Reproductive health and bodily integrity in Tanzania

Westeneng, Judith and D'Exelle, Ben ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9332-5223 (2017) Reproductive health and bodily integrity in Tanzania. Studies in Family Planning, 48 (4). 323–341. ISSN 0039-3665

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Abstract

Several policy initiatives support the empowerment of women to improve their reproductive health. Little is known, however, about the inverse effect that reproductive health might have on women’s empowerment. Women are pressured to conform to their reproductive role, and an inability to do so might affect their empowerment, including control over their own body. This study uses a panel dataset of 504 married women in Northern Tanzania. We find that women who suffered a pregnancy loss show more tolerant views of partner violence (regr. coefficient -0.363; p-value: 0.001), and that child mortality lowers their perceived control over the sexual relationship with their spouse (odds ratio 0.262; p-value: 0.016). The number of children alive did not affect bodily integrity. These results confirm that women’s bodily integrity is partly dependent on the ability to fulfil their reproductive role. They strengthen the case for policies and programmes that improve women’s reproductive health, and underline the importance of counselling after pregnancy or child loss.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	reproductive health,bodily integrity,empowerment,pregnancy loss,intimate partner violence,child mortality,sub-saharan africa,tanzania,sdg 3 - good health and well-being,sdg 16 - peace, justice and strong institutions ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Global Development (formerly School of International Development)
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Experimental Economics (former - to 2017) Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Gender and Development Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Impact Evaluation Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Behavioural Economics Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Environment, Resources and Conflict Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Behavioural and Experimental Development Economics
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	08 Jun 2017 05:07
Last Modified:	14 Jun 2023 12:59
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/63695
DOI:	10.1111/sifp.12029

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