COMPONENTS OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

The female reproductive system is complex that necessitates specific attention and safeguarding from sickness and injury. The labia, clitoris, vagina, ovaries, uterus & fallopian tubes are all part of it. 

The reproductive health of a woman is determined not only by her physical health as well as by her mental health. It’s not just about being free of sickness; it’s also of being in a cognitive state that allows a woman to have a healthy and fulfilling sexual life and create a family.

SEXUAL HEALTH, FERTILITY AND SEX EDUCATION:

A woman should obtain gynecological treatments as soon as she achieves sexual maturity, including advice on how to look for her reproductive health, menstrual counselling, and safe sex education. Throughout her life, she should get breast exams, vaginal exams, and health screenings.

Safe sex is an important element of sexual health, which necessitates contraception and birth control education. Safe sex helps to prevent unwanted pregnancies as well as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

A healthy woman’s sex isn’t solely for procreation. Women should be able to enjoy sexual activity, and a good sexual life is an important part of reproductive health. Vaginal discomfort and dryness are two obstacles to a healthy sexual life.

PRENATAL, DELIVERY AND POSTPARTUM CARE:

During pregnancy, a woman requires assistance. Pregnancy brings about some of the most significant changes in a woman’s life, as her body adapts to support a kid. Prenatal care, pregnancy care including high-risk pregnancies, delivery which includes premature and Cesarean delivery, & nutritional and lactation counseling are all services provided by an OB/GYN.

If the pregnancy is not high-risk, a woman should be able to pick her own treatment and delivery options. Many women choose a midwife programme to suit their needs for intimate, supportive care during all stages of pregnancy, including delivery and newborn care.

As per the CDC, one out of every eight women in the United States has experienced symptoms similar to postpartum depression. Women who are suffering from this might seek help from OB/GYNs.

COMPONENTS OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH:

There are three important aspects of sexual & reproductive health care to consider:

Family planning — It has a substantial impact on family well-being, particularly among women. Unwanted pregnancies, space births, and STDs can all be avoided with proper family planning and the use of contraception.

“A person’s or a couple’s ability to foresee and accomplish their desired number of kids, as well as the spacing and timing of their deliveries.” It is accomplished by using contraceptive techniques and treating involuntary infertility.”

Family planning may include deciding on the number of children a woman wants, as well as whether or not she wants to have any at all and when she wants them. External factors including such marital status, professional considerations, financial circumstances, and any infirmities which may affect their capacity to have kids and raise them influence these decisions.

If you’re sexually active, family planning can entail using contraception and other methods to regulate the timing of your reproduction.

METHODOLOGIES:

Birth control, assisted reproductive technology, and family planning programs are all modern means of family planning.

CONTRACEPTION:

To avoid an unplanned pregnancy, a variety of contraceptive treatments are available. There are natural ways and chemical-based approaches, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. 

Withdrawal and calendar-based approaches are two behavioral methods for avoiding pregnancy that include vaginal intercourse. Long-acting reversible contraceptive techniques, such as the intrauterine device and implant, are very effective and practical, but they are not without danger. When the cost of failure is factored in, IUDs and vasectomy are far less expensive than other options. 

Condoms, both male and female, protect against sexually transmitted illnesses in as well as provide birth control. Condoms can be used as a backup or to prevent STDs alone or in combination with other procedures. For people who have finished their families, surgical techniques give long-term contraception.

ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY:

Surrogacy, wherein a woman gets pregnant and delivers a child for another couple or person, is used by some families or women (this is not allowed in all countries). 

Traditional and gestational surrogacy are the two types of surrogacies. The surrogate utilizes her own eggs and bears the child for her intended parents in traditional surrogacy. Intrauterine insemination is a process performed in a doctor’s office (IUI). Obviously, there is a genetic link between both the surrogate as well as the kid in this sort of surrogacy.

Another type of assisted conception is sperm donation. It entails the use of donor sperm to fertilize a woman’s oocytes through artificial insemination (either intracervical insemination or IUI) or, less commonly, in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Sexual health — It refers to an approach to sexual relationships that is courteous and positive. It’s a prerequisite for optimal reproductive health.

Individuals’, couples’, and families’ overall health and well-being, as well as the social & economic development of communities & countries, are all dependent on sexual health. 

When regarded positively, sexual health necessitates a positive and respectful attitude toward sexuality & sexual relationships, as well as the ability to have joyful and safe sexual encounters devoid of compulsion, prejudice, and violence. Men and women’s ability to achieve sex life and well-being is determined by:

• access to extensive, high-quality sex and sexuality information;
• awareness of the risks they may face and their vulnerability to negative outcomes of unprotected sexual activity; access to sexual health care; and
• living in a setting that celebrates and encourages sexual health.

Sexual health concerns span sexual orientation & gender identity, as well as sexual expression, relationships, & enjoyment. They also involve unfavorable outcomes or circumstances, such as:

• HIV infections, sexually transmitted diseases (STIs), and reproductive tract infections (RTIs), as well as their negative consequences (such as cancer and infertility); 
• unexpected pregnancy and abortion; 
• sexual dysfunction;
• sexual violence; and
• Negative behaviors (such as female genital mutilation, FGM).

Maternal health– It refers to a woman’s physical and mental well-being throughout pregnancy and after delivery.

Maternal health refers to a woman’s health during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

Each stage is a positive one, allowing women and their newborns to realize their full health and well-being potential.

Despite significant advances over the last two decades, around 295 000 women died both during pregnancy and delivery in 2017. This is an excessively high figure.

Excessive blood loss, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, & obstructed labor are the most prevalent direct causes of maternal injury and death, as well as indirect factors such anemia, malaria, and heart disease.

The majority of maternal deaths can be avoided if they are managed promptly by a qualified health worker in a supportive setting.

Ending avoidable maternal death should remain a high priority for the international community. Simultaneously, simply surviving pregnancy & childbirth cannot be considered a sign of good mother health care. Initiatives to decrease maternal injury & impairment must be enhanced to improve mother health and well-being.

Every pregnancy and delivery are different. To ensure that all women have access to respectful & high-quality maternity care, it is critical to address inequities that affect health outcomes, particularly in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as gender.

CONCLUSION:

It is critical for adults and adolescents to be knowledgeable about sexual health, reproduction, contraception, and STDs. This will help the reproductive system’s physical and emotional well-being.

A complete physical, mental, and social well-being is referred to as reproductive health. It refers to a larger phrase that encompasses a person’s happiness and fulfillment in life, rather than just the absence of disease or infertility.

The term “reproductive health” encompasses more than just any problem with the reproductive system. Sexual health is part of reproductive health, and its goal is to improve personal relationships and awareness. It doesn’t just refer to sexually transmitted illnesses and reproduction counselling and treatment.