More articles from COMMENTARY
- The Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Adults and Reproductive-Aged Women
Currently available data on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease burden in adults and reproductive-aged women are limited. These data are critically needed to assist in the advancement of strategies related to maternal RSV vaccination for the passive protection of their newborn children.
- Using Digital Technology for Sexual and Reproductive Health: Are Programs Adequately Considering Risk?
Digital technologies provide opportunities for advancing sexual and reproductive health and services but also present potential risks. We propose 4 steps to reducing potential harms: (1) consider potential harms during intervention design, (2) mitigate or minimize potential harms during the design phase, (3) measure adverse outcomes during implementation, and (4) plan how to support those reporting adverse outcomes.
- Using the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Delivery Decision Tool to Consider Transporting Medical Supplies via Drone
We developed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) Delivery Decision Tool to help health system decision makers identify their transport challenges and explore the potential utility and impact of UAVs on the broader health system.
- Postabortion Family Planning Progress: The Role of Donors and Health Professional Associations
Global leadership from donors and international professional associations has enabled postabortion family planning services to be scaled up worldwide through preservice education, clinical service delivery, and global health programming.
- Leveraging a Partnership to Disseminate and Implement What Works in Family Planning and Reproductive Health: The Implementing Best Practices (IBP) Initiative
The IBP initiative, a WHO-based partnership of NGOs, civil society organizations, governments, academic institutions, and other implementing partners, promotes evidence-based global guidelines, tools, and other interventions for local application, and incorporates implementation experience and learning back into the global discourse.
- Establishing Standards to Evaluate the Impact of Integrating Digital Health into Health Systems
The key milestones in the rise of digital health illustrate efforts to bridge gaps in the evidence base, a shifting focus to scale-up and sustainability, growing attention to the precise costing of these strategies, and an emergent implementation science agenda that better characterizes the ecosystem—the social, political, economic, legal, and ethical context that supports digital health implementation—necessary to take digital health approaches to scale.
- Extended Effectiveness of the Etonogestrel-Releasing Contraceptive Implant and the 20 µg Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine System for 2 Years Beyond U.S. Food and Drug Administration Product Labeling
Recently published evidence from 2 large studies find that the duration of effectiveness of the etonorgestrel-releasing contraceptive implant to be at least 5 years (compared with the current 3-year label), and for the 20 µg levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system at least 7 years (compared with the current 5-year label).
- From Research to Policy: The WHO Experience With Developing Guidelines on the Potential Risk of HIV Acquisition and Progestogen-Only Contraception Use
To develop guidance for women at high risk of HIV, WHO carefully considered the risks of maternal morbidity and mortality from unintended pregnancy against possible increased risk of HIV acquisition with injectable use. Among the many challenges: (1) balancing timeliness of changing the guidance against the potential impact of it; (2) engaging a range of stakeholders; (3) translating complex research and policy messages to clients; (4) needing additional research; and (5) monitoring and evaluating successes and challenges with implementing new guidelines.
- Seeking Synchrony Between Family Planning and Immunization: A Week-10 DMPA Start Option for Breastfeeding Mothers
Many mothers initiate DMPA injectables at 6 weeks postpartum, at the time of their baby's first immunization visit. Offering an optional delayed DMPA start at the next (10-week) immunization visit has potential advantages including a reduced follow-up schedule with DMPA visits synchronized with other immunization visits, and, possibly, improved contraceptive and immunization outcomes.
- Integrated Person-Centered Health Care for All Women During Pregnancy: Implementing World Health Organization Recommendations on Antenatal Care for a Positive Pregnancy Experience
The 2016 WHO guideline on routine antenatal care (ANC) recommends several health systems interventions to improve quality of care and increase use of services including:
Midwife-led continuity of care throughout the antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods
Task shifting components of ANC, including promotion of health-related behaviors and distribution of nutrition supplements
Recruitment and retention of health workers in rural and remote areas
Community mobilization to improve communication and support to pregnant women
Women-held case notes
A model with a minimum of 8 antenatal care contacts