Unmet needs and new challenges in young women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights: a qualitative study in Chile’s Metropolitan Region

Abstract

In Chile, despite important advances in access to contraception and a steady reduction in unplanned pregnancy, longstanding barriers for young people to access sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and rights–rooted in a conservative and religious background–have been highlighted by recent socio-political movements, including the feminist student wave of 2018 and the social uprising of 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic further strained access, leading to the suspension of many in-person services. In this context, we conducted a qualitative study between 2020 and 2023 to explore young women’s perceptions of sexuality and SRH, their interactions with the formal healthcare system, and the diverse resources they engage with to access support and care. 23 in-depth interviews were carried out with heterosexual and non-heterosexual women aged 18–25 in Chile’s Metropolitan Region. The findings reveal a mismatch between young women’s holistic understanding of sexuality–which includes emotional, biological, and political dimensions–and the healthcare system’s reductionist, heteronormative, and risk-based approach, which became more visible after these societal upheavals. As a result, young women may use biomedical SRH services strategically for prescriptions and testing, while seeking more comprehensive support outside the formal system through virtual platforms, health professionals giving online support, and civil society organisations. The study concludes that systemic changes in the health system are needed to bridge these divides and uphold the sexual and reproductive rights of young women in Chile, especially those who identify as non-heterosexual. DOI: 10.1080/26410397.2025.2558272.