Reproductive health refers to a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in relation to reproductive functions. It involves preventing and treating reproductive health problems through family planning services, counseling, education and other methods. Ensuring access to comprehensive and factual reproductive health information and services helps enable responsible decisions about family planning and meeting changing needs over one's life cycle.

1. Is a state of complete physical, mental, and
social well-being and not merely the absence of
infirmity or disease, in all matters relating to the
reproductive system and to its functions and
processes.

2.  Is defined as the constellation of methods,
techniques, and services that contribute to the
reproductive health and well-being by preventing
and solving reproductive health problems.

3. People are able to have a
satisfying and safe sex life
Have the capability to
reproduce
Have the freedom to decide if,
when and how often to do so.

4.  To ensure that comprehensive and factual
information and a full range of reproductive health
care services are accessible, affordable,
acceptable and convenient to all users.
 To enable and support responsible voluntary
decisions about child-bearing and methods of
family planning.
 To meet changing reproductive health needs over
the life cycle and to do in ways sensitive to the
diversity

5.  Family planning
 Counseling
 Information
 Education
 Communication & services
 Education & services for parental care
 Prevention & appropriate treatment of infertility
 Abortion
 Treatment of reproductive tract infections
 STD & other reproductive health conditions
 Human sexuality
 Responsible parenthood

6.  Fertility – means the actual number of births
applied to an individual or to a group while
Fecundity – is the biological capacity of a woman
(or a couple) to have children in the future.

7. 1. Heredity > the ability to reproduce is relatively
influenced by fecundity of one’s ancestor.
Ex. Defects in sex organs affect fecundity and is inherited.
2. Health > if a person is in good, he has the highest
possible fecundity.
Ex. There are diseases that adversely affect a person’s
reproductive capacity.

8. 3. Age > Reproduction begins at puberty, develops
during adolescence and reaches a high point of
maturity.
4. Emotional Surroundings > A good environment
helps in the proper development of the fetus.
5. Ovulation cycle > Every 28 days, one or more
ova are released during ovulation – a process in
which the egg cells mature.

9. 6. Lactation > pregnancy is usually impeded as the
mammary glands are active.
7. Pregnancy Wastage > This refers to miscarriage
or spontaneous abortion or stillbirth. Stillbirth
constitutes a longer interruption in pregnancy.

10. 1. Parenthood means
fulfillment
 Parents often feel
that their role as
parents is fulfilled
the moment they
have a child.

11. 2. Machismo
> There is a belief that
the proof of man’s
virility is to beget
children. The more
he has, the more
manly he believes
he is.

12. 3. Perpetuation of the
family name
 Sons are desired to
carry on the family
name.

13. 4. Competition with
parents
 A man says’ “if my
parents were able to
support many
children, why can’t I
support more?”. This
means that the son
wants to compete with
his parents and even
desires to surpass
them

14. 5. More hands
 It is a common belief,
esp. among farmers,
that many children
mean more hands to
work in the farm.
Hence, the need for
more chidlren.

15. 6. Bigger Income
> Many hands that
earn a living means
a bigger income to
the family

16. 7. Insurance
> Parents’ beliefs that
having many children
is an assurance that
there will be one or
two who will provide
for them in their old
age.

17. 8. Security
 It is a custom of
some parents to train
their older children
and expect them to
take care of their
younger brothers and
sisters even at an
early age.

18. 9. God’s Blessings
 Children are
considered as gifts
from God. There is a
belief that the large
family is in God’s
grace or is blessed.

19. 10. Fatalism
 Filipinos generally
value fate. Fatalism
extends even to the
number of children
families have.