Family Planning Importance & Types Of It!

Family planning is the decision adults take about the number of children they will have and the spacing between the pregnancies. According to the WHO, all sexually active adults must consider family planning. This helps in reducing the number of deaths related to unwanted pregnancies, keeps the mothers healthy and reduces the need for an abortion.
Importance

Below are some points highlighting the importance of family planning –

• Prevention of health risks among women
Family planning allows spacing of pregnancies that helps reduce health risks in women due to early childbearing – problems such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, physical fatigue, depression, nausea, and other issues. Research suggests that women having more than four children have high risks of affecting their maternal mortality negatively.

• Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases
It reduces the chances of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV among women. This, in turn, results in the birth of fewer infected babies and better reproductive health of the mothers.

• The lower number of adolescent pregnancies
Family planning reduces the number of adolescent pregnant women. Babies born to adolescent mothers are usually low weight and have high chances of dying within the neonatal period – that is the first 28 days after the baby is born. Adolescent mothers usually leave school and are shunned by society, which affects their families as well. They suffer from mental illnesses such as depression due to this.

• Spreading awareness and empowering women
Family planning helps to spread awareness about making better and well-informed choices about reproduction for adults. This helps women to pursue their career and education. Additionally, having fewer children will also aid parents to invest more of their time and money in them.

• Controlling population growth
It is perhaps the most effective way to curb overpopulation and the adverse effects it has on the environment, economy, and development.

Types of family planning

Some of the different types of family planning are –

• Using contraceptives – Women who take birth control pills or oral contraceptives can restore their fertility quickly. This is a type of hormonal birth control, which prevents ovulation. The two types of pills are combined oral contraceptive pill and the progestogen-only contraceptive pill.

• Barrier methods – These methods include the usage of cervical caps, diaphragms, and male/female condoms. These prevent the uniting of the egg and the sperm. Using these protections, sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies can be avoided.

• NFP (Natural Family Planning) – This method focuses on the awareness and knowledge of the couple’s fertility. Using the knowledge about the body cycles and understanding the woman’s fertility or infertility, the couple can avoid pregnancy.

• Long-term contraceptives – Methods like intrauterine device, contraceptive shot, implantable rod, and vaginal ring are used for people who may want to conceive in the future. This is useful for people who do not wish to use contraception regularly.

Family planning must be considered not only for the well being of the couples but also to tackle the negative issues relating to population growth.