The Ninth Amendment: An Underutilized Protection for Reproductive Choice.

Concern about individual rights and the desire to protect them has been part of our nation since its founding, and continues to be so today. The Ninth Amendment was created to assuage the Framers' concerns that enumerating some rights in the Bill of Rights would leave unenumerated rights unrecognized and unprotected, affirming that those rights are not disparaged or denied by their lack of textual support. The Ninth Amendment has appeared infrequently in our jurisprudence, and Courts initially construed it rather narrowly. But starting in the 1960s, the Ninth Amendment emerged as a powerful tool not just for recognizing unanticipated rights, but for protecting or expanding even enumerated rights. The right to privacy--encompassing the right to contraception and abortion--the right to preserve the integrity of your family, the right to vote, the right to own a firearm as an individual--all these rights have been asserted under and found to be supported by the Ninth Amendment. In its Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health decision overturning Roe, the Supreme Court found that there is no right to abortion because it is not in the Constitution. But the potential of the Ninth Amendment is such that reproductive choice need not be mentioned in the Constitution to be protected. Reproductive choice may rightfully be considered as part of a right to privacy, an unenumerated right that nevertheless has abundant precedent behind it. The Ninth Amendment, and its counterparts found in many state constitutions, has the power to protect not just reproductive choice, but all of our fundamental rights.

Use of digital media by adolescents for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication in sub-Saharan Africa: a protocol for systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Within the sub-Saharan African region, there is a growing concern for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication, and more particularly, for adolescents. Given the existing barriers associated with face-to-face access, the need to use digital media to access information and services has become desirable and imperative, especially so due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, a synthesis of evidence that informs adolescents' digital media engagements for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) communication is limited. This systematic review therefore aims to examine and synthesize evidence on use of digital media for sexual and reproductive health and rights communication by adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: A search for peer-reviewed articles will be conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, PsychINFO and Google Scholar with emphasis on those published between 2000 and 2023. Only observational and qualitative studies will be included. Quality assessment of included articles will be done using standardized checklists from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Both descriptive and narrative summaries will be used to appraise evidence from included studies. DISCUSSION: This review will be essential in providing information on the types of digital media adolescents use, the various SRHR issues they use this platform to address and their reasons for using it and associated challenges. It will also contribute to the advocacy for the inclusion of these technologies in the teaching and learning, provision of and access to SRHR information and services by teachers, public health providers and peer educators in the subregion. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020211491. This protocol follows the PRISMA-P guidelines for reporting systematic reviews.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Young Migrants in Sweden: An Ideal-Type Analysis Exploring Regional Variations of Accessible Documents.

Objectives: This study aims to map sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) policies, strategies, and interventions targeting young migrants and describe the patterns of organisation, resources, and services across Sweden's 21 regions. Methods: We conducted a document analysis of accessible online documents on SRHR policies, strategies, and interventions targeting young migrants in Sweden's 21 regions. We used ideal-type analysis of the documents to create a typology, which formed the basis of a ratings system illustrating variations in organisation, resources, and services across regions. Results: Findings suggest that efforts aimed at addressing young migrants' SRHR are fragmented and unequal across regions. While SRHR policies and strategies are commonplace, they routinely lack specificity. Available resources vary depending on region and resource type. Additionally, information and interventions, although common, do not consistently meet the specific needs of migrant youths. Conclusion: This study suggests that fragmented efforts are fuelling geographic inequalities in fulfilling SRHR among young migrants. There is an urgent need to improve national coordination and collaboration between national and local actors in SRHR efforts targeting young migrants to ensure equity.

Women with disabilities and their motherhood: scoping review. / Mulheres com deficiência e a experiência da maternidade: revisão de escopo.

This review aims to disclose the gaps and needs for acknowledging the rights to experience motherhood of women with disabilities. To do so, we map how much is known about these women's experience with motherhood, shedding light on their sexual and reproductive rights. The present work followed the scoping review by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). This research is structured by elaborating the question, identifying the relevant studies, selecting the studies, extracting the data, sorting, summarizing, and creating reports based on the results. Results: we found 1050 articles, of which 53 were selected for the analysis. considering the different themes, we generated three axes: (1) infantilization, dehumanization, and discredit in the experience of motherhood; (2) obstetric ableism - an expression of violence in obstetrics; (3) reproductive justice - politicize motherhood and care. The study showed the urgent need to regard women with disabilities as people having the right to make sexual and reproductive health choices. Health professionals need permanent education to acknowledge and guarantee such a need as interweaving relationships to reach decision-making and autonomy.

Nesta revisão, buscamos identificar lacunas e necessidades para o reconhecimento do direito das mulheres com deficiência ao exercício da maternidade. Objetivamos mapear o conhecimento referente às experiências com a maternidade dessas mulheres, ressaltando a produção de conhecimento relacionada aos direitos sexuais e reprodutivos. Realizamos uma revisão de escopo conforme o Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). A pesquisa se sustentou na: formulação da questão; identificação dos estudos relevantes; seleção dos estudos; extração de dados; separação, sumarização e relatório dos resultados. Resultados: identificamos 1.050 artigos e selecionamos 53 para análise. A separação dos temas convergentes gerou três eixos: (1) infantilização, desumanização e descrédito na experiência da maternidade; (2) capacitismo obstétrico: uma expressão da violência obstétrica; (3) justiça reprodutiva: politizar a maternidade e o cuidado. Concluímos pela urgência de considerar as mulheres com deficiência com direitos de escolhas nas questões referentes à sua saúde sexual e reprodutiva. Os profissionais de saúde precisam de educação permanente para reconhecer e garantir as necessidades como relações de interdependência para decisões e autonomia.

Husbands' knowledge and involvement in sexual and reproductive health rights of women in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia: a community-based study.

Background: Sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHRs) are integral elements of the rights of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, but they are the most underdeveloped and least understood sphere of rights, especially in Africa, including the country of Ethiopia. The implementation of women's SRHRs is essential for achieving gender equality and promoting women's rights. Husbands' knowledge and involvement play a significant role in improving women's practice of their SRHRs. However, there is limited information/data about the level of husbands' knowledge and involvement in Northwest Ethiopia, including Bahir Dar City. Therefore, this study aimed to assess husbands' knowledge, involvement, and factors influencing their involvement in women's SRHRs. Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from March 20 to April 5, 2023, in Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia, among 391 husbands. Multi-stage sampling and simple random sampling technique were applied to select kebeles and study participants, respectively. Participants were interviewed face-to-face using structured and pretested questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was applied to identify associated factors, and a p-value of <0.05 was a cutoff point to declare statistical significance. Results: In this study, 50.6% (198/391) of the husbands had good knowledge about their wives' SRHRs and 44.2% (173/391) (95% CI, 39.3-49.1%) of the husbands were involved when their wives practiced their SRHRs. Access training/education about sexual health [AOR = 5.99; 95% CI (2.7-13.2)], husbands' advance educational level [AOR = 8.81; 95% CI (2.04-38)], good knowledge about SRHRs [AOR = 7.94; 95% CI (4.3-14.4)], low monthly income (<4,600 birr) [AOR = 9.25; 95% CI (4.2-20.5)], and had open discussion with family members and friends about SRHRs [AOR = 1.92; 95% CI (1.01-3.6)] were found to have significant association with husbands' involvement. Conclusion: Husbands' level of knowledge on SRHRs of women and their involvement remain low. Therefore, responsible concerned bodies need to work on the strategies that help to improve men involvement and knowledge, and tackle the above-mentioned factors influencing their involvement.

Discussing the relationships between homoparenthood and health. / Problematizando as relações entre homoparentalidade e saúde.

The present article aims to bridge the gaps or deepen the debate to discuss the relationship between homoparenthood and health. This essay is anchored in specific literature. We seek to work on the following questions throughout the text: (i) How is the central theme of this discussion historically outlined? (ii) How does homoparenthood appear in scientific health production in general? (iii) What sociopolitical dimensions emerge around homoparenthood-health relationships? and (iv) What are the limitations and possibilities for exercising reproductive rights between same-sex couples? Among the conclusions, we underscore the challenge of facing the strangeness of homoparenthood against the idea of the so-called called "normal" family based on heteronormative logic. Even in countries with some legal apparatus assuring the rights to homoparental families, their members suffer prejudice, discrimination, and violence.

Buscando preencher lacunas e/ou aprofundar o debate, o artigo objetiva problematizar aspectos que envolvem as relações entre homoparentalidade e saúde. O desenho metodológico é o de ensaio, ancorado em literatura específica. Ao longo do texto procura-se trabalhar as seguintes questões: (i) Como se esboça historicamente a temática central desta discussão? (ii) Como se afigura a homoparentalidade no campo da produção científica da saúde em geral? (iii) Quais dimensões sociopolíticas emergem em torno das relações homoparentalidade-saúde? e (iv) Quais são os limites e as possibilidades para o exercício dos direitos reprodutivos entre casais homoafetivos? Dentre as conclusões, destaca-se o desafio de se enfrentar o estranhamento da temática homoparentalidade para a ideia da família denominada de "normal", configurada a partir da lógica heteronormativa. Mesmo nos países em que há algum aparato jurídico que garanta direitos às famílias homoparentais, seus integrantes são alvo de preconceitos, discriminações e violências.

The Alabama Embryo Decision-The Politics and Reality of Recognizing "Extrauterine Children".

This Viewpoint discusses the Alabama Supreme Court's opinion on in vitro fertilization and how it plays into a larger push for fetal and embryonic personhood.

Navigating conflicts of reproductive rights: Unbundling parenthood and balancing competing interests.

Advances in assisted reproductive technologies can give rise to several ethical challenges. One of these challenges occurs when the reproductive desires of two individuals become incompatible and conflict. To address such conflicts, it is important to unbundle different aspects of (non)parenthood and to recognize the corresponding reproductive rights. This article starts on the premise that the six reproductive rights-the right (not) to be a gestational, genetic, and social parent-are negative rights that do not entail a right to assistance. Since terminating or continuing a pregnancy is a form of assistance, the right (not) to be a gestational parent should enjoy primacy in conflicts. However, while refusing assistance may hinder the reproductive project of another person, "prior assistance" does not entitle someone to violate a reproductive right. Therefore, our analysis provides reasons to argue that someone has a right to unilaterally use cryopreserved embryos or continue the development of an entity in an extracorporeal gestative environment (i.e., ectogestation). Although this could lead to a violation of the right not to be a genetic parent, it does not necessarily entail a violation of the right not to be a social parent.

Direitos reprodutivos das mulheres submetidas à cesárea em Moçambique: uma revisão integrativa / Drets reproductius de les dones sotmeses a cesària a Moçambic: una revisió integradora / Derechos reproductivos de las mujeres sometidas a cesárea en Mozambique: una revisión integradora / Reproductive rights of women undergoing cesarean section in Mozambique: an integrative review

O presente artigo está voltado às questões referentes aos direitos reprodutivos e ao parto cesárea das mulheres em Moçambique. O objetivo foi analisar as ações/estratégias governamentais e não governamentais que visem a efetivação dos direitos reprodutivos das mulheres submetidas ao parto cesárea em Moçambique, discutindo sobre as fragilidades que configuram a violação desses direitos. Para tanto, foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura nas bases de dados Elsevier, GALE, PubMed, Web of Science e DOAJ a partir da combinação dos descritores cesarean section OR reproductive rights AND Mozambique. Depois de aplicadas as estratégias de inclusão e exclusão, resultaram 13 artigos elegíveis para elaboração do presente estudo. Os resultados apontam para a falta de aplicabilidade das ações governamentais que, apesar de existirem, ainda são ineficazes para que as mulheres de Moçambique tenham seus direitos reprodutivos garantidos e assistidos.(AU)

Aquest article es centra en qüestions relacionades amb els drets reproductius i el part per cesària de les dones a Moçambic. L'objectiu era analitzar les accions/estratègies tant governamentalscom no governamentals que busquen l'efectivitat dels drets reproductius de les dones sotmeses a cesària a Moçambic, discutint les debilitats que constitueixen la violació d'aquests drets. Per fer-ho, es va realitzar una revisió integradora de la literatura a les bases de dades Elsevier, GALE, PubMed, Web of Science i DOAJ a partir de la combinació dels descriptors cesarean section OR reproductive rights AND Mozambique. Després d'aplicar les estratègies d'inclusió i exclusió, es van obtenir 13 articles elegibles per a l'elaboració del present estudi. Els resultats assenyalen la manca d'aplicabilitat de les accions governamentals que, malgrat existir, encara són ineficaços per garantir i atendre els drets reproductius de les dones a Moçambic.(AU)

El presente artículo se centra en cuestiones relacionadas con los derechos reproductivos y el parto por cesárea de las mujeres en Mozambique. El objetivo fue analizar las acciones/estrategias gubernamentales y no gubernamentales que buscan la efectividad de los derechos reproductivos de las mujeres sometidas a cesárea en Mozambique, discutiendo las debilidades que constituyen la violación de estos derechos. Para ello, se realizó una revisión integradora de la literatura en las bases de datos Elsevier, GALE, PubMed, Web of Science y DOAJ a partir de la combinación de los descriptores cesarean section OR reproductive rights AND Mozambique. Después de aplicar las estrategias de inclusión y exclusión, se obtuvieron 13 artículos elegibles para la elaboración del presente estudio. Los resultados señalan la falta de aplicabilidad de las acciones gubernamentales que, a pesar de existir, aún son ineficaces para garantizary atender los derechos reproductivos de las mujeres en Mozambique.(AU)

This article addresses issues related to reproductive rights and cesarean delivery for women in Mozambique. The objective was to analyze governmental and non-governmental actions / strategies aimed at the realization of the reproductive rights of women submitted to cesarean delivery in Mozambique, discussing the weaknesses that constitute the violation of these rights. To this end, an integrative literature review was carried out in the Elsevier, GALE, PubMed, Web of Science and DOAJ databases based on the combination of the descriptors cesarean section OR reproductive rights AND Mozambique. After applying the inclusion and exclusion strategies, 14 articles were eligible for the preparation of this study. The results point to the lack of applicability of government actions that, although they exist, are still ineffective for women in Mozambique to have their reproductive rights fully guaranteed and assisted.(AU)

School health-care team members' reflections of their promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR): Important but neglected.

OBJECTIVE: Young people are prioritized regarding the promotion and safeguarding of sexual and reproductive health and rights - SRHR. In Sweden, the school is seen as an important arena with members of the school health-care or SHC team as vital actors in this work. This study explored SRHR-related work in SHC teams in Sweden. METHODS: Within an explorative qualitative design, structured interviews were conducted with 33 nurses, counsellors, SHC unit managers and headmasters. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied, and two main themes found. RESULTS: SHC team members see SRHR as an urgent topic, but address it only 'when necessary', not systematically - and they experience a shortage of guidance and cooperation regarding SRHR-related work. Even in a country with agreement on the importance of SRHR for all and on providing holistic comprehensive sex education in schools, young people are left to chance - i.e., to the SRHR competence in the professionals they meet. CONCLUSION: SHC team members in Sweden see SRHR as an urgent topic but do not address it systematically. Moreover, they experience a shortage of guidance for their work. To avoid any professional stress of conscience and for equitable school health care regarding SRHR to be realized, research-informed policy needs to underline systematic, comparable and proactive practice.

Social egg freezing and reproductive rights justification: A perspective from China.

Divergences and controversies are inevitable in the discussion of freedoms and rights, especially in the matter of reproduction. The Chinese first social egg freezing lawsuit raises the question: is the freedom to freeze eggs for social reasons justified because it is an instance of reproductive rights? This paper accepts social egg freezing as desirable reproductive freedom, but following Harel's approach and considering two theories of rights, the choice and interest theories of rights, we argue that social egg freezing is not a reproductive right because one cannot justify a right or an instance of rights via merely describing the function of those instances that have been justified as right, that is, the choice theory lacks justifying normativity. Since reserving fertility and a suspension from reproduction do not serve reproductive ends per se, the sufficient reason for demanding social egg freezing as a right should be found in other ends rather than in right-to-reproduce, that is, the interest theory denies the demand as a right-to-reproduce. Permitting it on any grounds without guaranteeing adequate and accessible resources, especially in light of cross-border reproductive care, raises serious questions about reproductive equality and violates the idea of reproductive rights. Therefore, any ground for social egg freezing should be weighed against whether more pressing reproductive needs, specifically those that are justified as rights, have been met. It would be social progress to shoulder these burdens for the vulnerable and then allow social egg freezing-if right-to-reproduce were not the only privilege of the few.

Sex Reassignment Surgery, Marriage, and Reproductive Rights of Intersex and Transgender People in Sunni Islam.

The traditional gender binary constitutes an integral aspect of Islamic social ethics, which has a pivotal role in shaping religious obligations, legal proceedings, and interpersonal judgments within Muslim communities. Within the familial sphere, this gender binary underscores fundamental responsibilities encompassing parenthood, filial duties, and inheritance rights. Recent years have witnessed a growing challenge to the traditional concept of the gender binary within Islamic societies. This shift is driven by increasing social libertarianism that emphasizes gender fluidity and individual choice. Hence, this article aims to critically scrutinize evolving discussions and controversies about the rights of intersex and transgender individuals, particularly issues relating to sex reassignment or gender-affirming surgery, marriage, and reproduction, from the perspective of the Sunni tradition of Islam. To support the various interpretations and insights presented here, a comprehensive and rigorous analysis is carried out on various religious texts and scholarly sources to elucidate the theological and jurisprudential positions on gender issues. It is thus concluded that Shariah offers greater flexibility in the treatment of intersex individuals compared to those with gender dysphoria because the intersex condition is viewed as a physical impairment that is not the choice of the afflicted individual. By contrast, in the case of individuals with gender dysphoria, they are willfully attempting to change their recognized biological sex, that God had naturally given to them at birth. Therefore, it is recommended that such transgender individuals deserve respectful psychological and social rehabilitation with help and guidance from religious authorities, their families, and communities.

Why a good law is not always good enough: a global review of restrictions to supportive laws for sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Laws and regulations provide the framework for implementing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)-related policies, programmes and services. They can promote the fulfilment of health and human rights; however, they may also limit the achievement of these goals. This study uses data collected under Sustainable Development Goal Indicator 5.6.2 to analyse SRHR-related laws and restrictions from 153 countries. Looking beyond the existence of supportive laws to assess the constellation of legal restrictions and contradictions such as criminalisation and plural legal systems provides a more nuanced understanding of factors involved in achieving full and equal access to SRHR.The interaction between restrictions and contradictions within the law disproportionately impacts some populations' health access and outcomes. Restrictions based on third-party authorisations and age are the most common restriction types, disproportionately impacting young women. Contraception, emergency contraception and abortion face the greatest number of restrictions, indicating a significant layering of barriers to family planning services. Further, plural legal systems commonly contradict guarantees of contraceptive services and emergency contraception. Our analyses suggest that one of the populations most affected by restrictions to SRH services as they appear in legal and regulatory frameworks is adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa seeking abortion or contraceptive services.Study findings provide a critical starting point for advocacy to address legal barriers to SRH services and evidence for future policy and programming. For individual countries, this study can serve as a model for analysis of their own legal and regulatory frameworks to identify priority areas for reform efforts.

Law Commission of India report on the age of consent: Denying justice and autonomy to adolescents.

The 22nd Law Commission of India (henceforth, the Commission) [1], in its recent 283rd report, offered its recommendation on the question of age of consent (AoC) to sexual activity. Two High Courts which have seen several cases of non-exploitative consensual sex involving adolescent girls, filed by the police under "sexual assault", had referred this issue to the Commission. The substantive matter before the Commission was whether to lower the AoC to prevent unnecessary prosecutions and resolve the contradictions in sexual violence laws. In this regard, we find the report rather disappointing. It is a lost opportunity to decriminalise adolescent sexuality, to restore the autonomy of adolescent girls over their bodies, uphold their sexual and reproductive rights, and respect their evolving capacity to exercise their sexuality. The Commission has also let go of a chance to undo a highly protectionist clause in the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012 [2] which renders all sexual activity of individuals under the age of 18 an offence. It failed to reiterate the progressive recommendations made by the Justice Verma Committee Report in 2013 [3] in this regard, which had come after extensive deliberations and were widely welcomed by stakeholders.

The ubiquity of 'self-care' in health: Why specificity matters.

Despite increased interest in self-care for health, little consensus exists around its definition and scope. The World Health Organization has published several definitions of self-care, including in a 2019 Global Guideline rooted in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), later expanded to encompass health more generally. To establish a robust understanding of self-care, this exploratory study inventorises, consolidates, presents and analyses definitions of self-care beyond the SRHR field. A pragmatic review identified definitions and conceptualisations of self-care from peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 2009 and 2021. The search identified 91 definitions of self-care from 116 relevant publications. Data extraction informed analysis to identify recurring themes and approaches, revealing three key areas of variation: self-care being: (1) defined directly or descriptively; (2) situated within individual, interpersonal or structural contexts; (3) defined broadly or topic-specifically. A multilevel conceptualisation can guide a more broadly applicable understanding of self-care: first, as an aspect of healthcare; second, as a concept operating at individual, interpersonal and institutional levels; third, as a concept that impacts specific health fields and contexts differently. A comprehensive but adaptable framework works in service of improving health and wellbeing for all, acknowledging the linkages between self-care and health-related human rights.