Chapter 4 Reproductive Health
- Reproductive health refers to a total well-being in all aspects of reproduction i.e. physical, emotional, behavioural and social.
- The primary step towards reproductive health is counseling and creating awareness among people about reproductive organs, adolescence and associated changes, safe and hygienic sexual practices, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) including AIDS, etc.
- Providing medical facilities and care to the problems like menstrual irregularities, pregnancy related aspects, delivery, medical termination of pregnancy, STDs, birth control, infertility, post natal child and maternal management is another important aspect of the reproductive and child health care programmes.
- An overall improvement in reproductive health has taken place in our country as indicated by reduced maternal and infant mortality rate, early detection and cure of STDs, assistance to infertile couples, etc.
- Improved health facilities and better living conditions promote an explosive growth of population. Such a growth necessitated intense propagation of contraceptive methods. Various contraceptive options are available now such as natural, traditional, barrier, IUDs, pills, injectables, implants and surgical methods.
- Diseases or infections transmitted through sexual intercourse are called Sexually Transferred Diseases (STDs). Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases (PIDs), still birth, infertility are some of the complications of them. Early detection facilitate better cure of these diseases.