Title: Family planning and its benefits
Course: Level 3 - Family Planning > Section: Overview of population and family planning

What is family planning?

Family planning is defined as the use of various methods of fertility control that will help individuals or couples to have the number of children they desire and at a planned time interval to ascertain the well-being of the children, parents and communities at large.

Benefits of Family Planning

Promotion of family planning and ensuring access to preferred contraceptive methods for women and couples is essential to securing the well-being and autonomy of women while supporting the health and development of communities.

1) Preventing pregnancy-related health risks in women

A woman's ability to choose when to become pregnant has a direct impact on her health and well-being. Family planning allows the spacing of pregnancies and can delay pregnancies in young women at increased risk of health problems and death from early childbearing, and can prevent pregnancies among older women who also face increased risks. Family planning enables women who wish to limit the size of their families to do so. Evidence suggests that women who have more than four children are at increased risk of maternal mortality. By reducing rates of unintended pregnancies, family planning also reduces the need for unsafe abortion.

2) Reducing infant mortality

Family planning can prevent closely spaced and ill-timed pregnancies and births, which contribute to some of the world's highest infant mortality rates. Children of mothers who die as a result of giving birth also have a greater risk of death and poor health.

3) Helping to prevent HIV/AIDS

Family planning reduces the risk of unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV, resulting in fewer infected babies and orphans. Also, male and female condoms provide dual protection against unintended pregnancies and STIs including HIV.

4) Empowering people and enhancing education

Family planning enables people to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. Family planning represents an opportunity for women for enhanced education and participation in public life, including paid employment in non-family organisations. Additionally, having smaller families allows parents to invest more in each child. Children with fewer siblings tend to stay in school longer than those with many siblings.

5) Reducing adolescent pregnancies

Pregnant teens are more likely to have preterm or low birth-weight babies. Babies born to adolescents have higher rates of neonatal mortality. Many adolescent girls who become pregnant have to leave school, and this has long-term implications for them as individuals, their families and communities.

6) Slowing population growth

Family planning is key to slowing unsustainable population growth and the resulting negative impacts on the economy, environment, and national and regional development efforts.