Reproductive Health What Is Meant by Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

What Is Meant by Reproductive Health? Reproductive Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of diseases or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its function and process.

What Are Reproductive Rights? Reproductive Rights embrace human rights that are already recognized in national laws, international human rights documents and other consensus documents. All couples have the right to: • decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing, and timing of their children; • have the information and means to do so; and • have the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health.

Reproductive Health, Maternal and Child Health, and Family Planning Reproductive Health A: Adolescent Health B: Breast Feeding; Birth Spacing S: Sexual Health; STI/RTIs Maternal Health S B A Child Health Population and Family Planning

Concept of Reproductive Health It implies that: • couples have the ability to reproduce and regulate their fertility. • women are able to go through pregnancy and child birth safely. • outcome of the pregnancy is successful in terms of maternal and infant survival and well-being. • couples are able to have sexual relations free of the fear of pregnancy and of contracting any disease.

Reproductive Health Aspects • • Family planning; Prenatal care, safe delivery, postnatal care; Infertility; Abortion: prevention and management; Diagnosis and treatment of RTIs and STIs; Human sexuality and responsible parenthood; Diagnosis and treatment of gynecologic cancer; Harmful practices such as FGC.

1. Safe motherhood Antenatal care Safe delivery Postnatal care Good quality antenatal and delivery care highly cost-effective , and are essential to reducing maternal and new borne mortality. 2 - Infant and child health

3 - Family planning services: is critical to prevent unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortion and reduce maternal mortality as well as, to reduce the poverty , maternal and child mortality ; also empower women to choose when and with whom to have children. 4 - Health information, education, communication The clearest and best –documented example of the link between women's status and maternal health is the impact of women's education. Education affects maternal health by improving women's access to information and their ability to make choices about their bodies. Education can also help women develop the skills and confidence they need to demand better maternal health services.

5 - Counseling 6 - Early detection of reproductive system cancer: cervical cancer is the third most common form of cancer among women. It is also potentially one of the most preventable , screening for cervical cancer has been one of the few tests which have been shown to be able to directly reduced mortality& morbidity. 7 - Early detection and managements of STIs & HIV infections STIs are not just in themselves a source of suffering & disease. But they cause a substantial proportion of cases of acute illness, infertility, long –term disability & premature death.

8 - Managements of infertility Although men are just as likely to be infertile as women , their female partners are more often stigmatized and blamed when couples fail to produce off spring. Data from 47 developing countries (excluding China) show that in 2004 , an estimated 187 million couples were affected by infertility.

9 - Health of women in menopause Because they tend to live longer than men, women represent a growing proportion of all older people. World wide in 2007, 55% of the adults aged 60 years & over were women. Keeping older women healthy , fit and active not only benefits the individual but also makes sound economic and social sense; preventive interventions can help reduce the costs of long term care for chronic conditions. However, this can not be achieved without significant forward planning & public health action.

10 - Gender issues, reproductive rights, involvement of men A right- based approach to reproductive health is especially powerful because all human rights, including reproductive rights are universal, inalienable, indivisible, and interdependent. The universal quality of human rights means that nations can not cite cultural or religious traditions – which often place women in a subordinate position and validate harmful practices such as early marriage and female genital mutilation – as an excuse not to respect and protect all of women's rights, including their reproductive rights. The long – standing neglect of women's reproductive rights is now receiving attention because of tragically high maternal mortality and morbidity rates in developing countries.

11 - Adolescent health The health of adolescent sets the stage for their future health & well-being , as well as for the health of their children and the development of their societies. Actions are needed toensure that societies and their health systems respond appropriately to the health and development needs of adolescents, including prevention of early pregnancies, sex education, and prevention of HIV/AIDS and other STIs.

Maternal mental health Worldwide about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression. In developing countries this is even higher, i. e. 15. 6% during pregnancy and 19. 8% after child birth. In severe cases mothers’ suffering might be so severe that they may even commit suicide. In addition, the affected mothers cannot function properly. As a result, the children’s growth and development may be negatively affected as well. Maternal mental disorders are treatable. Effective interventions can be delivered even by welltrained non-specialist health providers.