COVID-19 and its Devastating Effects on Women’s Health

With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impacts on people’s health have been immensely complicated. But, the effects of the pandemic on women’s health have been especially harsh and devastating.

In March last year, the WHO had issued interim guidance to maintain essential health services running. This included services related to reproductive health. However, in an attempt to contain the pandemic, many countries ignored these suggestions and imposed tough lockdowns. 

Sexual and reproductive health services did not make the list of essential services. Thus, many young girls and women could not access quality sexual and reproductive healthcare, such as abortion and contraception.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) conducted interviews with their teams and staff in different countries of the world. These interviews helped to learn about how COVID-19 indirectly affects the health of girls and women. The biggest challenges facing girls and women in these times include:

• closing down of sexual and reproductive health services
• restricted movements, primarily because of lockdowns and curfews
• disruption in the global supply chain
• the absence of clear information and guidance on public health

Let us look at these challenges plaguing women in further detail. 

Inability to access Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) predicted a rough estimate of 7 billion unwanted pregnancies worldwide because of the ongoing global health crisis. These unwanted pregnancies could result in thousands of potential deaths among girls and women as they navigate restrictions and lack safe and quality reproductive healthcare.

An equally staggering or a more significant number of vulnerable women have lost access to contraception and abortion services in the past year. It is important to note that this increasing number of unwanted pregnancies and abortions are directly linked with the rising gender violence women have been facing during the pandemic.

Outside of the public sector, Marie Stopes International (MSI) is the largest provider of family planning services in India. Because of a nationwide lockdown that lasted several weeks, MSI clinics around the country were shut down.

It is important to note that abortion and contraception is a highly debated topic in a few countries due to deep-rooted stigma and political and social stances. So much so that these health services are not treated as essential services, the administrations consciously deprioritize them.

For instance, the USA is trying to remove sexual and reproductive healthcare support as a priority from the UN’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19. The country officials are warning the UN against using the coronavirus pandemic “as an opportunity to advance access to abortion as an ‘essential service.’” 

These decisions and actions by the US government are bound to have affected the public health policies for women around the world.

Increase in Domestic and Sexual Violence Against Women

Apart from the difficulty accessing safe sexual and reproductive healthcare in these times, national and state lockdowns and curfews have also contributed to increased sexual violence against women.

Intimate partner violence in households is not at all uncommon. So, logically, the home is not a safe space for many women as they have to stay put with their abusers. In an already tensed environment, where there are apprehensions about health, plans, and finances, women face different kinds of abuse. One could see a manifold spike in national helpline numbers that receive reports of sexual violence.

Sexual violence is a taboo topic in almost all parts of the world. Victims shy away from seeking professional help and intervention because of an overwhelming sense of fear, shame, and lack of trust. These obstacles become all the more challenging to overcome in the unusual times of a global pandemic.

Disruptions in the Supply Chain of Medically Critical Products

Lockdowns and travel ban also disturbed the supply chain of essential medical products in the market. In April last year, the UN Population Fund reported that as many as 46 countries could face a likely shortage and stockouts of contraceptives, abortion pills, and maternal health medicines. The effect was to be more severe in low and middle-income countries.

The Foundation for Reproductive Health Services India found that lockdown-imposed restrictions could leave about 26 million couples with no access to contraception. This, in turn, will lead to close to 800,000 unsafe abortions – one of the top causes of maternal deaths in India.

In the unlikely case that the supply chain of these medically critical products is somehow managed, the costs rise, and they remain inaccessible to poor women.

Paranoia And Misinformation Equally Dangerous

Apart from the virus itself, fear, paranoia, and misinformation among the public cause a lot more harm among people. Take the case of the Ebola Virus. The anxiety about the infectious disease turned out to be more dangerous than the disease itself, as people stopped going to hospitals because of fear of getting infected.

It is crucial that the local and national authorities take it upon themselves to spread correct and verified information among the public. In women’s health, this information should cover all aspects of their health, from the virus to ways to deal with poor mental health, awareness about sexual and domestic violence, etc.

Mental Health in Tatters

Given the situation for women around the world, their mental health is bound to suffer. There is a lot that women around the world are juggling, apart from coronavirus itself. They are dealing with limited sexual and reproductive healthcare, and are trapped with their abusers. They are also most likely to be laid off from jobs,  while they turn into unpaid caregivers at home. 

Not all women can access counseling and therapy for their degrading mental health. But the few lucky ones working under sensible leadership are getting access to remote therapy sessions as a part of their company wellness programs. Such mindful leadership can do a lot to improve the employee experience for working women.

The Growing Need for Digital Health Services

The restrictions on mobility and lockdowns will be eventually eased out. However, there is a general fear and paranoia among the public to visit healthcare centers during the pandemic. Thus, the need for remote health services like telehealth is most urgent now. For instance, in the UK, women still had access to safe services because they could get an abortion through telemedicine.

Services like telemedicine and telehealth are becoming increasingly popular as employee wellness program ideas at workplaces. Employers are now looking at ways to implement several digital health strategies in the workplace.

With digital health, working women will get access to remote consultations, diagnosis, and treatment options. This is an effective and practical initiative given that remote job roles and hybrid workspaces are now on the rise. Moreover, there are lesser risks of getting infected, with reduced visits to the physician.

Wrapping Up

The pandemic has had an enormous impact on the health and safety of women around the world. However, if communities, governments, and administrations come together, many of these troubling issues can be mitigated well.

For instance, the Global COVID-19 Gender Response Tracker launched by UN Women tracked a total of 2500 policy measures, 70% of which are gender-sensitive and deal with violence against women.

Health facilities need to find ways to provide safe sexual and reproductive health care to all sections of women. Community-driven healthcare has become a must. It’s time to prioritize women’s health with effective measures and policies in hand.