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11.79: Reproductive System Health

Difficulty Level: At Grade Created by: CK-12
Practice Reproductive System Health
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What protective equipment do these boys need?

Along with shin guards, a protective cup is useful in preventing injuries. A kicked ball or kick to the groin can really hurt. Wearing a protective cup also prevents a potentially serious injury to the testes.

Keeping the Reproductive System Healthy

What can you do to keep your reproductive system healthy? You can start by making the right choices for overall good health. To be as healthy as you can be, you should:

  • Eat a balanced diet that is high in fiber and low in fat.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Get regular exercise.
  • Maintain a healthy weight.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Avoid using tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.
  • Manage stress in healthy ways.

Keeping your genitals clean is also very important. A daily shower or bath is all that it takes. Females do not need to use special feminine hygiene products. In fact, using them may do more harm than good because they can irritate the vagina or other reproductive structures.

You should also avoid other behaviors that can put you at risk. Do not get into contact with another person’s blood or other body fluids. For example, never get a tattoo or piercing unless you are sure that the needles have not been used before.

If you are a boy, you should always wear a protective cup when you play contact sports. Contact sports include football, soccer, and hockey. Wearing a cup will help protect the testes from injury. You should also do a monthly self-exam to check for cancer of the testes ( Figure below ).

Teen boys should learn how to examine their testes for lumps that could be a sign of cancer.

If you are a girl and use tampons, be sure to change them every 4 to 6 hours. Leaving tampons in for too long can put you at risk of toxic shock syndrome . This is a serious condition.

You should also get in the habit of doing a monthly self-exam to check for breast cancer. Although breast cancer is rare in teens, it's a good idea to start doing the exam when you are young. It will help you get to know what is normal for you.


  • toxic shock syndrome : Potentially fatal illness caused by leaving tampons in too long.


  • To keep the reproductive system healthy, keep the genitals clean and avoid coming into contact with body fluids, like blood or semen.
  • To check for cancer, women should perform monthly self-exams of their breasts, and men should perform monthly self-exams of their testes.


Use the resource below to answer the questions that follow.

  1. Think of what you have learned about the functioning of the human body? Think of all the amazing things it can do. Why do you think nutrition underlies so many things?
  2. Why do you think multiple small meals a day is better for your body than a few large meals?
  3. Why do you think the human body seems to "get used to" whatever kind of food it is eating? Think in terms of all the different metabolic pathways you have learned about.


  1. What is the purpose of a monthly self-exam of the testes?
  2. Explain how girls can reduce their risk of developing toxic shock syndrome.


toxic shock syndrome

toxic shock syndrome

Potentially fatal bacterial infection caused by leaving tampons in too long.

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Difficulty Level:

At Grade


7 , 8

Date Created:

Nov 29, 2012

Last Modified:

Mar 06, 2015
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