1.79. Reproductive System Health http://www.ck12.org
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 (Figure1.144).
FIGURE 1.144
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 four to six hours. Leaving tampons in for too long
can put you at risk oftoxic 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.
Vocabulary
- toxic shock syndrome: Potentially fatal illness caused by leaving tampons in too long.
Summary
- 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.
Practice
Use the resource below to answer the questions that follow.
- Nutritionat http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk_IJ6UWI7M (4:19)
MEDIA
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