Reproductive Health Lecture Notes

Question-and-Answer flashcards covering definitions, statistics, contraceptive methods, MTP, STIs, infertility and assisted reproductive technologies from the reproductive health lecture notes.

What is the World Health Organization’s definition of reproductive health?

A state of total physical, emotional, behavioral and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system.

Which four aspects are included in reproductive health?

Physical, emotional, behavioural and social well-being.

In which year did India launch its first national family-planning programme?

1951

Under what popular name do the current reproduction-related programmes in India operate?

Reproductive and Child Health Care (RCH) programmes

What are the two major tasks of RCH programmes?

Creating awareness about reproduction-related issues and providing facilities/support for a reproductively healthy society.

Why is sex education in schools encouraged?

To give accurate information, dispel myths, promote safe hygienic sexual practices and build reproductively healthy attitudes in youth.

Name three key topics taught in school sex education to improve reproductive health.

Reproductive organs and adolescent changes; safe sexual practices; information about STDs/AIDS.

Give two social evils that reproductive health awareness seeks to reduce.

Sex abuse and sex-related crimes (including female foeticide).

Which diagnostic procedure for fetal sex determination is banned in India?

Amniocentesis for sex determination

Apart from sex determination, what is amniocentesis legally used for?

Detecting genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, haemophilia or sickle-cell anaemia and assessing fetal survivability.

What is the name of the once-a-week non-steroidal oral contraceptive developed at CDRI, Lucknow?

Saheli

State two indicators showing improvement in reproductive health in India.

Reduced maternal and infant mortality rates; increased detection and treatment of STDs.

What was the approximate world population in 1900 and in 2011?

About 2 billion in 1900; about 7.2 billion in 2011.

What was India’s population at independence (1947) and in May 2011?

≈350 million at independence; >1.2 billion in May 2011.

Mention two major reasons for rapid population growth in India.

Rapid decline in death, maternal-mortality and infant-mortality rates; increase in the number of people in reproductive age.

What slogan popularly promotes the small-family norm in India?

“Hum Do Hamare Do” (We two, our two)

What are the legal minimum marriageable ages in India for females and males?

18 years for females, 21 years for males.

List four desirable qualities of an ideal contraceptive.

User friendly; easily available; effective and reversible; minimal or no side effects and no interference with sexual desire or act.

Name the seven broad categories of contraceptive methods.

Natural/Traditional, Barrier, Intra-uterine Devices (IUDs), Oral contraceptives, Injectables, Implants, Surgical methods.

On what principle do natural contraceptive methods work?

Avoiding the meeting of ovum and sperm.

During which days of the menstrual cycle is periodic abstinence advised?

Day 10 to 17 (the fertile period).

What is another name for the withdrawal method?

Coitus interruptus

For approximately how long after childbirth is lactational amenorrhea effective as a contraceptive?

Up to about six months, provided the mother is fully breast-feeding.

Of what material are most male condoms made?

Thin rubber or latex sheaths.

Which brand name is widely associated with male condoms in India?

Nirodh

Give two additional benefits of condoms besides preventing pregnancy.

Protection against STIs/AIDS and user privacy (self-insertion, disposability).

Name three female barrier devices other than condoms.

Diaphragms, cervical caps and vaults.

Why are spermicides used with barrier devices?

They increase contraceptive efficiency by killing or immobilising sperm.

List the three types of intra-uterine devices (IUDs) with one example each.

Non-medicated (Lippes loop); Copper-releasing (Cu-T, Cu-7, Multiload 375); Hormone-releasing (Progestasert, LNG-20).

How do copper-releasing IUDs prevent pregnancy?

They increase phagocytosis of sperm and release Cu²⁺ ions that suppress sperm motility and fertilising capacity.

What is the standard schedule for taking combined oral contraceptive pills?

One tablet daily for 21 days starting within the first 5 days of menstruation, followed by a 7-day pill-free interval; then repeat.

State two ways by which oral pills prevent conception.

Inhibit ovulation and implantation; change cervical mucus to hinder sperm entry.

What feature makes Saheli different from daily oral pills?

It is taken once a week and contains a non-steroidal compound.

Within how many hours after unprotected coitus can emergency contraceptive progestogens or IUDs be used effectively?

Within 72 hours.

Which ducts are cut or tied in vasectomy and tubectomy respectively?

Vas deferens in males; fallopian tubes in females.

Why is surgical sterilisation considered poorly reversible?

Re-joining of cut/tied ducts is technically difficult and often unsuccessful, so fertility rarely returns.

Define medical termination of pregnancy (MTP).

Intentional or voluntary termination of a pregnancy before full term.

Up to which week of pregnancy is MTP considered relatively safe?

Up to 12 weeks (first trimester).

What is one key objective of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2017?

To reduce illegal abortions and associated maternal mortality by allowing legal termination under defined conditions up to 24 weeks.

Name three common sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Gonorrhoea, syphilis, chlamydiasis (others include genital herpes, genital warts, trichomoniasis, hepatitis-B, HIV/AIDS).

Which STI is regarded as the most dangerous today?

HIV infection leading to AIDS.

Mention two non-sexual routes through which HIV or hepatitis-B can spread.

Sharing infected needles/surgical instruments; transfusion of contaminated blood (also mother-to-foetus transmission).

List three possible complications of untreated STIs.

Pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, ectopic pregnancy (also abortions, still births, reproductive tract cancer).

Give two simple principles to prevent contracting STIs.

Avoid sex with unknown/multiple partners; always use condoms during coitus (and seek medical help promptly if in doubt).

Define infertility.

Inability of a couple to conceive even after two years of unprotected sexual co-habitation.

What does IVF stand for and how is it popularly known?

In Vitro Fertilisation; commonly called the ‘test-tube baby’ technique where fertilisation occurs outside the body followed by embryo transfer.

Differentiate between ZIFT and IUT.

ZIFT transfers zygotes/early embryos (≤8 blastomeres) to the fallopian tube; IUT transfers slightly older embryos (>8 blastomeres) into the uterus.

What is GIFT in assisted reproduction?

Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer – an ovum from a donor is placed in the fallopian tube of another woman where fertilisation can occur in vivo.

Describe Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

A laboratory procedure in which a single sperm is directly injected into an ovum to form an embryo.

What is artificial insemination (AI) and when is it used?

Introduction of semen from the husband or a donor into the female reproductive tract (vagina or uterus) to overcome male infertility or low sperm count.

Why is legal adoption promoted as an option for childless couples?

It provides parenthood to infertile couples while giving orphaned/destitute children a family and better chance of survival.