Women’s Reproductive Health: A Lifelong Regimen

A woman’s reproductive health must be nurtured from puberty onwards. It is not merely a concern during pregnancy or during the reproductive years, but early management and proper care of a woman’s reproductive health will ensure healthy reproductive functions and well-being. During adolescence when sexuality is awakened, a young woman’s concern about her womanhood must commence. Awareness and education about sexuality and taking care of oneself are essential during this stage as reproductive health when attended to in the early years can prevent potential problems and complications not only now but in the future as well. As early as the age of 18, a woman must initiate yearly exams such as the PAP smear.

To ensure total wellness and overall health, a good diet, regular exercise and nutrient supplementation are required. Proper care of reproductive health during adolescence can be one of the means to guarantee healthy pregnancy and delivery later on in life. If there is proper management of reproductive health from the early years onwards, a woman may experience less distressing symptoms during the onset of menopause as well. During the peak of the reproductive years, a woman’s concerns may revolve around pregnancy, yeast infection and sexually transmitted diseases. After giving birth, a woman’s reproductive health concern may then shift to postpartum depression and weight loss.

As the years move on, other issues need to be addressed such as sex, emotional well-being, menopause symptoms, mammograms and efforts to combat aging. Menopause is one of the major areas of concern in a woman’s reproductive health. Menopause symptoms are generally discomforting as hormonal alterations take place. A large proportion of women seek homeopathic treatments to stabilize their hormones and to relieve bothersome menopause symptoms. Although homeopathic treatments can help reduce the discomfort of occasional menopause symptoms, a surefire means for a smooth sailing menopause is still a lifelong reproductive health regimen of yearly exams such as PAP smears, ultrasound and mammograms.

As menopause is the transition to a non-reproductive period in a woman’s life as well as proceeding into the golden years, some women may be distressed about the issue of aging. Depression during menopause and the aging years is one of the crucial matters concerning reproductive health. Having lost the luster and radiance of their youth, some women may find it exacting to acknowledge the fact of aging. It can be tragic for some women to see wrinkles in their faces and find their skin is sagging, thus underlying emotional issues about aging must be sorted out to ensure and healthy perspective and attitude which would consequently bring about a better quality of life.

From the discovery of her sexuality to sex, STD, pregnancy, children, menopause, depression and aging, reproductive health is a constant, lifelong concern among women. It must not necessarily be a matter to focus on when getting married or planning to have children. There may be minimal problems about reproductive health during the younger years thus women tend to be complacent and negligent. The fact, however, is that the consequences of a woman’s reproductive health regimen will definitely manifest later on in life. This only proves that whatever actions instigated will surely have a subsequent reaction perhaps not apparent now, but possibly in the future.