What aspects of health status does reproductive health include?

According to the definition of the World Health Organization, reproductive health is far more than just "the reproductive system is not sick." It covers the entire life cycle of a person, including the complete state of physiology, psychology, and social adaptation, and is closely related to everyone's daily life.

I met a little girl who was just a freshman in high school before at a community free clinic. Every time her period was so painful that she broke out in a cold sweat and asked for leave. Her parents always thought that "it's normal for little girls to have dysmenorrhea, just bear with it and it will pass." They took her for a check-up and no organic problems such as endometriosis were found. However, this kind of reproductive-related discomfort that has obviously affected normal life actually falls into the category of reproductive health that requires intervention. It’s not just dysmenorrhea. It ranges from abnormal development of reproductive organs in childhood and confusion about the development of secondary sexual characteristics in adolescence, to pregnancy preparation conditioning, contraceptive guidance, maternal health care, and pelvic floor function recovery during the childbearing age, to hot flashes and night sweats, emotional irritability in menopause, prostate hyperplasia and sexual dysfunction in middle-aged and elderly people, and normal physiological functions related to the reproductive system in all age groups, which are the most basic components of reproductive health.

What many people don’t know is that the scope of reproductive health also extends to the psychological level, which is also the part that is most easily overlooked. Two years ago, a 30-year-old woman came to the clinic and said that her gynecological examination was normal, but she had a strong resistance to intimate contact with her partner. After talking with her, she found out that she had an unexpected pregnancy and had an abortion in her early twenties. Her partner's attitude at that time was very cold, which left a big psychological shadow on her. Even after seven or eight years, she still can't let go. This kind of psychological disorder related to reproductive events is also a problem that requires intervention in reproductive health. In addition, postpartum depression, confusion about one's gender identity, and anxiety caused by the pressure of childbirth are all included in the psychological dimension of reproductive health.

In addition, reproductive health also needs to consider the compatibility between people and the social environment. This may sound a bit abstract, but it is actually hidden in the details of our lives. Whether girls in remote areas can obtain correct menstrual care knowledge, whether they can use qualified sanitary products, whether workplaces have maternal and child rooms for nursing mothers, whether women will be dismissed in disguise when taking maternity leave, and whether intimate behavior between partners is based on mutual consent. These seem to be social issues, but in fact they are all important components of reproductive health - after all, if safe and equal reproductive-related rights and interests cannot be guaranteed, let alone the so-called "perfect state".

There is still some controversy in the industry about the coverage boundaries of reproductive health, such as whether to include the reproductive rights and interests of sexual minorities and the inclusiveness of assisted reproductive technology into the scope of public reproductive health services. Some experts believe that public health resources are limited at this stage, and priority should be given to covering basic needs such as maternal health care and child reproductive development screening in underdeveloped areas. Some experts also propose that reproductive health itself includes the right of all people to receive appropriate services fairly and should not be restricted by factors such as sexual orientation and fertility wishes. The country is now gradually exploring relevant service boundaries and trying to cover the reasonable needs of more people.

To be honest, reproductive health has never been a "shameful" topic, nor is it something that only people who are about to have children need to be concerned about. From your first period or nocturnal emission in your teens, to your 70s or 80s when you face degenerative changes in the reproductive system, you can actually seek consultation from relevant professionals for all the confusion and discomfort related to reproduction and intimate relationships that you encounter in your life. You don't have to bear it.