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. 2021 Dec;29(1):1882791.
doi: 10.1080/26410397.2021.1882791.

Seeking synergies: understanding the evidence that links menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health and rights

Lucy C Wilson  1 , Kate H Rademacher  2 , Julia Rosenbaum  3 , Rebecca L Callahan  4 , Geeta Nanda  5 , Sarah Fry  6 , Amelia C L Mackenzie  7
Affiliations

Seeking synergies: understanding the evidence that links menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health and rights

Lucy C Wilson et al. Sex Reprod Health Matters. 2021 Dec.

Abstract
in English, French, French

Global efforts to improve menstrual health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are fundamentally intertwined and share similar goals for improving health and well-being and increasing gender equality. Historically, however, the two fields have operated independently and missed opportunities to build upon their biological and sociocultural linkages. Biological touchpoints connecting the two fields include genital tract infections, menstrual disorders, contraception, and menopause. From a sociocultural perspective, intersections occur in relation to the experience of puberty and menarche, gender norms and equity, education, gender-based violence, and transactional sex. We describe evidence linking menstrual health and SRHR and offer recommendations for integration that could strengthen the impact of both fields.

Les efforts mondiaux pour améliorer la santé menstruelle et la santé et les droits sexuels et reproductifs sont fondamentalement indissociables et partagent des objectifs similaires pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être tout en accroissant l’égalité entre hommes et femmes. Traditionnellement, néanmoins, les deux domaines ont opéré de manière indépendante et ont manqué des occasions de s’appuyer sur leurs liens biologiques et socioculturels. Les points de contact biologiques reliant les deux domaines incluent les infections de l’appareil génital, les troubles menstruels, la contraception et la ménopause. Dans une perspective socioculturelle, les intersections se produisent en rapport avec l’expérience de la puberté et des première règles, les normes de genre et l’égalité entre hommes et femmes, l’éducation, la violence sexiste et le commerce du sexe. Nous décrivons les données liant la santé menstruelle avec la santé et les droits sexuels et reproductifs et proposons des recommandations pour une intégration susceptible de renforcer l’impact des deux domaines.

Los esfuerzos mundiales por mejorar la salud menstrual y la salud y los derechos sexuales y reproductivos (SDSR) están entrelazados fundamentalmente y tienen objetivos similares en común para mejorar la salud y el bienestar e incrementar la igualdad de género. Sin embargo, históricamente, los dos campos han operado de manera independiente y han perdido oportunidades de aprovechar sus vínculos biológicos y socioculturales. Los puntos de contacto biológicos que conectan los dos campos son: infecciones del tracto genital, trastornos menstruales, anticoncepción y menopausia. Desde la perspectiva sociocultural, ocurren intersecciones con relación a la experiencia de pubertad y menarquia, normas y equidad de género, educación, violencia de género y sexo transaccional. Describimos la evidencia que vincula la salud menstrual y SDSR, y ofrecemos recomendaciones para integración que podrían fortalecer el impacto de ambos campos.

Keywords: contraception; gender norms; menstrual health; menstruation; reproductive health.

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