introduction to reproductive health

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

   Ÿ      According to World Health Organisation (WHO), reproductive health means a total well-being in all aspects of reproduction, i.e., physical, emotional, social and behavioural.

   Ÿ      Thus, a society with people who have physically and functionally normal reproductive organs and normal emotional and behavioural interactions among them in all sex-related aspects might be called reproductively healthy.

                                  

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH -PROBLEMS AND STRATEGIES

          Problems and strategies of reproductive health in human beings are explained as follows.

   (i)    Over population :

   Ÿ      Main problem of India is its excess population which is directly connected with reproductive health.

   Ÿ      To achieve total reproductive health, some plans and programmes were started.

   Ÿ      Family planning programme was initiated in 1951 and was periodically assessed.

   Ÿ      These programmes were popularly named Reproductive and Child Health-care (RCH).

   Ÿ      The major tasks carried out under these programmes are to provide facilities and support for building up a reproductive healthy society.

   (ii)   Awareness about reproduction :

   Ÿ      Audio-visual and print media, governmental and non-governmental agencies are doing good job to create awareness among people about reproduction in humans.

   Ÿ      Parents, close relatives, friends and teachers also have a major role in giving the above information.

   (iii)  Sex Education :

   Ÿ      Sex education in schools should also be introduced and encouraged to provide right information about myths and misconceptions about sex-related aspects.

   (iv)  Knowledge of growth of reproductive organs and STDs :

   Ÿ      Proper information about reproductive organs, adolescence (period of rapid growth between childhood and adulthood), safe and hygienic sexual practices, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), e.g., AIDS etc., would help to lead a reproductive healthy life.

   (v)   Birth control devices and care of mother and child (Prenatal, Natal and Post-natal Care) :

   Ÿ      Fertile couples and people of marriageable age group should know about available birth control devices, care of pregnant mothers, postnatal (after birth) care of the mother and child, importance of breast feeding, equal importance for the male and female child, etc.

   (vi)  Prevention of sex abuse and sex related crime:

   Ÿ      Awareness of problems due to uncontrolled population growth, social evils like sex abuse and sex-related crimes, etc. need to be created so that people should think and take up necessary steps to prevent them and thereby build up a reproductively healthy society.

   (vii) lnformation about reproduction related problems:

   Ÿ      For successful action plans to attain reproductive health, requires good infrastructural facilities, professional expert knowledge and material support.

   Ÿ      These are necessary to provide medical help and care for reproduction related problems like menstrual problems, infertility, pregnancy, delivery, contraception, abortions, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

   Ÿ      Implementation of better techniques and new strategies are also required to provide better care and help to people for reproductive health.

   (viii) Amniocentesis -Meaning and Use:

   Ÿ      Amniocentesis is a foetal sex determination and disorder test based on the chromosomal pattern in the amniotic fluid surrounding the developing embryo.

   Procedure:

   Ÿ      Amniotic fluid contains cells from the skin of the foetus and other sources.

   Ÿ      These cells can be used to determine the sex of the infant, to identify some abnormalities in the number of chromosomes and to detect certain biochemicals and enzymatic abnormalities.

   Ÿ      If it is established that the child is likely to suffer from a serious incurable congenital defect, the mother should get the foetus aborted.

   Ÿ      Misuse of Amniocentesis: It is being used to kill the normal female foetus. Female foeticide is illegal.

   (ix)  Research in reproductive health area:

   Ÿ      It should be encouraged and supported to find out new methods.

   Ÿ      "Saheli" a new oral contraceptive for the females was developed by our scientists at Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow, India.

   (x)   Medical facilities :

   Ÿ      Better awareness about sex related problems, prenatal care of mother, medically assisted deliveries and post-natal care of mother and infant, decrease maternal and infant mortality. Small families, better detection and cure of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and increased medical facilities for sex-related problems, etc. indicate improved reproductive health of male and female individuals and children.

 

Measures to control Over Population

   1.     Education:

   Ÿ      People, particularly those in the reproductive age group, should be educated about the advantages of a small family.

   Ÿ      Mass media and educational institutions can play an important role in this campaign.

   Ÿ      Posters showing a happy couple and two children with a slogan "Hum Do Humare Do" should be displayed.

   Ÿ      Many couples even adopted "one child norm".

   2.     Marriageable Age :

   Ÿ      Raising of the age of marriage is more effective means to control the population (now marriageable age of female is 18 years and that of male is 21 years).

   3.     Incentives: Couples with small families should be given incentives.

   4.     Family planning: There are many birth control measures which can check birth rate.