Components of Reproductive Health

1. Safe motherhood and child survival initiatives

2. Family planning unsatisfied needs including male involvement
3. Management of STI/HIV/AIDS
4. Promotion of adolescent and youth health
5. Gender and reproductive health rights including male involvement
6. Screening and management of cancer and other reproductive health
issues
7. Prevention and appropriate management of infertility
8. Care of the elderly
Supportive strategies in implementation of the components of reproductive
health services
1. Human resource development and management.
2. Integration of reproductive health services including training.
3. Identification, mobilization and allocation of resources.
4. Operational research in reproductive health monitoring, evaluation &
supervision.
1. Safe Motherhood Initiative
• The aim is to address the health needs of women of
childbearing age and bring to the world’s attention the
problem of maternal mortality.
• It focuses at interventions to ensure that pregnancy and
childbirth are safe events for women.
• Many women all over the world are dying from common
obstetrical problems that can be managed by simple
technology.
 Primary means of preventing maternal deaths include:
i. Antenatal care to help identify and manage current and
potential risks and problems.
ii. Providing access to emergency obstetric care, including
treatment of hemorrhage, infection, hypertension and
obstructed labor.
iii. Good obstetric care that is accessible and efficient.
iv. Post-partum care to treat post-partum problems, appropriate
advice on breastfeeding, infant care, hygiene, immunizations,
family planning and maintaining good health.
2. Family Planning
Family planning helps save women and children’s lives and
preserves their health by:
 Preventing untimely and unwanted pregnancies and
 Reducing women’s exposure to the health risks of childbirth and
abortion.
 Those women, who are often sole caregivers, will consequently
have more time to care for their children and themselves.
Characteristics of Good Family Planning Programs
i. Strong government support
ii. Well trained providers who are sensitive to cultural
conditions, who listen to patients needs and are friendly and
empathetic
iii. Affordable services, which provide a wide range in the
choice of contraceptive methods.
iv. Counselling, which ensures informed consent in
contraceptive choice.
v. Privacy and confidentiality.
vi. Clean and comfortable facilities.
vii. Prompt service.
3. Management of STIs
• Owing to biological reasons, women are more vulnerable to STIs
than men.
• The burden of disease from STIs (excluding HIV/AIDS) is more than
three times higher in women than men.
• Reproductive health programs can reduce levels of STIs by;
providing information and counseling on critical issues such as
sexuality, gender roles, power imbalances between women and
men, gender based violence and its link to HIV transmission.
4. Adolescent/Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Reproductive health of adolescents/youth is an area that has
not been addressed effectively in the past.
Many times young people feel that their needs are neglected.
• Young people, especially between the ages of 10 - 24 years,
have special RH needs.
• In order to cater for their requirements, health workers should
provide services that recognize the importance of health
education and give services to meet the needs of adolescents
both in and out of school.
5. Gender Issues and Reproductive Health Rights
Gender refers to the socially constructed roles of men and women
in a society.
 Reproductive health does not affect women alone. It is a family
health and social issue as well.
Unequal power relations between men and women often limit
women’s control over sexual activity and their ability to protect
themselves against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted
infections including HIV/AIDS.
 In this regard, adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable.
For reproductive health services to be successful, health workers
must address the dynamics of knowledge, power and decision
making in sexual relationships in the community.
6. Cancer of the Reproductive Organs
• Cancers of the cervix and breast are the leading malignant diseases
among women in Kenya while cancers of the prostate and testis
are the most common in men.
• Early detection is important for reduction of mortality and
morbidity associated with these cancers.
• Integration of cancer prevention in reproductive health programs
should be key strategy towards making such services more
accessible to women and men.
• Health care workers especially nurses and midwives should be
adequately trained on techniques of aided or unaided visual
inspection of the cervix as these can lead to early detection of
suspicious cases.
7. Prevention and Management of Infertility
• Infertility is a serious public health concern in Kenya. Although it afflicts many
couples and individuals the problem has been inadequately addressed both
at policy and at service levels.
• Infertility is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO)
as follows:
1. Primary infertility: the woman has never conceived despite unprotected
intercourse for at least 12 months.
2. Secondary infertility: the woman has previously conceived but is
subsequently unable to conceive within 12 months despite
unprotected intercourse.
3. Pregnancy wastage: the woman is able to conceive but unable
to produce a live birth.
Infertility has gender implications and regardless of the cause the woman
bears the major brunt of blame and social discrimination.
 The main goal in prevention and management of infertility is to reduce
the incidence of infertility and facilitate proper investigation and
management of infertile individuals and couples.
The main objectives have been set as follows:
i. Advocate for recognition of infertility as a public health issue and its
management an integral component of reproductive health services
ii. Reduce prevalence of secondary infertility.
iii. Reduce the prevalence of curable STIs.
iv. Effectively manage at least 80% of curable cases of STI presenting in
health facilities (WHO/AFRO).
v. Increase access to effective postpartum and post-abortion care
services.
vi. Increase access to improved investigation and management of
infertility.
vii. Increase access to training in improving management of infertility.
8. Care of the Elderly
• The elderly population is on the increase and they have various
health problems that affect them.
• Problems of menopause and andropause affect both the physical
and psychological well being of the elderly in the community.
• This in turn has an effect on their social economic productivity,
those affected are at their peak in life i.e. as early as 50 years of age.
• Integration of care of the elderly, especially issues related to
menopause and andropause in reproductive health programs would
go a long way in addressing this area of health care.