Promoting reproductive health, family planning and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, worldwide through research, training and policy analysis.

Goals

    • Advance new reproductive health technologies to provide additional choices in contraception, abortion, maternal health and STI/HIV prevention for diverse populations.
    • Understand the factors contributing to adolescent pregnancy and STIs and develop innovative programs to improve adolescent reproductive health.
    • Develop and evaluate new technologies to decrease maternal mortality associated with pregnancy and childbirth in low-resource settings.
    • Conduct evaluations and policy analysis of innovative domestic and international programs to improve access to reproductive health care for both women and men.
    • Train practitioners, researchers and future leaders in the U.S. and internationally in provision of reproductive health care.
    • Provide information, technical assistance and consultation to clinicians, researchers, policy makers and the public on reproductive health issues.

Activities

A Bixby Center staff of 175, working with more than 300 collaborators abroad, is carrying out over 100 domestic and international projects funded at $30 million annually.

Selected Research Projects:

    • Study the relationship of contraception to HIV transmission in Kenya and South Africa. 
    • Evaluate family planning services delivered under Family PACT, the California state program serving 1.5 million women and men.
    • Conduct clinical trials of new contraceptives including vaginal rings, implants, patches, injectables and emergency contraception.
    • Evaluate community-based pregnancy prevention programs serving youth in California.
    • Study the relationship between gender, power, culture and reproductive health care access in California and Mexico.
    • Study the consequences of public policies related to abortion and family planning.

Training and Fellowships:

    • Provide fellowships in HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, family planning, and the Charlotte Ellertson Social Science Postdoctoral Fellowship in Abortion and Reproductive Health.
    • National coordination of the Fellowship in Family Planning and the Kenneth J. Ryan Residency Training Program in Family Planning and Abortion.
    • Train reproductive health and medical education leaders from developing countries.