Gender and Health:

A Global Perspective

Anne Monroe, MD
University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital
Miami, Florida
March, 2007

Prepared as part of an education project of the

Global Health Education Consortium
and collaborating partners
 Objectives

• Illustrate how gender affects health status

• Describe barriers to women’s health

• Describe the impact of limited sexual and reproductive health

services on global health and development

• Understand the role of gender in the global HIV/AIDS epidemic

• Review global development goals related to gender

Gender is a social construct which is an important determinant of health globally. Violation of women’s
rights, including violence against women, lack of reproductive and sexual health options for women, and
lack of education of women create significant barriers to health. Gender norms have been devastating to
women in the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and women are disproportionately affected by the disease, both in rates
of infection and social impact. International development and health organizations are addressing gender
inequalities and working to improve women’s health status.

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 Determinants of Health

• A determinant is a primary risk factor causally

associated with a health problem

• Examples:
– Genetic predispositions
– Environmental exposures
– Behavior patterns (dietary habits, smoking, physical activity)
– Social circumstances (class, gender)
– Educational attainment
– Cultural norms
– Access to healthcare

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Notes on Determinants of Health
Determinant: A determinant is a primary risk factor associated with the level of a
health problem.
There are five major determinants of health, i.e., factors which promote or impair
individual and community health. Genetic or biologic factors, such as age, sex, race,
and genetic susceptibility to disease are innate and, at present, unchangeable.
Environmental exposures, such as physical (sunlight), chemical (pollutants) and
biologic (exposure to viruses/bacteria) also influence health. Behavior patterns,
such as diet, physical activity, and sexual behavior, play a major role in the
development of both infectious and chronic diseases. Access to medical care
influences both development and outcome of disease, and individuals or
communities with limited or difficult access to healthcare fare worse than those with
easy access to healthcare. Finally, social circumstances are a major determinant of
health. Socioeconomic status and class have a profound impact on health, as
people living in poverty do not have the resources necessary to maintain their
health.
Last JM and McGinnis JM. Determinants of Health. In Principles of Public Health Practice, 2nd
Ed. Scutchfield and Keck, ed. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Learning, 2003
Social Determinants of Health. www.who.int/features/factfiles/sdh/01_en.html

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 Gender: A social construct

• In the social sciences, gender emphasizes the social, cultural,

or psychological dimensions of being a man or a woman, in
contrast to biological sex

• Gender refers to culturally based expectations of the roles,

traits, and behaviors of men and women

While poverty is the single most important determinant of health, gender is also of crucial importance. Gender
“refers to the socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers
appropriate for men and women.” Characteristics that are considered masculine or feminine may help or
hinder health. For example, if risk-taking is considered a masculine characteristic, men may be more likely to
have accidents or be victims of trauma. If gender norms in a society dictate that women be demure and
sexually inexperienced, women may be less likely to seek information about sex or governments may not
prioritize sexual education for women

What do we mean by "sex" and "gender"? http://www.who.int/gender/whatisgender/en/index.html

International Fund for Agricultural Development, Glossary http://www.ifad.org/gender/glossary.htm

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‘Gender mainstreaming’

• Gender must be considered in all health and development goals

• Development programs must strive for gender equality, i.e., equal

life opportunities for men and women

• Development agencies must assess the implications for women

and men of any planned action, and ensure that both women's
and men's concerns and experiences are considered

• ‘Gender mainstreaming’ refers to efforts to ensure that health

care providers know how gender affects health and that they act
to address gender issues

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Notes on Gender Mainstreaming
The World Health Organization (WHO) has promoted gender
mainstreaming as a way to incorporate gender into all aspects of health
delivery. Gender mainstreaming promotes knowledge of the ways in which
gender affects health, and makes awareness of and responsibility for
gender the task of all health professionals. This is crucial in the public
health sector to ensure that programs are sensitive to the specific social
issues that influence women’s health care needs.
What is "gender mainstreaming"? http://www.who.int/gender/mainstreaming/en/
While working towards development goals, gender issues must be addressed early.
The following article considers the Millennium Development Goals with emphasis on
gender:
‘En-gendering’ the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on Health
www.who.int/gender/mainstreaming/MDG.pdf
Rao Gupta, G et al. Integrating Gender into HIV/AIDS Programmes.
http://www.who.int/gender/hiv_aids/hivaids1103.pdf

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Barriers to Women’s Health

1) Violence against women

2) Sexual and reproductive health concerns

-Inadequate services
-FGM (female genital mutilation)
-Women and HIV/AIDS

3) Gender inequity

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 1) Violence Against Women

• A public health and human rights problem throughout the world

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 WHO Multinational Study

• WHO multinational study

(2005) found that the lifetime
prevalence of physical or
sexual violence, or both,
ranged from 15-71% of
women from various urban
and rural areas

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Notes on the WHO study.
Violence against women is a public health and human rights problem throughout the world. A 2005
WHO study collected violence data through interviews with over 28,000 women from urban and
rural settings in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Japan, Namibia, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and
Montenegro, Thailand, and the United Republic of Tanzania.
The study revealed the lifetime prevalence of physical or sexual violence, or both, ranging from 15-
71% of women (higher in rural areas). Up to 28% of women interviewed had been beaten during
pregnancy. The most commonly perpetrator was a husband/male partner, and the violence was in
many cases not formally investigated or punished, stemming from cultural norms that violence
should be treated as a private or family matter.
Violence not only affects women by the direct injury, but also indirectly, with women who had ever
experienced physical or sexual partner violence, significantly more likely to report poor or very poor
health compared with women who had never experienced violence. Partner violence is also linked
with mental health problems, emotional distress, and suicidal behavior. The health sector must
respond to partner violence with measures to identify abuse early, provide necessary treatment,
refer for appropriate care as well as advocacy to change the cultural norms that allow violence
against women. A point of entry into the healthcare system for many women is reproductive health
services; this provides an opportunity to address issues related to domestic violence. Interestingly,
women with unintended pregnancies were more likely to have experienced physical violence than
women whose pregnancies were planned.
WHO Multi-country study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against women. 2005.
http://www.who.int/gender/violence/who_multicountry_study/en/index.html
Gazmarian JA et al. Violence and Reproductive Health: Current Knowledge and Future Research
Directions. Maternal and Child Health Journal. 2000; 4: 79-84.

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 Additional WHO study findings

• Additional WHO study findings:

– Husband or male partner was the most frequent

perpetrator
– Violence against women is often not formally
investigated or punished
– Partner violence contributes to poor physical and
emotional health in women

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Barriers to Women’s Health

1) Violence against women

2) Sexual and reproductive health concerns

-Inadequate services
-FGM (female genital mutilation)
-Women and HIV/AIDS

3) Gender inequity

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2) Sexual and Reproductive Health Concerns
Reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its
functions and processes

In order to achieve international development goals, reproductive and sexual

health services must be available worldwide. Adequate reproductive health
services allow women to space pregnancies, with significant social, economic, and
health benefits. Reproductive health, as defined at the International Conference on
Population and Development in 1994, is “complete mental and social well-being
and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the
reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health
therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and
that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and
how often to do so.”
Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, New
York, United Nations, 1994. http://www.iisd.ca/Cairo.html

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• Components
Components of Sexual andof Sexual
Reproductive and Reproductive Health Care:
Health Care

– Antenatal, perinatal, postpartum, and newborn care

– High-quality services for family planning, including
infertility services
– Elimination of unsafe abortions
– Prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted
infections, including HIV, reproductive tract infections
cervical cancer, and other gynecological morbidities
– Promotion of healthy sexuality

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 Realities: Reproductive health care

• Poor access to services exists

Reproductive Health Realities
• UN Population Fund estimates that 120 million women desire
contraceptives but lack access to them
• 80 million unintended pregnancies annually, with 45 million ending
in abortion
• 19 million abortions are unsafe, with 68,000 deaths annually
Increased access to information and technologies to improve reproductive and sexual health is desperately
needed. Unfortunately, politicians do not always take good public health practice into consideration, and
conservative governments may reduce reproductive health services, to the detriment of women. The UN
Population Fund estimates that 120 million women who wish to access contraception cannot. Lack of
reproductive choices increases the number of unintended pregnancies and illegal and/or unsafe abortions.
Estimates place the number of unintended pregnancies at 80 million annually, with 45 million ending in
abortion, 19 million of those unsafe abortions, with 68,000 deaths annually. Rates of sexually transmitted
infections are high, estimated at 340 million new infections annually. Globally, maternal morbidity and
mortality remain high, with eight million of the approximately 210 million women who become pregnant in the
world suffering life-threatening complications of pregnancy and 529,000 dying in childbirth. Currently, only
about 60% of births globally are assisted by a professional attendant, with the percentage dropping as low
as 33% in the least developed countries.
Glasier A et al. Sexual and reproductive health: a matter of life and death. The Lancet, 4 November 2006.
368 (9547): 1595-1607.
Skilled attendant at birth – 2006 updates. http://www.who.int/reproductive-
health/global_monitoring/skilled_attendant.html

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Estimated annual unsafe abortions per 1000 women aged 15-44

Estimated annual unsafe abortions per 1000 women aged 15-44

Source: WHO, Unsafe abortion. Global and regional estimates of the incidence of unsafe abortion and associated
mortality in 2000. Fourth edition. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004.

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 Sexual and Reproductive
Health Concerns

• There are many negative consequences of poor access to

sexual health services:
– High rates of sexually transmitted infections
– Unintended pregnancies/inadequate birth spacing
– Increased maternal morbidity and mortality

• WHO identified unsafe sex as the second greatest risk

factor (after underweight) for disease and death in the
developing world

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World Disease burden in 2000 attributable to selected leading risk factors

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FGM (Female Genital Mutilation)
• FGM = removal of part or all of the external genitalia for non-medical
reasons
• Over 130 million women worldwide have been subjected to FGM
• FGM has both immediate and delayed adverse effects, including
increased peripartum complications
Reproductive and sexual health may be adversely affected by female genital mutilation (FGM), removal of
part or all of the external genitalia for non-medical reasons. The practice is common in some regions of
Africa and in the Middle East, and it is estimated that 130 million women worldwide have been subjected to
FGM, with two million girls at risk. There are significant medical risks associated with the procedure,
including severe pain and bleeding, infection risk, scarring, and the possibility that the vagina be will need
opened at the time of childbirth.
Increased levels of education decrease the frequency of the practice in certain countries, however social
convention, including perceptions that FGM maintains virginity or increases a young woman’s value as a
wife, persist. The health dangers of FGM with relation to childbirth have been examined. A study of over
28,000 women recently published in Lancet examined the relationship between female genital mutation and
peripartum complications. There was an increased relative risk of caesarian section, postpartum
hemorrhage, extended hospital stay, requirement of infant resuscitation, low birthweight, and stillbirth among
women who had been subjected to the most drastic forms of FGM.
• Innocenti Digest. Changing a Harmful Social Convention: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. UNICEF. Italy. 2005.
http://www.unicef-icdc.org/publications/pdf/fgm-gb-2005.pdf
• WHO Study Group on female genital mutilation and obstetric outcome. Female genital mutilation and obstetric outcome:
WHO collaborative prospective study in six African countries. Lancet 2006. 367 (9525): 1835-41.

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 Female Genital Mutilation

• FGM is widespread: performed in 28 African countries and

in some areas in Asia and the Middle East

• It is a cultural practice, not the mandate of a particular

religion

• FGM is typically performed by traditional practitioners,

often without anesthesia or clean instruments

• Wealthier members of society sometimes opt to have FGM

performed in a hospital setting

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• Although widely considered a human rights violation and forbidden by law
Female Genital Mutilation
in many countries, FGM continues

• There are many reasons for the continued practice of FGM:

– FGM is thought to decrease sexual drive, desire and/or enjoyment in
females in order to ensure chastity until marriage and fidelity in
marriage
– Identification with cultural heritage; initiation of girls into womanhood
– External genitalia considered dirty and unsightly
– Purported to enhance fertility and promote child survival
– Some Muslim communities practice FGM in the belief that it is
demanded by the Islamic faith, but FGM predates Islam

WHO Fact Sheet: Female Genital Mutilation

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/
UNICEF Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_genitalmutilation.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_cutting
(This reference includes a description of legal measures in various countries)

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• Short-term complications of FGM may include hemorrhage,
Female Genital Mutilation
infection, shock (all of which can cause death), pain, urinary
retention, potential for spread of HIV and hepatitis through
contaminated tools

• There are many potential long-term consequences of FGM:

– cyst/abscess formation
– keloid scars
– urinary incontinence
– painful sexual intercourse/sexual dysfunction
– difficulties with childbirth: caesarean section, postpartum
hemorrhage, episiotomy, extended maternal hospital stay,
resuscitation of the infant

• FGM may also have lasting effects on the psychological health of

women
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Gender and HIV/AIDS

• HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects women in the

developing world

• In Sub-Saharan Africa
– Women comprise 59% of adults living with HIV
– Women ages 15-24 account for 75% of all young people
infected
Fifty percent of HIV infections globally are in women, with the majority of infections occurring
as the result of heterosexual sex. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the region hardest hit by the AIDS
epidemic overall, there are twelve to thirteen women infected for every ten infected men. In
addition, young women account for 75% of all HIV infected young people (ages 15-24) in
that region. Biologically, it is easier for a male to transmit HIV to a female, as there is more
mucosal area in the vagina which increases ease of transmission.

AIDS epidemic update. UNAIDS.

http://data.unaids.org/pub/EpiReport/2006/2006_EpiUpdate_en.pdf

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• Social andnorms
Social and cultural cultural norms are devastating to women’s ability to
protect themselves from HIV:

– Forced sex
– Men with multiple sex partners
– Older men in relationships with younger women
– Belief that women should be ignorant about sex
– Most HIV prevention methods are male-dependent (condoms,
withdrawal, abstinence)
– Poor women may be obliged to sell sex to support themselves
and their children and often cannot negotiate safer sexual
encounters
– Women and girls are more frequently victims of trafficking and
sexual slavery

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Notes on Social and cultural norms

Gender norms rather than biology fuel the AIDS epidemic. These norms include the
acceptance of men having multiple sex partners and older men having relationships
with younger women, particularly virgins. Social acceptance of intimate partner
violence and rape also contributes to HIV infection. In male-dominated societies, men
control women’s access to healthcare, making it difficult for women to obtain
prevention and treatment services. Furthermore, our current methods of HIV
prevention, condoms and abstinence, are male-dependent, making it nearly
impossible for women to protect themselves against infection. If within a given culture
it is felt that a women’s place is in the home, and that only men should be active
outside of the home, women will have limited access to productive resources, with
resulting poverty if a woman is not married. Poverty increases the danger of HIV
infection, especially if women must sell sex in order to provide for themselves or their
children. Finally, the social stigma and fear of abandonment with and HIV diagnosis
are great, which may prevent women from seeking voluntary testing and counseling
and HIV treatment.

Rao Gupta, G et al. Integrating Gender into HIV/AIDS Programmes.

http://www.who.int/gender/hiv_aids/hivaids1103.pdf
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 Gender and HIV/AIDS

• HIV/AIDS has wide-ranging effects on women:

– Women fear abandonment if HIV-infected status is
known
– Men control women’s access to health care
– Women are caretakers for the ill and HIV orphans

• HIV prevention efforts are crucial to curb the epidemic

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 Gender and HIV/AIDS

• Women-controlled methods of HIV and/or fertility

prevention are currently under development and in
field trials:
– Female condoms (available)
– Cervical barriers (available)
– Microbicides (in development)

• Improving access to services to prevent mother-to-

child transmission of HIV is also a priority

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 Female condom
• Female condom:
– Provides protection against both HIV and
unwanted pregnancy
– Obstacles to use have included negative
perceptions of barrier methods, cost, provider
bias, and lack of support for large-scale programs

Global Campaign for Microbicides: Female Condom

http://www.global-campaign.org/female-condom.htm

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• Cervical Barriers: Cervical Barriers

– The target cells for HIV, including CD4 cells, are found
more frequently on the cervix than throughout the rest of
the vagina
– A physical barrier covering the cervix may decrease risk
of HIV transmission; more research is required
– Options include diaphragm, cervical cap

Global Campaign for Microbicides: Cervical Barriers

http://www.global-campaign.org/barriers.htm

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• Microbicides:
Microbicides

– Physical or chemical barriers to HIV infection which can

be used by a woman without the knowledge or consent
of her partner

To combat HIV infection in women, microbicides, which are physical or chemical

barriers to HIV infection which can be used by a woman without the knowledge or
consent of her partner, have been developed and are currently in clinical trials.
However, it is unclear if the women who need microbicides the most (poor women
in the developing world) will have ready access to them, and continued advocacy
is required.
About Microbicides. http://www.global-campaign.org/about_microbicides.htm

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 Potential Mechanisms of Action for Microbicides

Potential Mechanisms of Action for Microbicides. Inhibiting Sexual Transmission

of HIV-1 Infection. Shattock R and Moore J. Nature Reviews. Vol 1. October 2003.
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• Preventing Mother to Child Transmission of HIV:
Preventing Mother Child Transmission of HIV

– Over one-half million children under age 15 acquired HIV

in 2006, most through mother-to-child transmission of
HIV
– Without Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission
(PMTCT) services, about one-third of infants born to HIV
positive mothers will acquire HIV
– This rate can be decreased dramatically (transmission
rate less than 2%) with comprehensive PMTCT services
– PMTCT is available to only 5% of women in need in
Africa

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Notes to: Preventing Mother to Child Transmission of HIV

About 530,000 children under fifteen years were infected with HIV in 2006, most through
mother to child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. The medical community has known how to prevent
MTCT of HIV since the trials of AZT in pregnancy in 1994 (ACTG 076), however, in 2003 only
5% of HIV-infected women in Africa were offered services to prevent MTCT. As antiretroviral
therapy becomes more widely available in resource-poor settings and more women achieve
virologic control and immune reconstitution, there will be less transmission from mother to child
at birth and through breastmilk. However, women must have access to antiretroviral drugs and
must have access to clean water and affordable formula if they choose to not to breastfeed.

• Coverage of selected services for HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in low and middle
income countries in 2003. http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/prev_care/en/coveragereport_2003.pdf

• Public Health Service Task Force Recommendations for Use of Antiretroviral Drugs in
Pregnant HIV-1-Infected Women for Maternal Health and Interventions to Reduce Perinatal
HIV-1 Transmission in the United States. http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/ContentFiles/PerinatalGL.pdf

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 Components of comprehensive PMTCT programs

• Components of comprehensive PMTCT programs:

– Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV during

pregnancy
– Comprehensive antenatal care
– Providing short-course antiretroviral therapy to mother
and newborn
– Counseling on infant feeding
– Intrapartum and postnatal care

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 Barriers to PMTCT implementation
• Barriers to implementation of PMTCT vary but may include:

– Poverty (even if services are free, travel expenses may be

prohibitive)
– Poor infrastructure (poor roads, difficultly obtaining clean
water, etc)
– Difficulty training already overextended reproductive health
personnel to provide PMTCT
– Poor knowledge of HIV transmission, including mothers
unaware that HIV may be transmitted through breastmilk
– Need rapid HIV testing for immediate provision of services –
lost to follow up rate is high
– Need education and involvement of the women’s partners
– Babies who are delivered at home do not receive full
services

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Notes to: Barriers to implementation of PMTCT

Women cannot space pregnancies; detriment to their social/economic

situations

Increases number of illegal/unsafe abortions performed

PMTCT (no formula available), limited access to healthcare system

Skinner D et al. PMTCT services can be hard to access even with the best intentions. World
AIDS Conference 2004.
http://gateway.nlm.nih.gov/MeetingAbstracts/102282941.html
Bajunirwe F and Muzorra M. Barriers to the implementation of programs for the prevention
of mother-to-child transmission of HIV: A cross sectional survey in rural and urban Uganda.
AIDS Research and Therapy. 2005, 2:10.

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 HIV infected mothers without PMTCT

• Of 20 infants born to HIV infected mothers without any

PMTCT services, up to 7 will acquire HIV infection; 4
during pregnancy or delivery and 1-3 with breast feeding

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• Components
Components of PMTCT
of PMTCT: Providing antiretroviral therapy
to mother and newborn

– Women who meet WHO clinical guidelines for ARV

therapy should be treated regardless of pregnancy
status
– Pregnant women who do not meet clinical criteria for
ARV therapy or who do not have therapy available
should be offered a regimen for PMTCT
Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating Pregnant Women and Preventing HIV Infection in Infants. WHO 2004.
http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/mtct/en/arvdrugswomenguidelinesfinal.pdf

Children and AIDS: A stocktaking report. UNICEF 2007.

http://www.unicef.org/media/files/FINAL_STOCKTAKING_REPORT.pdf

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 PMTCT Regimens

• Regimens:

– Optimal PMTCT regimen is Zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir)

from 28 weeks of pregnancy + single-dose nevirapine
(Viramune) during labor AND single-dose nevirapine
and one week AZT for infant
– Even if this optimal course is not available, treatment at
the time of labor and delivery may still have an effect on
decreasing transmission

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• Alternate
PMTCT Regimens regimens have been studied:

– AZT (zidovudine) alone

– AZT together with 3TC (lamivudine)
– Nevirapine alone (single dose for mother and infant)
– AZT plus single-dose maternal and infant nevirapine
– AZT and 3TC plus single-dose maternal and infant
nevirapine

• Choice of therapy made based on effectiveness of therapy,

safety (including concerns about resistance), and capacity
of health system to deliver therapy

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• Components of PMTCT: Counseling regarding alternatives to
Components of PMTCT
breast milk (replacement feeding) to prevent HIV transmission

• Methods of Replacement Feeding

– Commercial infant formula prepared with sterilized water
– Home-modified animal milk (boiled, with sugar and
micronutrients added
– Wet-nursing by HIV-negative woman
– Express and heat-treat breast milk
– Breast-milk banks

HIV and Infant Feeding Counseling Tools Reference Guide. WHO 2005.
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2005/9241593016.pdf

Infant Feeding Options in the Context of HIV. The Linkages Project. May 2005.
http://www.linkagesproject.org/media/publications/Technical%20Reports/Infant_Feeding_Options.pdf

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 Methods of replacement feedings must be:
• Methods of replacement feedings must be:

– Acceptable (no cultural or social barriers, no fear of

stigma or discrimination)
– Feasible (adequate time, knowledge, skills for sufficient
feedings)
– Affordable (the family – with community support if
available – can absorb the cost of all food/equipment)
– Sustainable (replacement feeding is available as long as
infant needs it)
– Safe (hygienic preparation and storage)

• Otherwise, UNICEF and WHO recommend exclusive

breastfeeding during the first months of life

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• Lack of breastfeeding confers increased risk of
Lack of breastfeeding

malnutrition, diarrheal illnesses and respiratory infections

for the newborn

• In addition, women who do not breastfeed are more likely

to become pregnant again too soon

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Major barriers to women’s health

1) Violence against women

2) Sexual and reproductive health concerns

-Inadequate services
-FGM
-Women and HIV/AIDS

3) Gender inequity

Page 45
International Responses to Gender Inequity

• Objectives from the UN’s First World Conference on Women in

1975
– Full gender equality and the elimination of gender
discrimination
– The integration and full participation of women in
development
– An increased contribution by women towards strengthening
world peace

• An international bill of rights for women, the Convention on the

Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), was adopted by UN General Assembly in 1979, the
United States government has still not ratified CEDAW

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International Responses to Gender Inequity

• Fourth World Conference, Beijing, 1995, resulting in

the Beijing Declaration

– Overarching goal: Advance the goals of equality,

development and peace for all women everywhere
in the interest of all humanity

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International Responses to Gender Inequity
• Beijing Conference Platform for Action identified12 critical areas:
– Disproportionate effect of poverty on – Insufficient mechanisms at all levels
women to promote the advancement of
– Unequal access to education and women
training – Lack of respect for and inadequate
– Unequal access to health care and promotion and protection of the
related services human rights of women
– Violence against women – Stereotyping of women and
– Effects of armed or other kinds of inequality in women's access to and
conflict on women participation in all communication
systems, especially in the media
– Inequality in economic structures – Gender inequalities in the
and policies, in all forms of management of natural resources
productive activities and in access to and in the safeguarding of the
resources environment
– Inequality in the sharing of power – Persistent discrimination against
and decision-making at all levels and violation of the rights of the girl
child

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 International Reponses to Gender Inequity

• Subsequent Beijing + 5 (years) and Beijing + 10 (years)

conferences have reaffirmed global commitment to the
platform of action

• They have also targeted specific issues, e.g. creation of

non-discriminatory, gender sensitive legal environments,
ending the trafficking of women and girls, and reversing
the AIDS epidemic

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WHO Millennium Development Goals

• Announced in 2002 with the overarching aim of freedom from want for
every man, woman, and child
• Targets to achieve by 2015
– Halving extreme poverty
– Halting spread of HIV/AIDS
– Universal primary education
The aim of the UN Millennium Development Goals is freedom from want for every man woman, and child. Three of the eight
goals are specific to women: Goal 3, to promote gender equality and empower women, and Goals 4 and 5, to reduce child
mortality and improve maternal health. Other goals can also be evaluated with gender concerns incorporated. For example,
Goal 2, universal primary education is extremely important to achieve gender equality. Goal 6, to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria
and other diseases is of crucial importance to women’s health. Goal 7, to ensure environmental sustainability, is also
important for women. Many households use solid fuels, such as wood smoke, rather than sustainable methods. Women are
more likely to be at home, inhaling the smoke, which can have serious health effects.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has promoted gender mainstreaming as a way to incorporate gender into all aspects
of health delivery. Gender mainstreaming promotes knowledge of the ways in which gender affects health, and makes
awareness of and responsibility for gender the task of all health professionals. This is crucial in the public health sector to
ensure that all programs are sensitive to the specific social issues that influence women’s health care needs.

What are the Millennium Development Goals? http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

Integrating Gender Perspectives in the Work of WHO 2002. http://www.who.int/gender/documents/engpolicy.pdf

Page 50
 WHO
There Millennium
are eight goals, three ofDevelopment
which are specific toGoals
women:

• Goal #3: Promote gender equality and empower women

• Goal #4: Reduce child mortality
• Goal #5: Improve maternal health

Page 51
 Working towards the MDGs
Goal #3: Promote gender equality and empower women
• Progress towards gender equality can be evaluated by monitoring
women’s participation in the labor and political arenas
• 2006 MDG Report: Women are increasingly involved in the labor market
• Continued barriers:
– Difficulty obtaining jobs in the formal market
– Closely spaced births
– Lack of child care options

The Millenium Development Goals Report 2006.

http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/Resources/Static/Products/Progress2006/MDGReport2006.pdf

More countries have laws banning domestic violence, says UN women’s rights official. UN News Service,
November 2006.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=20703&Cr=unifem&Cr1=

Page 52
• Women’s participation in politics is increasing, with women holding a
Goal
larger #3 of parliamentary seats worldwide (12% in 1990, 17%
percentage
in 2006)

• 95 countries have now implemented either mandatory or voluntary

measures to increase women’s political participation

• Progress towards gender equity: targeting domestic violence

• Legal protections: 89 countries with provisions against domestic

violence, 60 with specific laws (up from 45 in 2003)

• Continued attention to education of society and police force, and

funding for enforcement, is required

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Goal #4: Reduce child mortality
Goal #4
• The under-five mortality rate in developing areas has
decreased from 106/1000 live births in 1990 to 87/1000 live
births in 2004

• Structural interventions to provide: clean water,

immunization with clean needles, adequate food, mosquito
control
– These measures benefit the entire community and raise
life expectancy

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Goal #5: Improve maternal health
Goal #5
• The number of births assisted by skilled birth attendants has significantly
increased in several regions: Eastern and South-Eastern Asia and
Northern Africa

• Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia have persistently high maternal

mortality rates

• Gaps remain between services available to urban and rural women and
rich and poor women in the developing world
In order to attain the goal of improved health for women around the world, existing mechanisms of health
care delivery must be strengthened and expanded. Public health professionals can promote women’s health
by implementing specific health initiatives for women, however, they must also address social forces that
promote gender inequality to have a sustained impact. A primary concern for the public health sector is
ending partner violence, which causes serious health effects as well as contributing to the subordination of
women. The importance of gender as a determinant of health must always be considered as the public
health sector works to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Page 55
 Conclusion

• To achieve improved health for women around the world,

we must strengthen and expand existing mechanisms of
health care delivery and work towards gender equity

Garrett, Laurie. The Challenge of Global Health. Foreign Affairs.

January/February 2007.

http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20070101faessay86103/laurie-garrett/the-
challenge-of-global-health.html

Page 56
 Conclusion
• Practical aspects include:

– Create sustainable programs and build health care

capabilities; increase the number of health care workers
– Focus on basic maternal and child health and essential
public health services; disease-specific programs may
channel money to achieve certain goals to the detriment
of other health markers
– Always consider and address women’s concerns in
health and development projects

Page 57
 Credits
Anne Monroe, M.D.
UM/Jackson Memorial Hospital
1611 NW 12th Ave, Rm Central 610
Miami, FL 33136
[email protected]

• Material for this presentation was originally submitted as coursework for the
School of Public Health UM/Miller School of Medicine
• Special thanks to Drs. Stephen Symes and Thomas Hall
The Global Health Education Consortium gratefully acknowledges the
support provided for developing these teaching modules from:

Margaret Kendrick Blodgett Foundation

The Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation
Arnold P. Gold Foundation

This work is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0
United States License.