Reproductive health education has been controversial in spite of the lifelong impact of reproductive decisions. Some feel this education should be provided privately. Others point to diseases, unwanted pregnancies and the right to be educated about health issues, and believe the most reliable way to ensure it happens is through the school system. Even though reproductive health education remains debated, comprehensive programs are part of the public school curriculum.
History
Reproductive health education began as "morals education" in the 1890s. About 23 years later, Chicago became the first city to introduce it into the public high schools. The U.S. Public Health Service advocated for its inclusion in all public schools in 1940, but it wasn't until 1955 that the National Education Association and the American Medical Association corroborated to publish informational pamphlets for teachers to use. During the 1960s, conservative groups began the fight to eliminate reproductive health education from the schools. But in 1986, the rising rates of AIDS and HIV prompted Surgeon General C. Everett Koop to call for comprehensive AIDS and reproductive education beginning as early as third grade.
Schools
Since the 1980s, reproductive health education has been taught in the public schools under the umbrella of "family life education." Human reproduction and contraception are taught but the curriculum includes discussion about risky behaviors and responsible decision making, mental health, relationships, teen pregnancy, parenting and issues of self-esteem.
Health Issues
Medical clinics specializing in reproductive health care offer education for men and women that covers the range of health issues related to the human reproductive system. They teach the basics about pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and urinary tract infections. They also provide information about cancers of the reproductive system, encourage cancer screening and explain how tests are done and what the results mean.
Family Issues
Even though reproductive health education is often associated only with birth control, it includes relationships and communication. Reproductive health educators meet with couples to teach them about family planning, their readiness to be parents, issues important to parenting and their contraceptive options. Educators work with teens to ensure they have accurate information and to discuss healthy relationships and safe dating. Reproductive health educators frequently help teens to become more aware of reproductive health issues and to simply talk about difficult subjects.
Contraception
Education about contraception begins with teaching about anatomy and physiology to provide an understanding of how each birth control method works. Educators discuss the types of birth control and their effectiveness, as well as lifestyle issues that impact an individual's ability and willingness to use contraception.
Teen Pregnancies
Preventing unwanted teen pregnancy is a top priority for reproductive health educators. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 41.9 out of every 1,000 teens aged 15 to 19 became pregnant in 2006, and about 2/3 were under the age of 18. Considering the social and economic costs of teen pregnancy---teenage moms are more likely to drop out of high school and be single parents; their children are more likely to drop out and have medical or behavioral problems---all educators are focused on reducing the rate of teen pregnancy.
