People experiencing homelessness often do not have access to the supports, resources and information they need to effectively maintain their sexual and reproductive health. Necessities like contraception and menstrual hygeine products can be costly, difficult to obtain, and in many places, taboo. This leaves people experiencing homelessness at risk for sexually transmitted infections and decreased gynaecological health.

This is especially true for folks dealing with specific reproductive issues, such as managing their periods—a monthly occurrence that is unavoidable, expensive, and heavily stigmatized. And due to compromised health, people who are pregnant and experiencing homelessness face greater health risks, as they often have difficulty accessing healthcare and prenatal programs, which can result in potential prenatal complications going unnoticed.¹ All of this is compounded by the multitude of ways in which socioeconomic status, education level, age, ethnicity and religion have been shown to impact the ways in which these issues are addressed.