Family Planning Benefits
Modern contraceptives include any product or medical procedure that interferes with reproduction. It includes long-acting, reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods, which comprise of intrauterine devices (IUDs), the contraceptive steroid pill and implants. LARC methods are easily reversed and do not rely on the user to maintain efficiency 5. These methods have been shown to be acceptable among teens and young women, with higher continuation rates than shorter-acting methods 6. Globally, contraceptive prevalence has increased from 54•8% in 1990 to 63•3% in 2010. Addtionally, the unmet needs for family planning have decreased from 15•4% in 1990, to 12•3% in 2010. Nearly all countries, except for those where contraceptive prevalence was already high in 1990, had an increase in contraceptive prevalence and …show more content…
Among developing countries, modern contraceptive use among women in need was lowest in sub-Saharan Africa at 39 percent, with other countries ranging from 64 to 72 percent 9. In these countries, the private sector has contributed the most whereas non-governmental and faith-based organizations have served a small percentage of elites 12. The private sector has served 14% of women in need of contraception in sub-Saharan Africa compared to other three regions such as Middle East/Europe with 23%, Asia, 24% and Latin America, 27% 12. In fact, recent figures show that among modern method users, in Latin America, more than in other region, the private sector sourcing was higher. Research has attributed such occurrence to the strong influence of the Catholic Church which makes Latin American governments reluctant to support family planning services, leaving private institutions to fill the gap