With India facing a plethora of issues related to sexual and reproductive health, ranging from sex-selective abortion to rising rates of infertility, Health Issues India interviewed Professor Amy O. Tsui, PhD of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, to discuss India’s family planning, female sterilisation, infertility, female foeticide, and other issues in the […]
women's health
Suicide risk does not increase after an abortion: Research
The notion that undergoing an abortion increases a woman’s suicide risk is not supported by evidence, according to recent research. A study published in The Lancet examined data of 523,380 Danish women between the ages of eighteen and 36, finding that whilst women who undergo an abortion have a higher risk of first-time non-fatal suicide […]
Maternal mortality ratio in decline
The maternal mortality ratio has declined in India in recent years according to recently unveiled Sample Registration System (SRS) data, boding good news for the nation’s mothers. According to the figures, since 2013 maternal mortality has declined from 77 deaths per every lakh live births to seventy deaths for every lakh live births in southern […]
Sexual harassment in India: A crisis
Sexual harassment is frequently overlooked in India, even in the age of the MeToo movement which saw survivors share their stories and led to the downfall of numerous public figures worldwide, in politics, business, the entertainment industry, and beyond. India was no exception to this trend, with women from all walks of life sharing their […]
Infant and maternal health: Progress and challenges
A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) has offered insight into India’s performance on infant and maternal health indicators, one of the most visceral issues threatening public health and development in the country. The study, which “assessed coverage, coverage change and inequity for eight maternal and newborn health care indicators in parts […]
Sex discrimination and women in the workforce
Endemic sex discrimination takes its toll on the Indian economy, with the absence of women in the workforce, an imbalanced sex ratio, and social prejudices holding back a boon for India’s GDP. According to a report published recently in The Print, almost 120 million women who have at least a secondary education do not participate […]
More women are smoking in Hyderabad – and lung cancer cases are on the rise
In 2018, lung cancer killed 18,112 women in India with 19,097 new cases diagnosed among them. In Telangana, where cancer cases have sharply increased since 1990, state capital Hyderabad offers a warning sign to women who use tobacco: the majority of lung cancer cases in the city occur among women who smoke. According to a […]
A newborn buried alive: A visceral reminder of sex discrimination in India
“At one point I thought that my daughter had come alive. But the voice was actually coming from the pot.” Those were the words of Hitesh Sirohi, a father who had recently lost his daughter. When he went to bury his child, he made a shocking discovery. His shovel hit a clay pot, buried three […]
Sex determination racket bust points to a national issue
![Sex ratio at birth. Sex determination ban in India to prevent imbalanced sex ratio. By Melanurya (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons](https://i1.wp.com/www.healthissuesindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Sex_determination_ban.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "Sex determination ban in India and freedom of speech")
In Haryana’s Panchkula district, a clinic has been raided by the state health department over allegations of a sex determination racket operating there. The Siddharth Clinic in Swastik Vihar, located in the Mansa Devi Complex, claimed to perform “infertility, gynae and ultrasound”, despite being unregistered with local authorities, and that equipment for procedures it was […]
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Lessons for India
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Telangana state capital Hyderabad commemorated the observance by illuminating monuments and other sites in pink – reflecting the colour of the ribbon which serves as the symbol for the event. “Breast Cancer Awareness Month…helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well […]