Climate change and sexual and reproductive health: A mixed methods scoping review of possible mechanisms

Abstract

This scoping review synthesized empirical evidence on the relationships and possible pathways through which climate change could impact sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Eligible sources had to investigate climate change and SRHR using any study design. Two independent reviewers conducted screening; data extraction captured exposures, outcomes, associations/relationships, and possible mediators and contextual moderators. From 40,503 database-identified sources, we included 256 peer-reviewed publications across 108 LMICs. We identified 14 potential pathways and developed a typology of mediators and contextual moderators to inform the mechanisms. Five mediator domains were identified: (1) systems and infrastructure, (2) demographic shifts, (3) socioeconomic resources, and (4) behavioral and (5) biological. Six contextual moderator types were isolated: (1) patriarchal norms, (2) cultural power structures, (3) socioeconomic realities, (4) gender-inequitable climate governance, (5) place-based factors, and (6) pre-existing systems/infrastructure. As climate shocks intensify, advancing a mechanistic understanding will be critical to designing responsive, inclusive, and sustainable systems of protection.

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Cite

BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{vahedi2026climate,
  title = {{Climate change and sexual and reproductive health: A mixed methods scoping review of possible mechanisms}},
  author = {Luissa Vahedi and Susan Pradhan and Sakina Zaidi and Vanessa Brizuela and Sabina Faiz Rashid and Maha El Adawy and Rana Hajjeh and Michelle Gaffey and Zulfiqar A. Bhutta},
  journal = {iScience},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.isci.2026.117794},
  url = {https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(26)03175-5},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Climate change and sexual and reproductive health: A mixed methods scoping review of possible mechanisms
AU  - Luissa Vahedi
AU  - Susan Pradhan
AU  - Sakina Zaidi
AU  - Vanessa Brizuela
AU  - Sabina Faiz Rashid
AU  - Maha El Adawy
AU  - Rana Hajjeh
AU  - Michelle Gaffey
AU  - Zulfiqar A. Bhutta
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/12
JO  - iScience
DO  - 10.1016/j.isci.2026.117794
UR  - https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(26)03175-5
AB  - This scoping review synthesized empirical evidence on the relationships and possible pathways through which climate change could impact sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Eligible sources had to investigate climate change and SRHR using any study design. Two independent reviewers conducted screening; data extraction captured exposures, outcomes, associations/relationships, and possible mediators and contextual moderators. From 40,503 database-identified sources, we included 256 peer-reviewed publications across 108 LMICs. We identified 14 potential pathways and developed a typology of mediators and contextual moderators to inform the mechanisms. Five mediator domains were identified: (1) systems and infrastructure, (2) demographic shifts, (3) socioeconomic resources, and (4) behavioral and (5) biological. Six contextual moderator types were isolated: (1) patriarchal norms, (2) cultural power structures, (3) socioeconomic realities, (4) gender-inequitable climate governance, (5) place-based factors, and (6) pre-existing systems/infrastructure. As climate shocks intensify, advancing a mechanistic understanding will be critical to designing responsive, inclusive, and sustainable systems of protection.
SN  - 2589-0042
ER  -

Abstract

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