Reproductive Health

 It is the state of physical, emotional,

behavioural and social fitness for leading
a reproductive life.

 According to WHO: A total well- being in

all aspects of reproduction, i.e., physical,
emotional, behavioral and social.

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Reproductive Health- Problems
& Strategies

India was among the 1st countries to initiate

actions & plans to attain total reproductive
health as social goal.

These programs are called as 'FAMILY

PLANNING'-initiated in 1951.

Improved programs covering reproduction

related areas are in operation- 'Reproductive &
Child Health Care Programs' (RCH).

Create awareness about various reproduction

aspects & provide facilities and support to build
reproductively healthy society.

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 How has the Government
taken measures?

 Through the help of audio-visuals & print

media to create awareness.
 Family members, close relations are
involved in the awareness.
 Sex education is
introduced in schools to
provide awareness.
 Proper information about reproductive
organs, adolescence &related changes,
safe & hygienic sexual practices, sexually
transmitted diseases (STD), AIDS etc.

 Educating people about

birth control options, care
of pregnant women, post-
natal care of mother &
child, importance of breastfeeding, equal

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 importance to both male & female child-
socially conscious healthy family.
 Awareness of uncontrolled population
growth, social evils- build socially
responsible healthy society.
 Implementation of various action plan
requires infrastructural facilities,
professional expertise & material support
to provide medical assistance and care to
people in reproduction related problems,
pregnancy, delivery, STDs, abortions,
contraception, menstrual infertility etc.
 Statutory ban on Amniocentesis- legally
check female foeticide, massive child
immunisation- programs.

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 Researches on reproduction related
areas, supported by gov. &non-
governmental agencies to improve/ find
new methods upon the existing ones.
Saheli (Contraceptive)- Central Drug
Research Institute (CDRI).
 Improved reproductive healthy society-
increased medically assisted deliveries,
better post-natal care, decreased
maternal & infant mortality rate, small
families, better detection & cure of
STDs- increased facilities for sex related
problems.

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Population explosion

The increase in size and growth of human

population is called population explosion.
 Indian population- 350 million at
independence and crossed 1billion in
May 2000.
 Alarming growth rate- scarcity of basic
requirements (food, shelter& clothing).

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Causes of Population Explosion:
The cause of the population explosion
includes many factors and reasons. These
includes:
1. Increase in the Birth Rate:
Due to lack of control on delivery and
unawareness of people the birth rate is
increasing rapidly. In addition, the gap
between death and birth has gone way
wider than what we can
think of. Furthermore, the
birth rate has increased
many folds in comparison
to the death rate.
2. A decrease in infant mortality Rate:
Mortality rate refers to the number of
death of infants below the age of 6
months. Due to science
and technology, we are
able to minimize this
rate and now only a
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 few cases of death are known per
thousand deaths.
3. The life expectancy Growth-Earlier the
life expectancy of people was around 55-
60 years. But due to better and improved
medical facilities, we are now able to
increase the life expectancy of people.
Now the average age of a person
increased to 70-75 years.
Besides, these better living conditions,
good quality food, better nutrition, and
better sanitation facilities also helped in
increasing life expectancy.
4. High level of illiteracy-The literacy level
of women is one of the biggest problems
of family planning. In India, people pay
very little importance to women's
education and marry them at an early age.
That's why they do not have knowledge
about birth control methods and the use
of contraceptives.
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Effects of Population Explosion
The population explosion affects
natural resources and many sectors of the
economy in many ways:
[Link]:
Due to the increase in the population
the demand for jobs and employment also
increases. But, due to a lack of resources
and employment opportunities, there are
millions of jobless people in India.
In addition, the condition of unemployment
is growing day by day. To face this problem
most the people are either migrating to
other countries for better job
opportunities.

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[Link]:
Due to the large population there a
large number of people who belong to below
the poverty line and they do not have
adequate knowledge of the overpopulation
of the country.
Also, they are the major contributor to a
high birth rate.

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 Prevention of Population
Explosion

1. Motivate smaller families using

contraceptive methods

2. Awareness through media, posters/bills-

Hum Do Hamare Do (we two, our two)

3. Couples mostly young, urban, working

ones adopted 'one child norm'

[Link] raising of marriageable age,

female-18, male-21

5. Incentives to couples with small families

6. Contraceptive methods, to prevent

unwanted pregnancies

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 Birth Control

Birth control, also known as contraception,

is the use of any method, device, or
medicine to prevent pregnancy. An ideal
birth control method should be effective,
easily available, should have the least side
effects, and should not interfere with the
sexual drive, desire, or act of an individual.

Birth Control Methods

The different types of contraceptives:

1. Natural/Traditional method:
It works on the principle of
preventing the meeting of sperm and
ovum. Natural methods do not have any
side effects, but the chances of failure
are also high.

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a) Periodic abstinence:
In this method, couples avoid coitus from
days 10 to 17 of the menstrual cycle to
prevent conception. This period is known as
the fertile period, as chances of
fertilization are high during this period.

b) Withdrawal or Coitus interruptus:

In this method to prevent insemination,
during intercourse, the male withdraws his
penis from the vagina just before
ejaculation.

c)Lactational amenorrhea:
This method is based on the fact that
during the period of intense lactation
following parturition (six months), ovulation
doesn’t occur as the menstrual cycle is
absent. So there are fewer chances of
pregnancy.

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[Link] method:
In this method, barriers are used to
physically prevent the sperm and ovum
from meeting
a) Condoms:
Condoms are made of thin rubber or
latex sheath that is used during intercourse
to cover the penis in males and the vagina or
cervix in females to prevent conception.
They have certain advantages like, they can
be used by both male and female, it prevents
STIs and AIDS, and they are self-inserted
and disposable. It is used so that semen does
not enter the female reproductive tract.

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b) Diaphragm, cervical caps and vaults:
They are made up of rubber latex
which is inserted in the female reproductive
tract to cover the cervix, blocks the entry
of sperm through cervix.

[Link] uterine device [IUD's]:

These devices are inserted inside the
uterus of the female through the vagina by
the doctor. This is the most widely used
method to prevent pregnancy. Intrauterine
devices are of various types:
a) Non-medicated IUDs:
Non-medicated IUDs like
Lippe’s loops, increase the
phagocytosis of sperms inside the
uterus.
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b) Copper-releasing IUDs:
Copper-releasing IUDs like Copper-T,
Copper-7, and Multiload 375, decreases the
rate of sperms motility and its fertilization
capacity.

c) Hormone-releasing IUDs:
IUDs that release hormone-like
Progestasert, LNG-20 prevent implantation
inside the uterus and make the cervix
hostile to the sperm.

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[Link] contraceptives:
In this method, pills that contain either
progesterone or progesterone estrogen
combination are taken orally by the female.
They are taken daily for 21 days, starting
within the first five days of the menstrual
cycle. They are stopped for 7 days during
menstruation and have to be started again in
the same pattern till female’s desire to
prevent pregnancy. They work by inhibiting
ovulation and implantation and changing the
quality of cervical mucus to prevent sperm
entry.
Example: Saheli.

[Link] and implants:

These are a combination of either
progesterone alone or both progesterone
estrogen. They are given under the skin of
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the females. They work by inhibiting
ovulation, and implantation and changing the
quality of cervical mucus to prevent sperm
entry. Compared to pills, they have their
effects for longer periods of time.

5. Surgical method:
In this method, conception is prevented
by blocking the gamete transport. This is
also known as the sterilization method.
In males, the procedure is known
as vasectomy, where a small incision is given
on the scrotum, and a small part of the vas
deferens is either removed or tied up.

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In females, it is known as tubectomy, where a
small incision is given on the abdomen or
vagina, and fallopian tubes are tied up or
removed.

These methods are highly effective, but the

chances of reversibility are poor.

Vasectomy Tubectomy

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. NCERT biology 12 book

2. [Link]
3. [Link]
4. [Link]
5. Google

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