Family Planning
Introduction
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and management, and infertility management.
Family planning is sometimes used in the wrong way also as a synonym for the use of birth control, though it often includes more. It is most usually applied to a female-male couple who wish to limit the number of children they have and/or to control the timing of pregnancy (also known as spacing children). Family planning may encompass sterilization, as well as abortion.
The Centers for Disease Control characterizes family planning as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century. In 1800, women had an average of 7 children; today women average 2.1 children. A woman is fertile for an average of 35 years of her life; if she has two children, she will spend about 30 years of her life avoiding pregnancy. Family planning information and services help individuals maintain their overall health and improve family and community health by supporting men and women to have children when their health, financial conditions, and personal situations are optimal. Access to family planning services is an important factor in planning for healthy pregnancies.
An unintended pregnancy is one that is unwanted or mistimed at the time of conception. It does not mean an unwanted birth or an unloved child. It does mean that there is less opportunity for the parents to prepare physically and financially, take advantage of pre-pregnancy risk identification and management, and initiate needed changes in diet, exercise, smoking and drinking that help ensure a healthy pregnancy.
For some, unintended pregnancies result in healthy children in happy families. For others there are negative health effects from late or inadequate prenatal care, low
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and management, and infertility management.
Family planning is sometimes used in the wrong way also as a synonym for the use of birth control, though it often includes more. It is most usually applied to a female-male couple who wish to limit the number of children they have and/or to control the timing of pregnancy (also known as spacing children). Family planning may encompass sterilization, as well as abortion.
The Centers for Disease Control characterizes family planning as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century. In 1800, women had an average of 7 children; today women average 2.1 children. A woman is fertile for an average of 35 years of her life; if she has two children, she will spend about 30 years of her life avoiding pregnancy. Family planning information and services help individuals maintain their overall health and improve family and community health by supporting men and women to have children when their health, financial conditions, and personal situations are optimal. Access to family planning services is an important factor in planning for healthy pregnancies.
An unintended pregnancy is one that is unwanted or mistimed at the time of conception. It does not mean an unwanted birth or an unloved child. It does mean that there is less opportunity for the parents to prepare physically and financially, take advantage of pre-pregnancy risk identification and management, and initiate needed changes in diet, exercise, smoking and drinking that help ensure a healthy pregnancy.
For some, unintended pregnancies result in healthy children in happy families. For others there are negative health effects from late or inadequate prenatal care, low