The increasing speed of life, work and society has impacted women immensely, especially teenagers and young adults. Since the focus has shifted towards things that alter lifestyle choices, societal pressures and the use of synthetic drugs also have their impact. Not only do they affect women’s reproductive health, but they also tend to take a toll on their mental health.
The Voices contacted health professionals and medical experts to understand the extent of these drastic changes. We talked to gynaecologists and yoga experts, who listed factors responsible for the deterioration in women’s health and ways to treat it.
Added Pressure
As women age, they face a lot of pressure to start a family, which is directly linked to their sexual health and fertility. Some cultures only see women as child-bearers and the ones who would take care of the child. However, many young women are not ready to take that responsibility, but as the fear of being judged kicks in as a primary thought, they often succumb to the pressure and start a family.
Indrani Sarkar, a psychologist and a PhD scholar in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, explains that women face societal and cultural pressures regarding motherhood and reproductive choices, leading to heightened anxiety and stress. The fear of being judged for using contraception or seeking fertility treatments can cause significant stress and anxiety. Addressing these pressures through education, support, and a non-judgmental environment is crucial.
Impact of Synthetic Reproductive Health Products
Contraceptive pills are among the most commonly used medicines that women take without a prescription. While they are often used for medical purposes, doctors advise considering many factors while consuming them without a prescription: dosage-body weight ratio, age, health history, and family health history. Gynaecologist Dr Shirin Masi from Badarpur, South Delhi, says there is a varied range of contraceptive pills, usually differentiated based on doses (low, average, or high dose).
Dr Masi adds that short-term effects include weight gain and excess facial hair. Ovarian suppression is a lesser-known long-term effect that leads to infertility. But using alternative methods like condoms, vaginal loops, and vaginal cups is comparatively safer. Dr Masi also suggests visiting a gynaecologist and paying less attention to the advice of people other than their own doctor.
Talking about the lesser-known side effects of contraceptives, Sarkar says that many young women may have limited awareness of the psychological impacts of synthetic reproductive health products. They often receive information focused primarily on physical side effects and benefits rather than potential mental health effects.
Maintaining Health Through Yoga
A lifestyle change is the need of the hour while stepping away from synthetic drugs to keep a check on reproductive health. Ritika Motwani, a yoga mentor, says that yoga asanas can help improve blood circulation to reproductive organs and strengthen the pelvic floor. Yoga and practising a few asanas daily are crucial since they keep the hormones balanced and help aid a healthy menstrual cycle and ovulation.
She suggests bridge pose, downward facing dog, legs up the wall, shoulder stand, butterfly pose, garland pose, locked lotus pose and cat-cow pose as the asanas to improve fertility,
It is very crucial to address the social stigma surrounding sexual health and fertility concerns to create a more open and supportive environment for women. Indrani Sarkar suggests that comprehensive sexual education programs in schools and colleges should be implemented to cover a wide range of topics, including sexual health, contraception, fertility and the psychological aspects of reproductive health.
Copyeditor: Aaryanshi Mohan