The program track of Reproductive, Perinatal & Women's Health (RPWH) has a holistic focus on women's and families' needs both domestically and internationally. It provides training in research, practice and policy relevant to the following: human reproduction and family planning; maternal health and the health of newborns; health disparities and services for women of reproductive age; and gender issues all over the world. Nestled within the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, the track enables students to combine an interest in RPWH with a broader knowledge base offered by the interdisciplinary faculty of social science and health backgrounds. The RPWH program will prepare candidates for careers in administration, policy and evaluation. You will hone the skills to be a top-notch researcher and/or a visionary program manager and leader in RPWH-related settings. Students in RPWH not only have the opportunity to learn and work with faculty experts in reproductive, perinatal and women's health, they are also able to take advantage of training, education and leadership opportunities through the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health; the Rakai Project; the Urban Health Institute; the STI Center; and the Women's and Children's Health Policy Center. Focus areas of PFRH faculty in the RPWH track include: Gender Violence
Gender violence has been acknowledged as a major domestic issue for youth; only recently, however, has it been on the global radar screen. With faculty working on gender violence in Africa, India, the Philippines, Latin America and in the United States, the Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health is at the forefront of bringing these issues and their consequences to light. Family Planning
Faculty in PFRH focus on strategies related to the development, implementation and management of family planning programs, both in the U.S. and abroad. Research focuses on examining the social, economic, health and human rights rationale for family planning; identifying populations in need of family planning services and the potential barriers; and the implementation and managment of family planning programs. HIV/AIDS
Male circumcision for the prevention of HIV is one of the largest breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS research. Faculty within PFRH examine the effects of male circumcision on the prevention of HIV and study the biological, social and political effects of HIV/AIDS on vulnerable populations including women, children and adolescents. Maternal and Newborn Health
Faculty in the Department study the social, psychosocial and biologic risk factors for preterm birth among women in low resource settings; the epidemiology of chronic conditions in women, including gestational diabetes; service delivery and access; and the planning, management and supervision of maternal and newborn health services. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
With its mix of interdisciplinary faculty from the School of Medicine and Public Health, PFRH tackles reproductive health issues across the globe including the prevention and treatment of STIs.
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