Social determinants of health and their relationships to reproductive outcomes

The medical community has begun to focus on factors that impact not only health but also wellness for both mainstream and disadvantaged communities. Public health initiatives have evaluated nonmedical factors to determine whether they have a broader influence on physical health than traditional medicine, especially in reproductive care. These factors, referred to as social determinants of health (SDOH), affect a variety of medical conditions, have an impact on medical strategies, and suggest that traditional medicine may be more limited than commonly thought. The purpose of this article, therefore, is threefold: First, it will offer a general review of selected components of current SDOH that act as nonmedical factors in health and behavioral wellness. Second, it will present specific SODH and their impact on contraceptive and prenatal care. Finally, it will highlight SODH policies that either enhance or impede the ability of health systems to deliver innovative reproductive services to underserved populations.