...

Confidentiality decisions on abortion in Argentina.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... In June 2008, the Argentine Criminal Federal Chamber passed a sentence in the case of "Luque" which held that if a medical professional reports an abortion, no criminal process can be initiated against the woman who had the abortion. Every time...

Abortion rule under review in India.(ROUND UP: Law and policy)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The Bombay High Court rejected a petition seeking an exception to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act to allow an abortion beyond 20 weeks. The 20-week legal limit was set in the late 1960s. Nowadays, however, a number of fetal...