Why is Reproductive Health Important?

Reproductive health does not only refer to the state of absence of any disease or infirmity in the reproductive system. Rather, it is a state of complete well-being of the reproductive system, be it physical, mental or social, and the proper functioning of the processes of the reproductive system. 

For women reproductive system is a vital system that has consequences for their overall physical and mental health states. The women reproductive system and reproductive health play a central role in the health of a woman, be it through its functioning, dysfunction or disease. Let us read about the importance of reproductive healthcare and the benefits derived from getting access to birth control and family planning services. We will also discuss the challenges a common person faces to avail of such services and strategies being formulated to overcome these challenges and improve both the access to and utilisation of these services.

Importance of Reproductive Health

We have already read about the importance of reproductive health to women from several aspects. It encompasses a number of things such as being able to access comprehensive sexual education, various kinds of contraceptives, safe facilities for carrying out abortions if so required, and being able to enjoy proper maternal care services. Active promotion of reproductive health will help women to make informed choices about their bodies, their sexuality and sexual behaviour. Women will be better aware of the state of their fertility. This will lead to women enjoying healthier pregnancies, a reduction in the number of maternal deaths and will result in overall improvement in the health of the children who are born.

How does Access to Birth Control Methods help in Family Planning?

What is birth control in reproductive health? What is family planning in reproductive health? Why are these important to the improvement of reproductive health? As we will read below, these are some of the most basic and strongest foundations of the whole concept of reproductive health. The benefits derived from women gaining unfettered access to the methods of birth control and ideas and services of family planning are discussed below. So what are the 5 benefits of family planning? Here you go:

Prevention of Unwanted Pregnancies: Unprotected sexual intercourse always carries with it the risk of unintended pregnancies. This is an ever-rising concern with the increase in the instances of casual sex among people. Here come birth control methods such as condoms for both men and women, oral contraceptives – the contraceptive pill, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and other implants that help people avoid the risk of accidental and unintentional pregnancies. These methods are particularly effective in reducing adolescent pregnancies from premarital sex.

Promoting Women’s Empowerment: Women today are empowered in a lot of aspects of life. Family planning is a huge step in increasing the empowerment of women further. Family planning allows a woman to plan out her life and live according to her plans. So, the question arises here-why is birth control important in family planning? It allows a woman to keep her sexual life intact and at the same time allows her to plan if and when she would wish to conceive and have children, without a pregnancy interfering with her education, career or other personal goals.

Improvement in Both Maternal and Child Health: Family planning and birth control allows a couple to space out subsequent pregnancies without compromising on their conjugal life. Such spacing out reduces the instances of maternal mortality as well as infant mortality. Complications in pregnancies also reduce with the reduction of back-to-back pregnancies.

Reducing Poverty: Bringing a baby into this world and ensuring the best of facilities to your abilities – healthcare, nutrition and well-being, education and such is expensive in today’s world. You may be wondering how to use family planning as birth control? What is the relation between this and the reduction in poverty? Proper family planning and birth control will ensure that families plan their children according to their economic status, thus ensuring they are able to afford to bring up a child and not face a situation of poverty where there is a gross mismatch in the income and resources available and the expenses required for bringing up a child.

Environmental Sustainability: Adopting family planning and birth control measures will help slow the global population growth and reduce the depletion of resources globally. A population that is under control will ensure that sustainable development has a chance to thrive.

What are the Types of Birth Control?

There are various methods available for birth control. A couple will choose one or several of these that they feel comfortable with. The popular types of birth control methods are as follows:

1. Barrier Methods: As the name suggests, this method inserts a barrier between the male penis and the female cervix thus ensuring that the sperm cannot reach an egg to fertilise it. Contraceptive devices used in this method include condoms – both male and female, diaphragm, contraceptive sponge and cervical cap.

2. Short-action Hormonal Methods: These introduce certain hormones into your body which ensures that you cannot get pregnant. The types of methods are considered to be short-acting as you need to take them regularly without any interruption, on a daily, weekly or monthly basis for them to be effective. Such methods include birth control pills, vaginal rings, contraceptive injections and skin patches.

3. Long-action Hormonal Methods: The birth control methods under this type involve suppressing your hormones which lead to pregnancy with the implantation of a device in your body. This method is considered to be long-acting as these devices are effective for a period ranging between 3 and 10 years or until you have the device removed from your body. Contraceptive devices used in this method include copper UID, hormonal UID and contraceptive implants.

4. Sterilisation: Sterilisation is a permanent method used in birth control and cannot be undone. Men may undergo vasectomy and women may undergo tubal ligation procedures.

5. Spermicide or Vaginal Gel: Spermicides or vaginal gel are non-hormonal methods of birth control and are preferred by a number of people who are apprehensive of the potential after-effects of the hormonal methods. The application of either spermicides or vaginal pH regulator gel in the vagina just before sexual intercourse will stop the sperm from moving, preventing it from reaching an egg to fertilise it and may also kill the sperm.

6. Fertility Awareness Methods: This method depends on knowing the so-called ‘safe days’ of a woman based on the knowledge of her menstrual cycle and factors like her basal body temperature or things like her cervical mucus. In this method, couples have unprotected sex on the days they know are safe from the point of view of fertilisation not being possible.

7. Withdrawal Methods: This is a risky method that involves the male partner pulling out his penis from the woman’s vagina, and withdrawing before his ejaculation starts. In order to be able to achieve this, both partners need to be very sure of their bodies and reactions and need to have fast reflexes to be able to withdraw in time.

Note: Emergency contraception popularly known as the after-morning pill may be used to prevent pregnancies in case of unprotected sexual intercourse. These oral contraceptive pills are to be taken within 72 hours of the sexual intercourse having taken place.

Challenges in Accessing Birth Control and Family Planning `

Reproductive health with its obvious benefits faces several challenges hindering access to the methods and utilisation of the services:

Lack of Awareness: There is limited knowledge about the types of contraceptive options available, the services existing for family planning and often no access to sexual health education.

Stigmas and Cultural Issues: There are a lot of taboos in society, contrarian religious views and beliefs and overall cultural boundaries that discourage free and frank discussions on matters like sex, sexual education, contraception and contraceptive methods and reproductive rights.

Financial Barriers: While the most basic of contraceptive devices, condoms, are not expensive, other contraceptive methods, clinical and healthcare services and the high cost of healthcare may deter people with limited financial resources from adopting family planning methods or using birth control devices. The abnormally high medical trend rate in India, 14 per cent in 2021-22, the highest in Asia and way above the global average of 7.4 per cent for a similar period does prove to be an obstacle for people with limited financial means.

Healthcare Inequalities: There is a huge disparity in the opportunity to access quality healthcare services, especially in rural areas, among marginalised communities and in third-world and underdeveloped countries with low incomes.

Policy Restrictions: There is a lack of political will in most countries across the globe to support and make legislation for comprehensive reproductive health practices. Policies already in place are restrictive in nature and there are a lot of barriers legally to take firm measures and concrete steps in the correct direction.

Strategies to Improve Access to Birth Control and Family Planning Services

The following strategies may be adopted whereby a larger number of people and hitherto uncovered communities may benefit by getting access to methods of birth control and the services required for family planning:

Comprehensive Sexual Education: Sexual education needs to be made compulsory in schools and other communities by the implementation of evidence-based programmes with content that is considered appropriate for different age groups. This will help by increasing awareness and promotion of health behaviours.

Community Outreach Programmes: There is an urgent requirement to provide accurate information, counselling in appropriate cases and referrals from within the community for family planning services. For this to be successful and to reach the masses, community health workers, peer educators and leaders of local communities need to take up proactive and active roles.

Integration into Existing Services: Family planning needs to be integrated into services already in existence such as HIV/AIDS prevention programmes, antenatal care and postpartum services. These already popular forums will help strike the correct chords for reproductive health services.

Public-Private Partnerships: Government agencies need to enter into collaborative partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, facilities providing health care services and non-profit organisations to develop more affordable and better available methods of contraceptives and family planning services.

Policy Reform: Community and society leaders and policymakers need to ensure better and more comprehensive policies ensuring increased funding for family planning and protection of reproductive rights. 

In Conclusion

Accessible birth control methods and services for family planning are essential to promote reproductive health and sustainable development. The barriers placed by society, culture, economic conditions and policies need to be addressed and removed at the earliest. This will empower people all over to make informed decisions about their reproductive lives and will in the long run create a more equitable society with healthier women and children.

Additionally, your family planning is incomplete without a maternity health insurance plan, which helps to cover the medical expenses that may arise during pre or post-delivery. Our ‘Joy’ maternity plan comes with the lesser waiting period in the market along with many other features. For more information kindly connect with our experts to get your hands on the right plan and enjoy a safe pregnancy. 

>> Also Read: 5 Birth Control Options You can Rely upon

Disclaimers: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.