What aspects of reproductive health include health status

To put it simply, reproductive health never only refers to the absence of disease in the reproductive system, but includes the complete state of all aspects of physical, psychological, and social adaptation, and even involves everyone's right to choose their own reproduction and sexual behavior.

I have been doing reproductive health education in the streets for almost 7 years. I have met too many people who have misunderstandings about this matter. Not long ago, a 30-year-old male came to consult and said that his sperm activity was all up to standard in the physical examination. Does it mean that there is no problem with reproductive health? But after a few words, he found out. Because he was scolded by his elders as "masturbation is obscene" when he was young, he has always had a strong sense of guilt about intimate contact for many years. He can't let it go even if he sleeps with his wife. He always feels that he is doing "things that are not on the stage." This situation actually belongs to the category of reproductive health issues.

Many people's understanding of reproductive health is still at the level of "no inflammation, able to have babies". Physiological health is of course the most basic foundation. From normal development of secondary sexual characteristics and regular menstrual spermatorrhea in adolescence, to normal sexual function and intact fertility during childbearing age, to stable symptoms such as hot flashes and osteoporosis in menopause, there are no organic or functional abnormalities in body functions related to reproduction and sex throughout the life cycle, which is the most basic requirement for reproductive health.

It is not enough to be physically comfortable, but your psychological state is equally important. You will not feel self-loathing and shameful about normal physiological phenomena such as menstruation, erection, and nocturnal emissions. You will have enough autonomy when facing intimate relationships and will not be coerced by the other party to have unprotected sex. Nor will you be anxious and insomnia when preparing for pregnancy due to the stereotypes of "you must have a boy" and "not having a child is unfilial." These are typical manifestations of psychological reproductive health.

There are also social adaptation parts that many people don’t notice, which are also an important part of reproductive health. For example, when you want to prevent pregnancy, you can easily buy regular condoms and short-acting contraceptive pills. If you want to have a pre-pregnancy check-up, you can find a reliable public institution without being fooled by false advertising from private hospitals. After pregnancy, you can enjoy standardized prenatal check-ups and sufficient maternity leave benefits. Even when you have made up your mind that you don’t want to have children, no one can force you to prepare for pregnancy. Only when these social-level supports are in place can reproductive health be truly implemented.

Of course, there are still different opinions on the coverage of reproductive health in the academic circles. The traditional definition is more centered around heterosexual groups who are willing to have children. However, in recent years, more and more practitioners have proposed that the assisted reproduction needs of same-sex couples, the fertility preservation needs of transgender groups, and even the rebirth support of families who have lost their only child, should be included in the scope of reproductive health services. After all, the core essence of reproductive health is to respect everyone's reproductive autonomy. Just like a lesbian couple who came to us for consultation two months ago, they wanted to freeze their eggs to prepare for subsequent childbirth. They had asked many institutions before and there were no corresponding services. In fact, this is a blind spot that our current reproductive health services have not covered, and it is also a lesson that the entire industry needs to make up for in the future.