Reproductive health services use by the Roma minority women in Romania

Abstract Backgound In Romania Roma women are vulnerable to pregnancy-related events, unwanted pregnancies, stillbirth, abortion and cervical cancer. This paper aims to analysis the use of reproductive health services, family planning, prenatal care and screening for cervical cancer by Roma women. Methods A secondary analysis was performed on the data of the Reproductive Health Survey in Romania 2016, of a subsample of 314 Roma women, aged 15-44 years. Results 2/3 of Roma women had their first pregnancy in adolescence, 66.9% between 15-19 and 8.4% under 15 years of age. 65.4% Roma adolescent girls had their first child at 15-19 years, and 2.8% at ages under 15 years. During pregnancy, 24.1% of Roma women do not use prenatal care services, three times more than the women from the reference population (7.1%) (p < 0.01). 73% of Roma women have never benefited from cervical cancer screening compared to 42.7% in the general fertile female population. 46, 7% of Roma women use any type of contraceptive method and 38.1% modern methods, a closed prevalence of contraception in the general population of fertile women (48.4% of any method and 38.7% modern methods) Conclusions Roma women have their first pregnancy in adolescence. There are inequalities in the use of preventive services for prenatal care and cervical cancer screening of the Roma female population compared to the reference female population in Romania. Public health policies should include specific active measures for Roma women to improve their access to preventive services. In order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, public health policies in Romania should include family planning measures addressed towards all women, but using methods culturally adapted to the Roma population. Key messages There are inequalities in sexual reproductive health services use of Roma minories women I Romania. Services and active preventive mesures should be adressed to Roma populationtion.