Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health

Health is the foremost priority of each and every human being. But when it comes to sexual health people get careless and do not give it much importance especially in developing countries. According to World Health Organization sexual health is influenced by a complex web of factors ranging from sexual behavior and attitudes and societal factors, to biological risk and genetic predisposition. It encompasses the problems of HIV and STIs/RTIs, unintended pregnancy and abortion, infertility and cancer resulting from STIs, and sexual dysfunction.

Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being and is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health needs great concern as it in not a matter of physical health but also has a psychological aspect. Sexual activity requires a positive and respectful approach as it involves relations as well as pleasure. Sexual violence is a terrible experience that causes both physical and psychological problems. When women face sexual assault it is causes great pain and anguish. Sexual assault as rape causes them to get pregnant and as they are not prepared for it face health problems mostly due to mental strain.

A person’s individual health also affects the sexual health of that person. If a person is suffering from some chronic illness or mental health it affects the sexual life and further reproductive health. It is always better to take consultation from health providers about a person’s sexual health, as it is not only the individual’s health but an individual’s family health that affects his or her sexual life.

It is necessary to be aware of ones sexual health as it can lead to serious problems especially when there is a risk factor of sexual infection. In developed countries although the sexually transmitted diseases are less among adults the number is increasing with the teenagers. So it becomes necessary to come up with sexual health programs to create awareness among the adolescence. The number unplanned pregnancies are more in teenager as they are not completely educated about the use of contraceptives.

Sexual health has been considered as a part of the reproductive health, the emergence of HIV/AIDS, of sexual and gender-based violence as such proper care should be given to one’s sex life. People should opt for safe sex. They should be aware of risks involved with sexual activity. In most countries adolescents face problems when it comes to using contraceptives due to various reasons as inadequate knowledge, difficulty in getting the proper service, money problem and social factors. Social factors are major issues for teens as well as women in backward countries. They neglect sexual health due to conservative attitude and thus face sexual health related problems. “According to the World Bank, a full one-third of the illness among women aged between 15 and 44 in developing countries is related to pregnancy, childbirth, abortion, reproductive tract infections, and human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS).” Gender inequality and indiscrimination among women in developing countries has lead to innumerable sexual health related cases. The number of HIV/AIDS patients is more in such countries. It has become necessary to increase sexual and reproductive health programs in such countries to create awareness among women about the risk factors associated with sexual activity.

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