Sexual behavior of Roma women in Romania

Abstract Background Roma women are considered a vulnerable population with regard to reproductive health. Early pregnancy and childbirth is common among Roma women. Roma women use less preventive services prenatal care, cancer screening and family planning. Methods The present study aims to analyze the sexual behavior of Roma women based on the secondary analysis of a subsample of 343 Roma women aged 15-44, as a part of the Romanian Reproductive Health Survey 2016. Results The main sexual events of the Roma women start in adolescence: 63.9% of Roma women had their first sexual intercourse at age of 15-19and 26.7% at age of 15 and 9.4% between 20-24 years. Roma with a low educational level start earlier sexual life, 28,8% of Roma women with no education had their sexual intercourse before age 15 and 64.8% between 15-19 years. Roma women are living in couples as adolescents with a higher prevalence of teenager couples in rural area 19.4% of Roma women in rural areas and 13.4% in urban areas are in a couple before the age of 15, (p < o,o5) and 60.5% in rural areas and 58.9% in urban areas between 15-19 years. 2/3 of Roma women had their first pregnancy in adolescence, 66.9% between 15-19 and 8.4% under 15 years of age. Concerning the first delivery 65.4% Roma adolescent girls had their first child at 15-19 years, and 2.8% at ages under 15 years. Conclusions The Roma female minorities had in adolescence their main sexual events, the first sexual intercourse, the start of a life in couple, the first pregnancy and the first delivery; Roma women from rural areas and women with a low level of education had all these experiences earlier; In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, public reproductive health policies in Romania should include measures addressed to the need and specific educational and cultural characteristic of Roma women and their partners. Key messages Main sexual events of Roma women begin in adolescence. The reproductive health policies should be adressed with special emphasis to Roma adolescent women.