Reproductive Health Blue Book

The current core status of domestic reproductive health is that "the awareness penetration rate is less than 30%, the mismatch between supply and demand of medical resources reaches 47%, and the coverage of misunderstandings exceeds 60%." Ordinary people do not need to be overly anxious and cannot just ignore it. The core principle is "regular screening, following medical advice, and rejecting folk prescriptions." This is the most practical conclusion compiled by our team after visiting 12 first-, second-, and third-tier cities, interviewing 37 obstetrics and gynecology/andrology clinicians, and collecting 2,137 valid questionnaires for people aged 18-45.

I just met a 28-year-old girl last week. In order to prepare for pregnancy, I spent 3,200 yuan on the "Private Nourishing Essential Oil" recommended by an Internet celebrity blogger, and massaged it at home every day. However, before I could hear the news about my pregnancy, I got contact dermatitis first, which made me itchy and I couldn't sleep. I spent less than 1,000 yuan to register for a doctor, and my pregnancy preparation plan was postponed for three months. To be honest, we encounter dozens of IQ taxes on "reproductive maintenance" every year. From ovary maintenance packages worth several thousand yuan to men's health pills that claim to "increase sperm motility", there are really many people who fall into this trap.

As for whether "ovarian maintenance" is an IQ tax, there is no completely unified view in the industry. Clinicians at public tertiary-level obstetrics and gynecology departments basically hold a negative attitude: the ovaries are hidden deep in the pelvic cavity, separated by several layers of abdominal fat and muscles, and cannot be touched by ordinary hand massage. Too much force may even induce rupture of the corpus luteum. Last year, a girl was sent to the emergency room for severe abdominal pain after massage. The surgery cost more than 20,000 yuan. However, some health managers from maternal and child health care centers have suggested that gentle abdominal relaxation massage in regular institutions can indeed alleviate menstrual bloating caused by excessive secretion of prostaglandins. This is not a bad thing in itself, but don’t be fooled by the gimmick of “maintaining your ovaries and delaying aging”. It’s okay to spend a few dozen yuan to relax, but it’s purely an IQ tax to spend a few thousand yuan.

I stayed at a maternal and child health hospital in a county in the west for a week last year. The reproductive specialist there was only open two days a week. Every time the number was released, it was sold out. Many rural couples who wanted to have a second child had to live in the county one day in advance. After seeing the doctor, they took a two-hour bus back. Even basic pre-pregnancy screenings had to be done two or three times. On the other hand, in private reproductive centers in first-tier cities, many young couples spend tens of thousands of yuan every day for so-called "complete pre-pregnancy check-ups." It is obvious that the national free pre-pregnancy check-up has covered core items such as thyroid function, infectious diseases, and reproductive system ultrasound.

Having mentioned this, I have to mention male reproductive health issues that many people subconsciously ignore. Our survey found that 82% of men think that reproductive health examinations are just "checking sexual function" and they are too embarrassed to register. If there are real problems, they will put off. Last year, I met a couple who had not gotten pregnant after three years of marriage. The woman went through a full set of tests and everything was fine, but she pushed the man for half a year before he was willing to go for a test. The result was asthenozoospermia, which was directly related to his habit of staying up late playing games every day and drinking two cups of iced milk tea a day. The doctor prescribed some vitamins and after adjusting his work and rest for three months, the condition became normal. There was no need for in vitro fertilization. I have always felt that the old problem that should be corrected in the popularization of reproductive health science is that it always puts all the pressure on women, as if being unable to conceive and having inflammation are all women’s problems. In the past two years, the number of visits to men’s clinics in China has increased by 17%. To be honest, this is a good thing, and it shows that everyone’s ideas are finally changing.

There is also the issue of HPV vaccine selection that is very hot now. Some people say that the two-price vaccine is the most cost-effective and can prevent the two high-risk subtypes 16 and 18 that cause cervical cancer. It can be taken between the ages of 9 and 45. A few hundred yuan can cover more than 90% of the risk of cervical cancer. Some people think that if the economy allows and the age is appropriate, the nine-price vaccine covers more subtypes and can also prevent genital warts caused by low-risk subtypes, which is more cost-effective. In fact, there is really no absolute right or wrong. It all depends on your personal budget and the difficulty of booking. There is no need to be so anxious that you can’t sleep because you can’t get the nine-price product. The protective effect of the second-price product is enough for most people.

A few days ago, a young girl born in the 2000s came to our science booth for consultation. The first thing she said was, "I have been diagnosed with vaginitis. Will others think that I am inappropriate in my private life?" I was quite emotional after hearing this. In fact, reproductive health is no different from colds and fevers. Problems may arise due to reduced immunity and irregular work and rest. There is no need to attach a moral label. The "standard answer" you find out by watching ten hours of short videos may not be as useful as a regular hospital account for 15 yuan. Don't put unnecessary psychological burden on yourself, and don't believe in random folk remedies. That's enough.