Family Planning
Family planning is the practice of controlling the number of children that a woman or couple gets and the intervals between their births through the use of contraceptive methods and voluntary sterilization. In the United States, more than 65% of women of reproductive age are using contraceptives.
Benefits of Family Planning
Family planning promotion ensures that women and couples access the family planning method of their choice. One major benefit is that it allows women to control the intervals between births, which prevents pregnancy-related health risks associated with early childbearing and unintended pregnancies, especially with older women.
Spacing pregnancies also reduces infant mortality rates. Close and ill-timed pregnancies have, for a long time, been the leading causes of premature deaths in infants. Family planning, through the use of condoms, also helps to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDs and other sexually transmitted diseases.
It also empowers women by allowing them to pursue their education and secure employment while still taking care of their families. Family planning is also used to control population growth, which impacts significantly on economic developments. of any country.
Family Planning Methods
There is quite a wide range of family planning methods from which women and couples can choose from. Different women want different things from a contraceptive method. The type you choose will depend on your needs, such as the desire to get children in the future or the need to prevent sexually transmitted infections. The most common methods include;
• Oral Contraceptive pills – It is the most common method used by women and involves a series of pills that contain hormones that prevent the ovaries from releasing eggs.
• Injections – The most common is the Depo Povera, which contains hormone progesterone that works by preventing the body from ovulating.
• Condoms – Both male and female condoms act as a physical barrier preventing the semen from getting int the vagina. Condoms also protect against infections such as HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.
• Implants – These are tiny hormonal rods that are placed beneath the skin that release hormones to the body, preventing ovulation.
• The vaginal ring such as the NuvaRing, which is placed in the vagina, releasing hormone progesterone and estrogen.
• Emergency contraception – These are pills taken to prevent pregnancy up to five days of unprotected sex.
• Permanent Birth Control – This method is best for women and couples that are certain they don’t want any children in the future. It includes vasectomy and tubal litigation, which are reversible.
Effectiveness of family planning methods
The effectiveness of a given method varies from one individual to another. Each method has its pros and cons, and there is no single method that has been proven to be the safest for all couples. Talk with your health care provider to establish the best method for you. It is also important to know that the effectiveness of any method depends on how well you follow the instructions.

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