REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH (NCERT Structured
Points)
4.1 Reproductive Health – Problems and Strategies
• The term simply refers to healthy reproductive organs with normal functions. However, it has a
broader perspective and includes the emotional and social aspects of reproduction also. According
to the World Health Organisation (WHO), reproductive health means a total well-being in all aspects
of reproduction, i.e., physical, emotional, behavioural and social.
• India was amongst the first countries in the world to initiate action plans and programmes at a
national level to attain total reproductive health as a social goal. These programmes called ‘family
planning’ were initiated in 1951 and were periodically assessed over the past decades.
• Creating awareness among people about various reproduction related aspects and providing
facilities and support for building up a reproductively healthy society are the major tasks under
these programmes.
• Introduction of sex education in schools should also be encouraged to provide right information to
the young so as to discourage children from believing in myths and having misconceptions about
sex-related aspects.
• Successful implementation of various action plans to attain reproductive health requires strong
infrastructural facilities, professional expertise and material support.
• Statutory ban on amniocentesis for sex-determination to legally check increasing female
foeticides, massive child immunisation, etc., are some programmes that merit mention in this
connection.
• ‘Saheli’–a new oral contraceptive for the females–was developed by scientists at Central Drug
Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow, India.
• Better awareness about sex related matters, increased number of medically assisted deliveries
and better post-natal care leading to decreased maternal and infant mortality rates, increased
number of couples with small families, better detection and cure of STDs and overall increased
medical facilities for all sex-related problems, etc. all indicate improved reproductive health of the
society.
4.2 Population Explosion and Birth Control
• Increased health facilities along with better living conditions had an explosive impact on the
growth of population.
• The most important step to overcome this problem is to motivate smaller families by using various
contraceptive methods.
• An ideal contraceptive should be user-friendly, easily available, effective and reversible with no or
least side-effects. It also should in no way interfere with the sexual drive, desire and/or the sexual
act of the user.
• Natural methods work on the principle of avoiding chances of ovum and sperms meeting. Periodic
abstinence, Withdrawal or coitus interruptus and Lactational amenorrhea are natural methods.
• In barrier methods, ovum and sperms are prevented from physically meeting with the help of
barriers. Condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps and vaults are examples.
• Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) are available as non-medicated IUDs, copper releasing IUDs and
hormone releasing IUDs.
• Oral administration of small doses of either progestogens or progestogen–estrogen combinations
is another contraceptive method used by the females. They are popularly called the pills.
• Progestogens alone or in combination with estrogen can also be used by females as injections or
implants under the skin.
• Surgical methods, also called sterilisation, are generally advised for the male/female partner as a
terminal method to prevent any more pregnancies. Sterilisation procedure in the male is called
vasectomy and that in the female, tubectomy.
4.3 Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP)
• Intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy before full term is called medical termination of
pregnancy (MTP) or induced abortion.
• Government of India legalised MTP in 1971 with some strict conditions to avoid its misuse.
• MTPs are also essential in certain cases where continuation of the pregnancy could be harmful or
even fatal either to the mother or to the foetus or both.
• MTPs are considered relatively safe during the first trimester, i.e., upto 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Second trimester abortions are much more riskier.
4.4 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
• Diseases or infections which are transmitted through sexual intercourse are collectively called
sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or venereal diseases (VD) or reproductive tract infections
(RTI).
• Gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital herpes, chlamydiasis, genital warts, trichomoniasis, hepatitis-B and
HIV leading to AIDS are some of the common STDs.
• Except for hepatitis-B, genital herpes and HIV infections, other diseases are completely curable if
detected early and treated properly.
• Complications include pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID), abortions, still births, ectopic
pregnancies, infertility or even cancer of the reproductive tract.
• Avoid sex with unknown partners/multiple partners. Always use condoms during coitus. In case of
doubt, go to a qualified doctor for early detection and complete treatment.
4.5 Infertility
• A large number of couples all over the world including India are infertile, i.e., they are unable to
produce children inspite of unprotected sexual co-habitation.
• The reasons for this could be many–physical, congenital, diseases, drugs, immunological or even
psychological.
• In vitro fertilisation (IVF) followed by embryo transfer (ET) is one such method and is popularly
known as test tube baby programme.
• ZIFT, IUT, GIFT, ICSI and AI/IUI are important assisted reproductive technologies (ART).
• Our laws permit legal adoption and it is as yet, one of the best methods for couples looking for
parenthood.