Reproductive Health

Lesson

Part 1 — what it means to be reproductively healthy, how a country works towards it, and how to prevent sexually transmitted infections.

In this lesson you will

Explain what reproductive health means and why it matters for a society
Describe the steps India has taken to improve reproductive health
Name common sexually transmitted infections, how they spread and which are curable
Explain how sexually transmitted infections can be prevented

Concept

What is reproductive health?

The World Health Organization describes reproductive health as total well-being in all aspects of reproduction: physical, emotional, behavioural and social. A society with people who have physically and functionally normal reproductive organs and normal emotional and behavioural interactions in all sex-related aspects is called reproductively healthy.

Table of four aspects of reproductive health with examples
Aspect	Example of well-being
Physical	Normal, disease-free reproductive organs
Emotional	Freedom from fear, guilt and myths about the body
Behavioural	Responsible, safe choices
Social	Respectful relationships; equal value for girls and boys

Concept

What India has done

India was among the first countries to start family planning at a national level, in 1951. These programmes now cover wider reproduction-related areas as Reproductive and Child Health Care (RCH) programmes.

Table of actions taken in India to improve reproductive health and their purposes
Action	Purpose
Audio-visual and print media campaigns	Spread awareness of reproduction-related issues
Sex education in schools	Correct information for young people; dispel myths
Training and counselling	Help couples choose family planning methods; care for mothers and babies
Statutory ban on prenatal sex determination	Prevent female foeticide
Medical facilities and research	Safe delivery, care, contraceptives and treatment

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