WEEK 9

1.Reproductive Life Planning

2.Theoretical Approaches to the Growth and Development of

Children: Definition of Growth and Development

3.Factors Affecting Growth and Development

Introduction:

Reproductive life planning includes all the decisions an individual or

couple make about whether and when to have children, how many
children to have, and how they are spaced. It is based on personal values
and resources of the individual or couple. These are intended to promote
planned, healthy pregnancies, positive birth outcomes and overall health
and well being for women, men and infants.
Furthermore, part of this module deals with the theoretical approaches
to the growth and development of children, definition of growth and
development and the factors affecting growth and development. Children
pass through predictable stages of growth and development as they
mature. Parents often ask what to expect from their children regarding
their developmental progress at healthcare visits. For these reasons
including growth and development is essential to establish complete and
effective nursing care plans for children.
I. REPRODUCTIVE LIFE PLANNING
A. Fertility Awareness Methods
➢ Rely on detecting when a woman will be capable of impregnation
➢ (fertile) so she can use periods of abstinence during that time
a. Natural Method
1.Calendar (Rhythm) Method
➢ Requires a couple to abstain from coitus on the days of a menstrual
cycle when the woman is most likely to conceive.
➢ The woman keeps a diary of about six menstrual cycles
➢ To calculate “safe” days, she subtracts 18 from the shortest cycle
she documented
➢ This number predicts her first fertile day.
➢ She then subtracts 11 from her longest cycle
➢ This represents her last fertile day
➢ If with 6 menstrual cycles ranging from 25 to 29 days, her fertile period
would be from the 7th day (25) (the shortest cycle)-18) to the 18th day
(29-the longest cycle)-11)
➢ Least effective method, if with irregular periods
2.Basal Body Temperature
➢ Before the day of ovulation, a woman’s basal body temperature (BBT)
falls about 0.5 degrees F
➢ At the time of ovulation, her BBt rises a full Fahrenheit degree (0.2
degrees C) due to increase progesterone with ovulation
➢ Serves as a basis for the BBT
Procedure:
➢ Woman takes her temperature early in the morning before getting up
from bed and without undertaking any activity
➢ Route: oral/tympanic membrane
How to interpret:
➢ (+) ovulation – if a slight dip in temperature followed by an increase
➢ No coitus for the next 3 days (the possible life of the discharged ovum)
➢ Sperm can survive from 3 to 5 days and rarely as many as 7 days in
the female reproductive tract, calendar method and BBT are
recommended to be combined
Factors that can affect BBT:
➢ Increased temperature might be due to other illneses-could be
mistaken as a sign of ovulation-could mistake a fertile day with a safe
one
➢ Changes in the woman’s schedule
3. Cervical Mucus Method (Billing’s Method)
➢ Before ovulation each month- cervical mucus is thick and does not
stretch when pulled between the thumb and finger
➢ Just before ovulation- mucus secretion increases
➢ On the day of ovulation – the peak day- becomes copious, thin, watery
and transparent, feels slippery (like egg white) and stretches at least 1
inch before the strand breaks
➢ A properry known as spinnbarkeit
➢ all the days the mucus is copious
and for at least 3-4 days afterward-
considered as fertile days
4.Symptothermal Method
➢ Combines the cervical mucus and BBT methods
➢ Couple abstains from coitus until 3 days after the rise in
temperature or the fourth day after the peak of mucus change
5.Lactation Amenorrhea Method (LAM)
➢ Exclusive breast feeding of infant for 6 months
➢ Acts as natural suppression of ovulation
6.Coitus Interruptus
> The man withdraws his penis and ejaculates outside
the vagina
b.Hormonal Methods
1.Oral contraceptives
➢ Commonly known as the pill
➢ OC4 (for oral contraceptive)
➢ COC4 (for combination oral contraceptives)
➢ Contain synthetic estrogen and progesterone suppressing ovulation
• estrogen- acts to suppress follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and LH
(Luteinizing Hormone) to suppress ovulation
• Progesterone – causes & decrease in the permeability of cervical
mucus and so limits sperm motility and access to ova.
• Interferes with tubal transport and endometrial proliferation to an extent
the possibility of implantation is decreased.
Benefits of oral Contraceptives:
➢ Decreasing the incidence of:
• Dysmenorrhea because eof lack of ovulation
• Premenstrual dysphoric syndrome and acne because of the increased
progesterone levels
• Iron deficiency anemia because of the reduced amount of menstrual
flow
• Acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and resulting tubal scarring
• Endometrial and ovarian cancer, ovarian cysts, and ectopic
pregnancies
• Fibrocystic breast disease
2.Subcutaneous Implants
➢ Consist of 6 non-biodegradable implants filled with synthetic
progesterone
➢ Embedded just under the skin on the inside
of the upper armwhere it will slowly release
progestin over a period of 3 years
➢ Barely noticeable, appears as an irregular
crease on the skin, like a small vein
➢ Implanted in a clinic under local anesthetic during
menses or no later than day 7 of a menstrual cycle
to be certain the woman is not pregnant
Effects:
➢ Suppress ovulation, thicken cervical mucus,
Change the endometrial lining making implantation difficult
3.Intramuscular Injections
➢ Depo-Provera
(single injection every 12 weeks)

> Lunelle (single injection every 30 days)

4.Intrauterine Devices
➢ A small T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus through the
vagina
➢ May contain copper or progesterone
c.Barrier Methods
1.Diaphragm
➢ A circular rubber disk that is placed over the cervix before intercourse
➢ Use of a spermicidal gel with a diaphragm combines a barrier and a
chemical method of contraception
2.Cervical Cap
➢ A soft rubber that fits snugly over the uterine cervix
➢ Use with a spermicidal gel
3.Male Condom
➢ Latex rubber or synthetic sheath that is placed over the erect penis
before coitus begins

4. Female Condom
➢ Latex sheaths made of polyurethrane and pre-lubricated with
spermicide
d.Surgical Methods
1.Tubal Ligation
➢ Female sterilization
➢ Fallopian tubes are occluded, preventing
passage of both sperm and ova
2.Vasectomy
➢ Male sterilization
➢ The vas deferens are cut and occluded, blocking the passage of
spermatozoa
CARE OF THE CHILD:
II.Theoretical Approaches to the Growth and Development of
Children: Definition of Growth and Development

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

A. DEFINITION OF TERMS
a.1. Growth- is a physical change and increase in size.
➢ It can be measured quantitatively
➢ Indicators: height, weight, bone size and dentition
➢ Pattern of growth is similar to all people, but growth rates vary during
different stages of growth and development
a.2. Development – is an increase in the competency of function and skill
progression
➢ It is the capacity of a person to adapt to environment
III. Factors Affecting Growth and Development
a. Genetic or Hereditary
➢ Established at conception
➢ Remains unchanged throughout life and determines such
characteristics as: gender, physical characteristics such as eye color,
potential height
b. Environment/Environmental Factors such as family, religion,
climate, culture, school, community and nutrition