This is why good reproductive health measures are important

Good health reproductive measures ensure that population pressure is maintained at the desirable level commensurate to the needs of our society. This is because if fertility rates are not slowed, the population will always increase beyond manageable limits. Increase of the population without expansion of resources is a burden to every living thing. It is important therefore to keep family planning issues at the forefront for local, national, regional, and international health norms. Awareness about declining resources for family planning initiatives and programmes has increased in the last few years with new initiatives for repositioning family planning and contraceptive security observed in many developed countries. Lack of knowledge, access problems and side effects of the family planning methods are among the obstacles that limits women’s use of hormonal contraceptives such as the birth control pill and hormone implants. Contraceptives constitute hormones — estrogen or progesterone — and women have been scared by possible hormonal imbalance that can dispose them to possible risks of some cancers. The use of condom has been perceived as one of the most efficient method. There have been limitations in use of condoms as some people think condoms are there to prevent sexually transmitted diseases rather than the contraceptive purpose. They normally associate them with disease and promiscuity. Inadequate information on proper reproductive health is one of the major issues that should be addressed in this context. Recent use of oral contraceptives needs careful monitoring and close supervision from a health expert. Modern birth control methods should be adopted and there is urgent need to address negative perceptions of contraceptive use. The modern choices should always be youth friendly to help young women build their life skills as they need to take control of their reproductive health. Reproductive rights rest on the recognition of the basic right of all couples, individuals to decide freely or responsibly on the number, spacing and timing of their children. This requires availability of resources and knowledge for good implementation. All these measures ensure good guidance to attain the highest standard reproductive health. Control of over-reproduction is a basic need and a basic right for all women. It is linked to the women’s health and social status, as well as the powerful social structures of religion, state control and private profits that people can make. Women know that childbearing is a social, not a purely personal phenomenon. We have to understand clearly that increase of the population trends can easily exert considerable pressure on resources with in a period of time. Traditional norms surrounding the behaviour of women such as gender inequality, limited socio-economic standing, low literacy rates, early marriage during adolescence should be abolished completely. Longstanding, gender norms that have been put in place by the Rwandan government greatly influence healthcare policy, investments and ultimately increase access to information and services. Reproductive health is an important gender drive issue. For example the reproductive health needs for men may not necessarily correspond with the needs of women and this prompts need for well elaborated gender sensitive information. Lack of gender sensitive reproductive health policies adversely affects access to information and services for people in-need. Policy actions such as legislation, enforcement provisions, institutional arrangements, and dedicated resources can strengthen women’s rights, limit traditional harmful practices, improve women’s opportunities to stay in school and participate in the workforce. The government of Rwanda set up policies that include development and enforcement of gender positive policy issues such as minimum age at marriage, legal age of consent, marital property, and physical integrity. Improved reproductive health strategies impose positive impacts at the individual, family, and household levels. Reproductive health increases the human capital of women who directly contribute to socioeconomic development. Indirectly, reproductive health increases the human capital of children by keeping their mothers alive.

Health

This is why good reproductive health measures are important