Reproductive health

Health is more than the body

Reproductive health is not only about the organs. It means that people are physically healthy, that they understand the changes in their bodies, and that they can make safe and responsible choices. Families, schools and doctors all help.

Pregnancy and childbirth make heavy demands on a woman's body. A body that is still growing is not ready for them. This is one reason why the law in India sets a minimum age for marriage.

Diseases spread by sexual contact

Some diseases pass from one person to another through sexual contact. They are called sexually transmitted diseases.

• Bacterial infections: gonorrhoea and syphilis.
• Viral infections: warts and HIV-AIDS.

A covering for the penis, the condom, reduces the risk of passing on these infections during sexual contact. Some of these diseases can be treated by a doctor; some, like HIV-AIDS, cannot yet be cured. Early help and correct information protect people.

Preventing pregnancy

Couples may want to plan when to have children, and how many. Ways of preventing pregnancy are called contraception. They work in different ways.

• Barrier methods. A condom, or a covering for the vagina, stops the sperm from reaching the egg. A condom also lowers the risk of infections.
• Hormone pills. They change the balance of hormones, so that eggs are not released. They can have side effects.
• Devices in the uterus. A loop or a copper-T is placed in the uterus. It can cause side effects, such as irritation of the uterus.
• Surgery. In males, the vas deferens is blocked, so sperm cannot pass. In females, the fallopian tubes are blocked, so the egg cannot reach the uterus. Surgery is safe in the long run, but it can cause infections if not done properly.

Sex selection and the sex ratio

Surgery can also end an unwanted pregnancy. Sadly, it has been misused to remove female foetuses. This practice, female foeticide, has lowered the number of girls compared with boys in some parts of the country.

The sex ratio compares the number of females with the number of males. In India it is often given as girls (or women) for every 1000 boys (or men):

For a healthy society, the numbers of girls and boys should be about the same. To protect girls, finding out the sex of a child before birth is prohibited by law in India.

With the starting values, the ratio is $925$ girls for every $1000$ boys, and the warning shows. Make the two bars equal, and the ratio becomes $1000$.

Try it in Python

The program finds the sex ratio of three made-up towns.

You should see $945$ for Rampur, $941$ for Sonagaon and $959$ for Devipur.

Practise with new numbers

Common mistakes

• Thinking hormone pills stop infections. Only a barrier, such as a condom, lowers the risk of these diseases.
• Thinking surgical methods remove the organs. They only block a tube.
• Turning the ratio upside down. It is girls for every 1000 boys: girls go on top.
• Thinking sex selection is a private matter. It is banned by law, and it harms society.

Remember these

• Sexually transmitted diseases: gonorrhoea and syphilis (bacterial), warts and HIV-AIDS (viral).
• Contraception: barriers, hormone pills, a loop or copper-T, and surgery (blocking the vas deferens or the fallopian tubes).
• A condom also reduces the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
• Sex ratio: girls for every 1000 boys. Finding the sex of a child before birth is banned by law.

Check yourself

Try each one on your own first. If you are stuck, open a hint. Then check with Show the answer.

1. Name two sexually transmitted diseases caused by bacteria.

2. How do hormone pills prevent pregnancy?

3. Which method of contraception also protects against infections?

4. A village has $760$ girls and $800$ boys under six. What is its sex ratio?

5. Why is finding the sex of a child before birth prohibited?