According to World Health Organization (WHO), Reproductive health means the complete well-being of men and women mentally, physically, and socially.
It simply means to have healthy reproductive organs with normal functions. It is necessary to maintain reproductive health to produce and release hormones and to conceive a child.
Lack of reproductive health in females causes problems like early or delayed puberty, menstrual problems, lack of breast milk, etc according to a leading fertility resource. For the males, it causes problems like low sperm count or erectile dysfunction.
Reproductive health care is vital to prevent the deaths of newborn babies. Parents who are expecting should be fully aware of the pregnancy, the postpartum, and the post-abortion period.
Eating healthy food, being happy, doing exercises, etc. are much needed for a healthy and normal pregnancy.
Planning For Parenthood
Family planning means deciding when to have a baby and how many children you wish to have.
It is recommended that there should be a 24 months gap before carrying again to reduce the risks to the mother and infant. It is important to discuss family planning and birth spacing with your partner.
There are various things to remember when planning to have children like getting parental advice, preparing finances, becoming healthier, preparing yourself for being a parent mentally and emotionally, etc.
Parenthood is challenging, especially for new parents and that’s why it is necessary to be prepared. Your 20s or early 30s is the best time to get pregnant in biological terms.
But there are other factors like physical and psychological health, emotional well-being, financial stability, etc. that matter too.
Parents’ emotional and mental well-being affects the newborn’s health. Also, physical health equally matters too.
Sexually transmitted diseases, diabetes, bleeding, etc are some of the conditions that cause complications before as well as after pregnancy.
Before planning for parenthood, the couple must be aware of these complications and be careful during the time of pregnancy.
Pregnancy
Parenthood is without a doubt the most exciting and scary life-changing experience. But there are a lot of things to keep in mind.
Carrying for 9 months is challenging for the mother as she goes through a lot of emotional roller coasters and physical changes.
What the pregnant mom needs most is the emotional support of her loved ones and the food she craves. It is essential for the mother to be happy and stress-free as it affects the child too.
What the mother eats, drinks hears, and feels has a great impact on the child.
Most of the time the mother alone has to deal with all the stress and emotions all by herself, without getting any attention or emotional support from her partner.
Well, this is why there is a need for educating couples before planning for parenthood.
The partner must know and understand the other, what she goes through, her emotional changes, physical changes, etc before and after pregnancy.
Most of the time partners are not aware of these things and it affects both the parents. They become emotionally distant.
Good communication and good knowledge about these things are necessary for becoming great parents.
Conclusion
Unlike years ago there are now a lot of effective ways for contraception and comparatively, there are fewer unexpected pregnancies now.
This helps the couples to be ready and plan for their parenthood. For some people, the decision to become parents depends heavily on their career, lifestyle, financial status, their marital relationship, etc.
There is a decline in unintended pregnancies among adolescents, college graduates, wealthy women, and women who just got married.
Whereas there is an increase in the number of accidental pregnancies among poor, less educated, and minority women. Here we can see the importance of educating women and parents about these situations.
Being a parent takes a lot of effort. It is just not about physical health and financial stability, but it’s also about giving your time to take care of your child.
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Your lifestyle, and priorities all change. You will have to learn to manage your time, and your work life, and be there for your partner and child.
All these things need preparation. You cannot just one day decide to be parents without planning as it causes a lot of chaos and stress to both parents.
Couples should seek advice from doctors or the people they feel comfortable with for a better parenthood life.