CHAPTER > 04
Reproductive Health
NEET KEY NOTES
According to World Health Organisation (WHO),
reproductive health means total well-being in all aspects of Amniocentesis It is a technique used to find out genetic
reproduction, i.e. physical, emotional, behavioural and disorders such as Down‘s syndrome, haemophilia, etc., in
social. developing foetus by using amniotic fluid.
Therefore, a society with people having physically and It is also misused to check foetal sex. Sex-determination is based
funtionally normal reproductive organs and normal on the chromosomal pattern in the amniotic fluid surrounding the
emotional and behavioural interactions among them in developing foetus.
all sex related aspects might be called reproductively A statutory ban has been implemented on this technique for
healthy. sex-determination to legally check increasing menace of female
foeticides.
Reproductive Health–
Problems and Strategies Population Stabilisation and Birth
India initiated many action plans and programmes like Control
‘family planning’ (1951) at national level to attain total Increased health facilities, rapid decline in death rate, Maternal
reproductive health. Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) as well
Currently, Reproductive and Child Healthcare (RCH) as an increase in number of people in reproducible age and
programmes are under operation. RCH is an initiative to better living conditions had an explosive impact on the growth
create awareness among the people about reproduction of population. This population explosion could lead to the
related aspects and providing facilities and support for scarcity of even basic requirements like food, shelter, etc.
building up a reproductive healthy society. The population growth can be controlled by motivating small
Introduction of sex education in schools is also being families, by using various contraceptive methods. Statutory
encouraged to provide right information to the young, so raising of marriageable age of the female to 18 years and male
as to discourage children from believes in myths and to 21 years and incentives given to couples with small families
misconception about sex-related aspects. are two other methods to tackle population growth.
Proper information about reproductive organs, An ideal contraceptive should be user-friendly, easily
adolescence and related changes, safe and hygienic available, effective, reversible with no or least side effects. It
sexual practices and Sexually Transmitted Diseases should also in no way interfere with sexual desire and sexual
(STDs), it would help people to lead a reproductively act of the user.
healthy life.
Contraceptive methods could be divided into following categories
Successful implementation of various action plans
have 1. Natural Methods
awareness
improved about sex related
reproductive matters,
health as increased
indicated number of
by better It works on the principle of avoiding chances of ovum and
medically assisted deliveries, better detection and cure of sperm meeting. It includes
STDs, statutory ban on amniocentesis and overall I Periodic abstinence in which couples avoid coitus from day
increased medical facilities for all reproduction related 10 to 17 of menstrual cycle, as chances of fertilisation are
problems. very high during this period.
, I Withdrawal or Coitus interruptus in which male partner 6. Surgical Methods
withdraws penis from vagina just before ejaculation to
terminal It is also called sterilisation. These are used as
avoid insemination.
method of contraception in male and female to prevent
I Lactational amenorrhea method includes the absence of
any more pregnancy by blocking gamete transport.
menstruation after parturition and due to intense These include
lactation and no ovulation in this period, chances of
fertilisation is nil. I Vasectomy is the surgical method in male, a small
part of the vas deferens is removed or tied up
2. Barrier Methods through a small incision on the scrotum to
prevent
release of sperms.
In this, ovum and sperms are prevented from
physical
meeting with the help of barriers. These include
I Condoms are barriers made up of rubber or latex sheath,
used to cover the penis in the male or vagina and cervix Vas
deferens
in the female. They also prevent from STDs. tied and cut
I Diaphragms, cervical caps and vaults are barriers
made
of rubber that are inserted into the female
reproductive
tract to cover the cervix during coitus.
Spermicidal creams, jellies and foams are usually
used
along with these to increase their contraceptive
efficiency.
These help to kill the sperms.
Vasectomy
3. Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) I Tubectomy is the surgical method in females in
These are inserted by doctor or trained nurses into the which small part of Fallopian tube is removed
female uterus through vagina. IUDs may be non- surgically. These techniques are highly effective
medicated but
(e.g. Lippes loop), copper releasing (Cu-T, Cu-7, poorly reversible.
Multiload-375) and the hormone releasing
(Progestasert, Fallopian tubes tied and cut
These IUDs increase phagocytosis of sperms within the
uterus, suppress the fertilising capacity and motility of
sperms and make the uterus unsuitable for implantation
and
the cervix hostile to the sperms.
4. Oral Pills
These are progesterone or progesterone-oestrogen
combination used by females in the form of tablets and
hence
popularly called the pills.
They inhibit ovulation and implantation as well as
change
the quality of cervical mucus to prevent/retard entry of
sperms. For example, Saheli, developed by scientists at Tubectomy
Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow, India,
once a week pill with non-steroidal preparation. Medical Termination of
Administration of pills within 72 hours of coitus is found to
Pregnancy (MTP)
be very effective as emergency contraceptives.
An intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy
5. Injectable and Implants before full term or before the foetus becomes viable is
These are the methods in which progesterone alone or in called Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) or
combination with oestrogen can be used by females under induced abortion.
, the skin.
Nearly 45 to 50 million, MTPs are performed in a year
Such injectables and implants are functionally similar to pills all over the world which accounts to 1/5th of the total
and their effective period is much longer. number of conceived pregnancies in a year.
NEET KEY NOTES
Reproductive Health
NEET KEY NOTES
According to World Health Organisation (WHO),
reproductive health means total well-being in all aspects of Amniocentesis It is a technique used to find out genetic
reproduction, i.e. physical, emotional, behavioural and disorders such as Down‘s syndrome, haemophilia, etc., in
social. developing foetus by using amniotic fluid.
Therefore, a society with people having physically and It is also misused to check foetal sex. Sex-determination is based
funtionally normal reproductive organs and normal on the chromosomal pattern in the amniotic fluid surrounding the
emotional and behavioural interactions among them in developing foetus.
all sex related aspects might be called reproductively A statutory ban has been implemented on this technique for
healthy. sex-determination to legally check increasing menace of female
foeticides.
Reproductive Health–
Problems and Strategies Population Stabilisation and Birth
India initiated many action plans and programmes like Control
‘family planning’ (1951) at national level to attain total Increased health facilities, rapid decline in death rate, Maternal
reproductive health. Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) as well
Currently, Reproductive and Child Healthcare (RCH) as an increase in number of people in reproducible age and
programmes are under operation. RCH is an initiative to better living conditions had an explosive impact on the growth
create awareness among the people about reproduction of population. This population explosion could lead to the
related aspects and providing facilities and support for scarcity of even basic requirements like food, shelter, etc.
building up a reproductive healthy society. The population growth can be controlled by motivating small
Introduction of sex education in schools is also being families, by using various contraceptive methods. Statutory
encouraged to provide right information to the young, so raising of marriageable age of the female to 18 years and male
as to discourage children from believes in myths and to 21 years and incentives given to couples with small families
misconception about sex-related aspects. are two other methods to tackle population growth.
Proper information about reproductive organs, An ideal contraceptive should be user-friendly, easily
adolescence and related changes, safe and hygienic available, effective, reversible with no or least side effects. It
sexual practices and Sexually Transmitted Diseases should also in no way interfere with sexual desire and sexual
(STDs), it would help people to lead a reproductively act of the user.
healthy life.
Contraceptive methods could be divided into following categories
Successful implementation of various action plans
have 1. Natural Methods
awareness
improved about sex related
reproductive matters,
health as increased
indicated number of
by better It works on the principle of avoiding chances of ovum and
medically assisted deliveries, better detection and cure of sperm meeting. It includes
STDs, statutory ban on amniocentesis and overall I Periodic abstinence in which couples avoid coitus from day
increased medical facilities for all reproduction related 10 to 17 of menstrual cycle, as chances of fertilisation are
problems. very high during this period.
, I Withdrawal or Coitus interruptus in which male partner 6. Surgical Methods
withdraws penis from vagina just before ejaculation to
terminal It is also called sterilisation. These are used as
avoid insemination.
method of contraception in male and female to prevent
I Lactational amenorrhea method includes the absence of
any more pregnancy by blocking gamete transport.
menstruation after parturition and due to intense These include
lactation and no ovulation in this period, chances of
fertilisation is nil. I Vasectomy is the surgical method in male, a small
part of the vas deferens is removed or tied up
2. Barrier Methods through a small incision on the scrotum to
prevent
release of sperms.
In this, ovum and sperms are prevented from
physical
meeting with the help of barriers. These include
I Condoms are barriers made up of rubber or latex sheath,
used to cover the penis in the male or vagina and cervix Vas
deferens
in the female. They also prevent from STDs. tied and cut
I Diaphragms, cervical caps and vaults are barriers
made
of rubber that are inserted into the female
reproductive
tract to cover the cervix during coitus.
Spermicidal creams, jellies and foams are usually
used
along with these to increase their contraceptive
efficiency.
These help to kill the sperms.
Vasectomy
3. Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs) I Tubectomy is the surgical method in females in
These are inserted by doctor or trained nurses into the which small part of Fallopian tube is removed
female uterus through vagina. IUDs may be non- surgically. These techniques are highly effective
medicated but
(e.g. Lippes loop), copper releasing (Cu-T, Cu-7, poorly reversible.
Multiload-375) and the hormone releasing
(Progestasert, Fallopian tubes tied and cut
These IUDs increase phagocytosis of sperms within the
uterus, suppress the fertilising capacity and motility of
sperms and make the uterus unsuitable for implantation
and
the cervix hostile to the sperms.
4. Oral Pills
These are progesterone or progesterone-oestrogen
combination used by females in the form of tablets and
hence
popularly called the pills.
They inhibit ovulation and implantation as well as
change
the quality of cervical mucus to prevent/retard entry of
sperms. For example, Saheli, developed by scientists at Tubectomy
Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) Lucknow, India,
once a week pill with non-steroidal preparation. Medical Termination of
Administration of pills within 72 hours of coitus is found to
Pregnancy (MTP)
be very effective as emergency contraceptives.
An intentional or voluntary termination of pregnancy
5. Injectable and Implants before full term or before the foetus becomes viable is
These are the methods in which progesterone alone or in called Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) or
combination with oestrogen can be used by females under induced abortion.
, the skin.
Nearly 45 to 50 million, MTPs are performed in a year
Such injectables and implants are functionally similar to pills all over the world which accounts to 1/5th of the total
and their effective period is much longer. number of conceived pregnancies in a year.
NEET KEY NOTES
