Human Reproductive Health in the Stressful Realities of Armed Conflict: Psychosomatic and Legal Approaches
Abstract
Abstract. The article is devoted to analyzing the impact of the stress realities of armed conflict on human reproductive health through the integration of psychosomatic and legal approaches. Armed conflicts are accompanied by constant anxiety, psycho-emotional stress, losses, and forced migration, which cause chronic stress and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. Such conditions result in long-term disruptions of the body’s adaptive mechanisms, affecting both mental and somatic levels. This, in turn, causes dysfunctions of the endocrine system, hormonal imbalance, and other changes that negatively affect reproductive function. The originality of the study lies in the combination of a psychosomatic approach, which examines the relationship between chronic stress, cortisol levels, and the functioning of the reproductive system, and legal analysis, which focuses on the protection of reproductive rights. It is demonstrated that a decrease in cortisol levels due to the exhaustion of the body’s adaptive reserves is an important marker of post-traumatic stress disorder and requires comprehensive neurohormonal therapy and psychological support. Such an approach makes it possible to consider reproductive health not only as a medical issue but also as a socially conditioned and legal category. The legal dimension emphasizes the necessity of ensuring access to medical services, including reproductive healthcare, even under the crisis conditions of war. The study analyzes national and international legal instruments, such as the Geneva Conventions, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 1325, which obligate states to guarantee the right to reproductive health. The article demonstrates the importance of an interdisciplinary approach that allows not only for a deeper understanding of the impact of war on reproductive health but also for the development of effective support strategies for affected individuals. The integration of psychosomatic methods, medical and psychological interventions, and legal measures may contribute to accelerating the rehabilitation of persons who have experienced the negative effects of war-related stress factors.
Keywords: human reproductive health; reproductive rights; chronic stress; post-traumatic stress disorder; psychosomatic approach; legal approach; armed conflict.
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