Common reproductive problems and beliefs about the causes of illnesses are central to the study, which assesses the nature and use of existing healthcare services. Household demands and family relations impact heavily on healthcare decisions and the ability to meet health costs. The study also asks whether the patriarchal, Muslim environment restricts a woman s ability to seek reproductive healthcare. Household labour affects women s health through actual physical burden and by limiting the time available to consult health specialists. Nagori women rarely change their diet during pregnancy and lactation, partly because of cultural and religious beliefs.
Most households spend a substantial amount of money on women s health.
However, very few households budget for health costs and therefore frequently borrow from kinsfolk and moneylenders. More conservative men often place greater constraints on their female relatives as a signal to the community of their religious devotion. Marie Stopes International covers a range of reproductive health resources. The Global Reproductive Health Forum hosts on-line discussion on reproductive health issues. See this issue of International Health Matters on sexual and reproductive health.