Reproductive Health - Notes | Class 12 | Part 1: Problems and Strategies, Birth Control Methods

Reproductive Health: Problems & Strategies

• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), reproductive health is a total well-being in all aspects of reproduction, i.e., physical, emotional, behavioural, & social.
• India initiated reproductive health programmes (family planning) in 1951.
• Now wider reproduction-related areas are in operation under Reproductive & Child Health Care (RCH) programmes.
• Such programmes deal with the following:
  • Give awareness about reproduction-related aspects for creating a reproductively healthy society.
  • Educate people about birth control, care of pregnant mothers, post-natal care of mother and child, importance of breastfeeding, equal opportunities for male & female children, etc.
  • Awareness of problems due to population explosion, social evils like sex-abuse and sex-related crimes, etc.

Aims and Needs of Sex Education in Schools

• To provide right information about sex-related aspects. It helps to avoid sex-related myths and misconceptions.
• To give proper information about reproductive organs, adolescence and related changes, safe and hygienic sexual practices, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), AIDS, etc.

Population Stabilization & Birth Control

• In 1900, the world population was about 2 billion. By 2000, it rocketed to about 6 billion and reached 7.2 billion in 2011.
• In India, the population was nearly 350 million at the time of independence. It reached 1 billion by 2000 and crossed 1.2 billion in May 2011. This means every sixth person in the world is an Indian.
• According to the 2011 census report, our population growth rate was less than 2% (i.e., 20/1000/year), a rate at which our population could increase rapidly.

Reasons for Population Explosion

• Increased health facilities and better living conditions.
• Rapid decline in death rate, maternal mortality rate (MMR), and infant mortality rate (IMR).
• Increase in the number of people in reproducible age.

Impacts of Population Explosion

• Scarcity of basic requirements (e.g., food, shelter, & clothing).

Control Measures

• Motivate smaller families by using contraceptive methods.
• Aware people about the slogan Hum Do Hamare Do (we two, our two). Many couples have adopted a ‘one child norm’.
• Statutory raising of the marriageable age of females (18 years) and males (21 years).

Properties of an Ideal Contraceptive

• User-friendly, easily available, effective, and reversible.
• No or least side effects.
• It should not interfere with sexual drive, desire, & sexual act.

Contraceptive Methods

1. Natural/Traditional Methods

• Avoid chances of ovum and sperms meeting. It includes:
  • Periodic abstinence: Avoid coitus from day 10 to 17 (fertile period) of the menstrual cycle to prevent conception. The fertile period is the period with chances of fertilization.
  • Coitus interruptus (withdrawal): Withdraw the penis from the vagina just before ejaculation to avoid insemination.
  • Lactational amenorrhea: It is the absence of menstrual cycle & ovulation due to intense lactation after parturition. Fully breastfeeding increases lactation. This method helps to prevent conception and is effective up to 6 months following parturition.
• Natural methods have no side effects, but the chances of failure are high.

2. Barriers

• They prevent the physical meeting of sperm & ovum. Examples include:
• Condoms (e.g., Nirodh):
  • Made of rubber/latex sheath.
  • Condoms for males: Cover the penis.
  • Condoms for females: Cover the vagina & cervix.
  • Condoms are used just before coitus. They prevent the entry of semen into the female reproductive tract.
  • Condoms are very popular because:
    • They protect the user from STDs and AIDS.
    • Easily available and disposable.
    • They can be self-inserted, thereby giving privacy to the user.
• Diaphragms, cervical caps, and vaults:
  • Made of rubber and are inserted into the female reproductive tract to cover the cervix during coitus.
  • They block the entry of sperms through the cervix.
  • They are reusable.
• Spermicidal creams, jellies, & foams are used along with these barriers to increase contraceptive efficiency.

3. Intra Uterine Devices (IUDs)

• These are inserted by doctors or nurses in the uterus through the vagina. They increase phagocytosis of sperms.
• IUDs are an ideal method to delay pregnancy or space children.
• Types of IUDs:
  • Non-medicated IUDs: They retard sperm motility and have a spermicidal effect. E.g., Lippes loop.
  • Copper-releasing IUDs: Cu ions suppress motility and the fertilizing capacity of sperms. E.g., CuT, Cu7, Multiload 375.
  • Hormone-releasing IUDs: They make the uterus unsuitable for implantation and the cervix hostile to the sperms. E.g., Progestasert, LNG-20.

4. Oral Contraceptives

• Oral administration of progestogens or progestogen–oestrogen combinations in the form of tablets (pills).
• Pills are taken daily for 21 days, starting within the first five days of the menstrual cycle. After a gap of 7 days (menstruation period), they should be repeated in the same pattern until the female desires to prevent conception.
• They inhibit ovulation and implantation and thicken cervical mucus to prevent the entry of sperms.
• Pills are very effective with lesser side effects.
• Saheli: A new oral contraceptive for females, developed by the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow. It contains a non-steroidal preparation. It is a ‘once a week’ pill with very few side effects and high contraceptive value.

5. Injectables & Implants

• Progestogens or progestogen-oestrogen combinations are used by females as injections or implants under the skin.
• Their mode of action is like that of pills, and their effective periods are much longer.

• Progestogens or progestogen-oestrogen combinations & IUDs are used as emergency contraceptives within 72 hours of coitus. They avoid pregnancy due to rape or casual intercourse.

6. Surgical Methods (Sterilization)

• They help to block gamete transport and thereby prevent conception. They are very effective, but reversibility is very poor.
• Vasectomy: Sterilization procedure in males. In this, a small part of the vas deferens is removed or tied up through a small incision on the scrotum.
• Tubectomy: Sterilization procedure in females. In this, a small part of the fallopian tube is removed or tied up through a small incision in the abdomen or through the vagina.

Side Effects of Anti-Natural Contraceptives

• Nausea, abdominal pain, breakthrough bleeding, irregular menstrual bleeding, breast cancer, etc.

Select a Topic 👇

Topic 1: Reproductive Health: Problems & Strategies, Population Stabilization & Birth Control Topic 2: MTP and STIs Topic 3: Infertility and Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)

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