Does current policy support reproductive health of Australian defence force veterans?: A review of Australian defence force policy

Reproductive health is of central importance to the structure of people's lives and is fundamental to human identity. Increasingly, the importance of reproductive health is recognised at individual, societal and global levels. The issues encompassed are different for males and females and change dramatically over a person's lifetime1. Infertility affects approximately 1 in 6 couples and is associated with reduced quality of life and increased psychosocial distress, and can be a major source of concern for both partners in a relationship2-5. Clinical definitions of reproductive health vary, but for the purposes of this review, comprise the reproductive and sexual health of males and females during their reproductive lives, and include reproductive outcomes such as fertility, pregnancy, childbirth and diseases of the reproductive system.