India was amongst the first countries in the world to initiate action plans and programmes at a national level to attain total reproductive health as a social goal. These programmes called family planning were initiated in 1951 and were periodically assessed over the past decades. Improved programmers covering wider reproduction related areas are currently in operation under the popular name Reproductive and Child Health Care (RCH) Programmers. For creating awareness among people about various reproduction related aspects, providing facilities and supports for building up a reproductively healthy society are the major goals under these programmes.
With the help of audio-visual and the print media government and non-government organization have taken various steps to create awareness among the people about reproduction - related aspects. Parents, other close relatives, teachers and friends, also have a major role in the dissemination of the above information. Introduction of sex education in school should also be encouraged to provide right information to young so as to discourage children from believing in myths and having misconceptions about sex-related aspects. Proper information about reproductive organs, adolescence and related changes, safe and hygienic sexual practices, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), AIDS, etc. Would help people, especially those in the adolescent age group to lead a healthy reproductive life. Educating people, especially fertile couples and those in mariageable age group, about available birth control options, care of pregnant mothers, postnatal care of the mother and child, importance of breast feeding, equal opportunities for the male and the female child, etc., would address the importance of bringing up socially conscious healthy families of desired size. Awareness of problems due to uncontrolled population growth, social evils like sex-abuse and sex related crimes, etc., need to be created to enable people to think and take up necessary steps to prevent them and thereby build up a socially responsible and healthy society.
Successful implementation of various action plans to attain reproductive health requires strong infrastructural facilities, professional expertise and material support. These are essential to provide medical assistance and care to people in reproduction - related problems like pregnancy, delivery, STDs, abortions, contraception, menstrual problems, infertility, etc. Implementation of better techniques and new strategies from time to time are also required to provide more efficient care and assistance to people. Statutory ban on amniocentesis foe sex determination to legally check increasing female foeticides.