Contraceptive Utilization and Pregnancy Termination Among Female Sex Workers in Afghanistan

Abstract

Although FSWs in Afghanistan report high rates of contraceptive use, unplanned pregnancy is common. Reproductive health services should be included in programming for FSWs to reduce unplanned pregnancies and to reduce HIV/STI risks.

Understanding the Broader Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Female Sex Workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh

“…We should also note that the calculation used for unmet need is not directly comparable with the calculations from other studies, as the definitions and measurements of fertility desires, method use and consistency of condom use vary among studies. 9,10,14 As we explained earlier, our measure of unmet need used definitions of fertility desires and consistent condom use that were stricter than those typically used in other studies.…”

“…The lifetime prevalence of abortion among female sex workers in Asia and Africa ranges from 22% to 86%, [6][7][8][9][12][13][14] suggesting that sex workers' pregnancies frequently are unintended. These high rates of abortion should not be surprising, considering the burdens that pregnancy may pose to such women.…”

“…13,15 Indeed, the levels of contraceptive use reported by female sex workers in various countries indicate a strong desire to avoid unintended pregnancy. 1,8,9,14 Few studies have calculated the unmet need for contraception in this population; estimates have ranged from 4% to 29%, 9,10,14 but these rates generally are not comparable across studies because the methods used for calculating unmet need have varied.…”

Fertility-related research needs among women at the margins

“…63,78,79 Abortion is common among sex workers, though less is known about the safety of abortions or access to post-abortion care. 70,[80][81][82] Existing information suggests that many abortions are unsafe and complications common. [83][84][85] Legal barriers and criminalization of abortion and sex work in many settings discourage safe abortions and preventive measures, magnifying risk and decreasing access and/or engagement in appropriate care.…”

Infecção pelo vírus da hepatite B, HIV e cobertura vacinal em profissionais do sexo feminino em Teresina - PI

“…para sífilis e que o uso do preservativo variou de 17,5% a 70,1% (DAS et al, 2011 Associados a essa elevada prevalência do HIV, em profissionais do sexo, encontram-se vários fatores de risco como álcool, cocaína, maconha e crack (CAETANO et al, 2013;PASSOS et al, 2007;TODD et al, 2010;BALDIN-DAL POGETTO et al, 2012). Estudo realizado por Samet et al, (2010) …”