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Background: Menstrual awareness and hygiene practices have been a challenge for adolescent girls in African countries and Nigeria inclusive which subsequently affects their health, and wellbeing. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of REACH project intervention in improving knowledge and practice of menstrual care among adolescent girls.Methods: A post-test only non-equivalent groups quasi-experimental design was adopted with Kaura Namoda and Talata Mafara as the intervention Local Government Authorities (LGAs) and Bungudu and Maru as the control LGAs conducted between August 2021 to October 2021. Quantitative approach was employed using self-developed questionnaire for data collection. Multi-stage sampling technique was used. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered with 200 each for control and intervention LGAs.Results: The result of the study shows that, adolescents in the REACH Project intervention communities have higher level of awareness and more likely to practice menstrual hygiene as compared to non-REACH intervention communities. Therefore, it is recommended that, safe space strategies should be adopted in any matters related to adolescents sexual and reproductive health.Conclusions: Safe space is effective in improving adolescents sexual and reproductive health.

IntroductionWomen with infertility have different experiences that determine the quality of their psychosocial health. Cultural constructions of infertility in Africa have made the experience of infertility among African women more burdensome. Yet, little is known about the psychosocial experiences of women with infertility in Zamfara State of Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychosocial experiences of women with infertility in Zamfara.Materials and methodsAn exploratory qualitative design was used for this exploration. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Ethical approval was received from the Institutional Review Board of the Nogouchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in the University of Ghana. Women who were married and seeking treatment for infertility from a public hospital were recruited and interviewed. A total of 12 women were interviewed with each interview lasting 45 minutes. The interviews were audiotaped with permission from the participants, transcribed verbatim, and content analysed.ResultsThe findings revealed that psychologically, majority of the women had experienced anxiety, stress and depression as a result of their inability to get pregnant. Socially, the women suffered self and social isolation, social stigma, social pressure and marital problems.ConclusionThese women have psychosocial health problems that need the attention of health professionals to enhance their wellbeing.

In Africa, the inability to bear children is a stressful situation that affects the self-worth of women socially and psychologically. As a result, women with infertility in Africa use different strategies to cope, which may influence their health-seeking behaviors. The purpose of this study was to explore the coping strategies and health-seeking behaviors of women with infertility in the Zamfara State of Nigeria. A qualitative approach using an exploratory descriptive design was used to obtain information relevant for the study. Twelve women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected using a purposive sampling technique. A semistructured interview guide was used to conduct in-depth individual interviews after the women consented to participate. Content analysis of the data was conducted. The findings suggest that the major coping strategies adopted by these women were religion, social support, child adoption, and distraction activities. In terms of health-seeking behavior, the women sought help for their infertility from both traditional medicine and orthodox treatment. However, they frequently withdrew from treatment or changed the health facility due to perceived reduction in benefits.