Sexual and Reproductive Health Basics

• Tülay Kavlak is the assistant professor presenting basic concepts of sexual health.
• Sexual Health/Reproductive Health is often shortened to (SH/RH).

Presentation Plan

• Includes definitions of sexual and reproductive health
• Covers the importance of sexual and reproductive health
• Touches on different perspectives on sexuality and sexual rights

Definition of Reproductive Health

• Reproductive health involves the absence of disease or disability in areas related to the reproductive system
• Encompasses the functions and proper functioning of the reproductive system
• Includes achieving the highest level of mental and social well-being

Key Aspects of Reproductive Health

• Involves having a satisfying and safe sex life
• Includes the ability to reproduce and the right to use this ability freely
• Sexuality is considered an important and positive dimension of personal health for all age groups
• Sexuality is vital for the health, well-being and quality of life of individuals, and is therefore discussed within reproductive health

Sexuality

• Dimension of human life encompassing sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, eroticism, love, and reproduction
• Begins before birth, continues throughout life, and is impacted by ethical, cultural, and moral factors
• A purely sensory experience

Sexuality According to the Body and Mind

• Sexuality encompasses both the body and the mind
• Values related to sexuality are shaped by attitudes, behaviors, physical appearance, beliefs, emotions, personality, likes, dislikes, and socialization
• It is influenced by social norms, culture, and religion
• Includes giving and receiving sexual pleasure in addition to procreation
• Encompasses every aspect of being alive

World Health Organization Definition of Sexual Health

• Combination of the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social aspects of sexuality
• Enriches personality, communication, and love
• Includes the right to access sexual information
• Includes the freedom to engage in sexual intercourse for recreation or for reproductive purposes
• A condition of health that involves emotion, intellect, and social integrity
• Positively enriches and increases personality development, communication, and sharing of love

Key Components of Sexuality

• It includes procreation, sexual satisfaction, and is influenced by ethical, cultural, and moral factors
• Ensuring positive sexuality and sexual health means more than just addressing diseases/health conditions of the genitals
• It involves the entire individual's physiological, psychological, spiritual and emotional state

Key Aspects of Sexual Health

• The condition of being free from diseases and disabilities that affect reproductive and sexual functions
• Includes freedom from fear, shame, guilt, and false beliefs that suppress sexual reactions and harm male-female relationships
• The capacity to engage in reproductive and sexual behaviors in accordance with social/personal morality and rights
• Requires care and counseling related to reproductive and sexually transmitted diseases
• Requires strengthening of personal relationships and enriching life

Emergence of Sexual/Reproductive Health Concepts

• Focuses on reproductive concerns for women worldwide
• Concentrated on health issues related to fertility for those aged 15-49 during the fertile years
• Considers both maternal and child health along with family planning
• Discussed within the framework of Women's Health and Family Planning
• The concept of "Sexual Health/Reproductive Health" (SH/RH) has emerged
• It now emphasizes the individual's needs and combines concepts such as reproduction, women's health, and family planning

How Sexual/Reproductive Health Changed Conceptions

• Previously, the concept was just maternal and child health and family planning to what it is today

The Sexual/Reproductive Health Approach Today

• It is handled within the framework of the life cycle
• Includes all life periods from the intrauterine period, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and old age

International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Held in Cairo in 1994

• Reproductive health was first raised here
• Highlighted that people still live in places without access to protecting their reproductive health, and exercise their reproductive rights
• Adopted the principle of necessary measures to give access to reproductive and sexual health services

Reproductive Health Today

• The concept emphasizes individual needs and rights
• It has made women's health a global agenda concept in terms of how their health needs should be addressed for equality regardless of if they are mothers

Beijing World Conference on Women in 1995

• Reproductive health was emphasized once again
• "Gender equality and development" was the new approach that was adopted to empower and advance women and develop their reproductive health

Key Recommendations for reproductive and sexual health

• Includes women's educational, economic, and social empowerment
• Ensuring legal and social equality and equity between the sexes
• Elimination of discrimination against the girl child
• Ensuring reproductive health and reproductive rights
• Providing safe maternity services in general health services
• Includes prevention of unhealthy miscarriages

Ways toward Providing Sexual/Reproductive Health

• Informing adolescents about sexual and reproductive health to ensure they benefit from these services
• Includes preventing the spread of STDs and HIV
• Increasing the quality, use and availability of care in risky groups like young and rural populations
• Requires mobilizing resources for SH/RH development

Key Elements of the CS/ÜS Concept

• Normal functioning of reproductive organs
• A healthy and happy sex life
• Being able to experience sexuality and fertility without coercion
• Being able to decide whether or not to have children, when, and how many
• Being able to have healthy children as a result of planned pregnancies by applying this decision as desired
• Being protected from sexually transmitted infection agents

Key Elements of Activities In Sexual/Reproductive Health Services

• Communication regarding responsible reproduction and sexual behavior, plus responsible parenting
• Includes family planning services and communications
• Includes prenatal, childbirth and postpartum care

Other Aspects In Sexual/Reproductive Health Services

• Control of genital tract infections (GYE)
• Prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and fight against AIDS
• Includes the prevention and/or treatment of malignancies of reproductive organs, infertility
• Nutrition
• Putting an end to unsafe abortions and the consequences of abortion

Factors of Sexual/Reproductive Health Services

• Infant and child health
• Adolescent health and sexuality
• Healthy lifestyle
• Regards to the regulation of environmental factors
• Regulation of social, cultural and behavioral factors.

Different Views on Sexuality

• Sexuality is a complex concept encompassing biological, psychological, social, cultural, traditional, moral, religious, anthropological, political, and economic elements
• Sexual health should be approached from different perspectives
• These perspectives include biological, psychological, and sociocultural perspectives

Biological Perspectives of Sexuality

• Sexuality is a basic instinct
• Sexual functions are carried out through a complex interaction of various hormones and chemicals
• These are produced by the body which involves the central nervous system, the five senses, and the genital organs
• Affects the functionality, medicine, and substances that go into certain situations, like pregnancy

Psychological Perspective on Sexuality

• A healthy functioning body provides a framework to live sexuality in a healthy manner
• Human psychology determines the experience of sexuality and how it will be stimulated and satisfied
• Sexual functions are controlled by a central and peripheral nervous system
• Encompasses underlying attitudes, personality traits, perceptions, past experiences, and potential traumas to determine choices

Sociocultural Aspects to Sexuality

• Influenced by family, environments, subculture, traditions, religion, and moral attitudes
• Social norms cause play such a role that one experiences dysfunction
• Examples like virginity and the way someone views that act can inhibit a person from being comfortable with their sexuality

All Approaches to Sexuality

• All three perspectives are important
• Individuals can solve the problems that are presented to a person because of these different perspectives
• Defines an individual as one entity that is biopsychosocial, and uses it to determine a person's treatment

Ways to View the Idea of Sexuality

• Often, society is concerned about general health and issues that concern society
• Deterioration can cause an issue and result in interruption with an individual's physical health
• Men and women struggle with mental health, followed by family and social health
• World Health Organization describes it as well-being through psychosocial aspects

The World Association on Sexual Health

• The organization has created universal human rights based on sexual health
• Ensures equality for everyone
• Health is a human right
• All societies should encourage these practices and enforce them

World Association for Sexual Health's Declaration on Sexual Rights

• Everyone should have a right to sexual freedom
• Each person should have the right to autonomy and security for their body
• Everyone is entitled to privacy
• Each person should have equality when it comes to sex
• There should be sexual pleasure
• Requires expression of sexual emotions and love
• Each and every person should have comprehensive education and access to sexual relationships in health care

World Association for Sexual Health's Declaration Sexual Relationships

• Sexual freedom allows individuals the freedom to express themselves
• There cannot be harassment or coercion when trying to express freedom
• Each person should have autonomy and security over their body
• To be free of any harm
• Privacy to make intimate decisions

Ensuring Equality

• Equality between relationships and individuals, despite race, heritage, and disability
• Ensuring each person has a source and the right to express it
• Individuals are able to have these abilities by communicating, touching, and expressing their love

Aspects of Lifelong Sexual Health

• Freedom for a person to find relationships and potentially marry
• Includes access to treatments that are a fertility arrangement
• States that all information must be correct and ethical to ensure success
• Provides proper care, starting from birth to help one in daily lives

Common Sexual and Reproductive Health Problems

• Gender can have discrimination
• Proper care should start from childhood and last the rest of one's life
• Issues from this discrimination should be properly managed

Hazards to Sexual and Reproductive Health

• Relationships with those who aren't being sworn to
• Transmission of diseases (Ex: HI V/AIDs) from unprotected sex
• Inability to get health care and/or birth control
• Pregnancy at a young or old age

Sexual/Reproductive Health Services

• Include premarital and regular care
• Ensuring proper testing and safety is necessary to ensure health from the start
• Services and education should be provided