`color{blue} ul(mathtt ("Reproductive Health (WHO)" ))` : Reproductive health means a total well-being in all aspects of reproduction, i.e., physical, emotional, behavioural and social.

`color{green} ✍️ color{green} mathbf("KEY CONCEPT")` :

● The term `color{Violet}"Reproductive Health"` simply does not refer to healthy reproductive organs with normal functions.

● However, it has a broader perspective and includes the `color{Violet}"emotional"` and `color{Violet}"social aspects"` of reproduction also.

● According to the `color{Violet}"World Health Organisation"` (WHO), reproductive health means a total well-being in all aspects of reproduction, i.e., physical, emotional, behavioural and social.

● `color{Brown}"Reproductively Healthy Society"`: Therefore, a society with people having `color{Violet}"physically and functionally"` normal reproductive organs and normal `color{Violet}"emotional and behavioural"` interactions among them in all sex-related aspects might be called `color{Violet}"reproductively healthy"`.

● `color{Violet}"India"` was amongst the `color{Violet}"first countries"` in the world to initiate action plans and programmes at a national level to attain `color{Violet}"total reproductive health"` as a social goal.

● These programmes called `color{Violet}"family planning"` were initiated in `color{Violet}"1951"` and were periodically assessed over the past decades.

● Improved programmes covering wider reproduction-related areas are currently in operation under the popular name `color{Violet}"Reproductive and"` `color{Violet}"Child Health Care"` (`color{Violet}"RCH"`) programmes.



● The major tasks under these programmes are:
`star` `color{Violet}"Creating awareness"` among people about various reproduction related aspects.

`star` `color{Violet}"Providing Facilities"` and `color{Violet}"support"` for building up a reproductively healthy society

`=>` `color{blue}"Adolescence"`: Adolescence (Latin adolescere, meaning 'to grow up') is a `color{Violet}"transitional stage"` of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from `color{Violet}"puberty to legal adulthood"`.

`=>` `color{blue}"STD"`: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are infections that can be transmitted through `color{Violet}"sexual contact"` with an infected individual. These are also termed `color{Violet}"sexually transmitted infections"` or STIs

`color{green} ✍️ color{green} mathbf("KEY CONCEPT")`:

● With the help of `color{Violet}"audio-visual"` and the `color{Violet}"print-media"`, governmental and non-governmental agencies have taken various steps to `color{Violet}"create awareness"` among the people about reproduction-related aspects.



● Parents, other close relatives, teachers and friends, also have a major role in the`color{Violet}"dissemination"` of the above information.

● Introduction of `color{Violet}"sex education"` in schools should also be encouraged to provide `color{Violet}"right information"` to the young so as to discourage children from believing in `color{Violet}"myths"` and having `color{Violet}"misconceptions"` about sex-related aspects.




● For enabling people, especially those in the `color{Violet}"adolescent age group"`, to lead a reproductively healthy life, the proper information about the following topics should be provided:
`star` `color{Violet}"Reproductive organs"`

`star` `color{Violet}"Adolescence"` and related changes

`star` `color{Violet}"Safe"` and `color{Violet}"hygienic"` sexual practices

`star` Sexually transmitted diseases (`color{Violet}"STD"`), AIDS, etc.



● Educating people, especially `color{Violet}"fertile couples"` and those in marriageable age group, about:
`star` Available `color{Violet}"birth control"` options

`star` `color{Violet}"Care"` of pregnant mothers

`star` `color{Violet}"Post-natal care"` of the mother and child

`star` Importance of `color{Violet}"breast feeding"`

`star` `color{Violet}"Equal opportunities"` for the male and the female child

`star` Importance of bringing up `color{Violet}"socially conscious"` healthy families of desired size.



● Awareness of problems due to
`star` uncontrolled `color{Violet}"population growth"`

`star` `color{Violet}"social evils"` like sex-abuse

`star` `color{Violet}"sex-related crimes"`, etc.,

need to be created to enable people to think and take up necessary steps to `color{Violet}"prevent them"` and thereby build up a socially responsible and healthy society.