Reproductive Health

Reproductive health is significant because it means a society with people having physically and functionally normal reproductive organs and normal emotional and behavioural interactions in all sex-related aspects. It helps in maintaining healthy families, reducing maternal and infant mortality, controlling population growth, preventing STDs, and improving overall well-being of the society.

The aspects needing special attention are: adolescent reproductive health, proper information about reproductive organs and changes during adolescence, safe and hygienic sexual practices, prevention and treatment of STDs and AIDS, birth control, care of pregnant and post-natal mothers, breast-feeding, small family norms, and prevention of sex abuse and other sex-related crimes.

Yes, sex education is necessary in schools because it gives the young right information about reproduction and related changes. It helps them avoid myths and misconceptions, learn about safe and hygienic sexual practices, STDs, AIDS, and responsible behaviour. This supports a reproductively healthy life.

Yes, reproductive health in our country has improved in the past 50 years. Some areas of improvement are: better awareness about reproductive matters, more medically assisted deliveries, better post-natal care, decreased maternal and infant mortality rates, more couples adopting small families, and better detection and cure of STDs. There are also better medical facilities for sex-related problems.

The suggested reasons for population explosion are: rapid decline in death rate, maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR), along with an increase in the number of people in the reproductive age group. Improved health facilities and better living conditions also contributed to the rise in population.

Yes, the use of contraceptives is justified. They help in preventing unwanted pregnancies, spacing children, and delaying pregnancy when needed. This is important for family planning and for checking uncontrolled population growth. The chapter also notes that they should be used in consultation with qualified medical professionals.

Removal of gonads cannot be considered a proper contraceptive option because contraceptives should preferably be reversible and should not unnecessarily interfere with normal reproductive function. Removal of gonads is a permanent and radical step, unlike ordinary contraceptive methods. It is not a normal method of birth control for family planning.

Yes, this ban is necessary. Amniocentesis can be misused for sex determination, which may lead to female foeticide. The chapter says such misuse is illegal and dangerous, and statutory ban is needed to check this menace and protect both the mother and the foetus.

Infertile couples can be helped by assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as:
- In vitro fertilisation (IVF) followed by embryo transfer (ET)
- ZIFT (zygote intra-fallopian transfer)
- IUT (intra uterine transfer)
- GIFT (gamete intra-fallopian transfer)
- ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection)
- Artificial insemination (AI/IUI)
- In suitable cases, legal adoption is also an option for parenthood.