Health research in a turbulent region: the Reproductive Health Working Group.

The Reproductive Health Working Group (RHWG) was established in 1988 in Cairo to advance research in the Arab countries and Turkey on the health of women, broadly defined. The paper considers the ways in which the group contributed to global health conversations through three examples of interdisciplinary research that, in privileging local contexts, modified or even challenged prevailing approaches to health and often raised entirely new issues for consideration. The three examples cited in the paper are: (i) the network's early research on reproductive morbidity; (ii) a broad set of ongoing studies on childbirth/maternal health; and (iii) emerging research on health and conflict.

Beyond reproductive health: listening to women about their health in disadvantaged Beirut neighborhoods.

In this article, we aim to contextualize gynecological problems within a broader health and social context, expanding the lens beyond reproductive health. Questionnaires were administered to 1,869 ever-married women aged 15 to 59 that included questions on living, general health, and gynecological problems. These questions were open-ended, allowing women to respond in their own words.

Challenging the stereotypes: men, withdrawal, and reproductive health in Lebanon.

In Lebanon, coitus interruptus or withdrawal remains a widely practiced method of family planning. Our research sought to understand the role of men in reproductive health in Lebanon by focusing on this common practice. Our main questions were: Why is it that the practice persists when more effective modern methods of family planning are available? How is the decision taken to practice withdrawal? When is withdrawal practiced and with whom? And, finally, does the practice of withdrawal affect sexual pleasure and the sexual relationship more generally?To answer these questions, we embarked on a small exploratory study using in-depth interviews with 16 open-ended questions.