Socially-deviant middle eastern women at a great risk of poor reproductive health

ABSTRACT

It is important to examine scale and scope of the reproductive health among socially-vulnerable women. The study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that as compared to general population, reproductive health is poorer among socially-vulnerable women. We enrolled 100 cases and 203 controls conducted from January 2010 to January 2011. Cases were socially- vulnerable women seeking care from Tehran's Center for Improving Social Health of Socially-Damaged Women [Specific Center for Socially-Vulnerable Women]. Controls were women referring to health centers of Tehran. Mean age of cases and controls were 34.1 years and 33.8 years, respectively. Unwanted pregnancy was reported by 62.9% of cases and 33% of controls. Among socially-vulnerable women, 50.6% of abortions were reported to happen during the period in which they were using drugs. Among cases, 45.7% reported to give birth to low birth weight newborns and for controls was 11.7%. Among cases with low birth weight child, 64.9% used drug during pregnancy. Birth control was reported by 81.5% of cases and 92.8% controls. The most common method of contraception was condom among both cases [66%] and controls [31.2%]. At least one screening test for cervical cancer was reported by 82.8% of controls and for 47% of cases. Mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15.7 years among cases and 20.9 years among controls. Mean Sexual Performance Scale score was lower among cases [22.3] than controls [25.9] and sexual dysfunction was more prevalent among cases [80.6%] than controls [59.1%]. A high prevalence of reproductive health disorders was documented among socially-damaged women as compared to the women from general population