Abstract

PIP: This article discusses the value of family planning programs (FPP) in improvements in maternal and child health and contribution in raising people's standard of living. Access to FFP increases the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) with fertility rates dropping. This happened in Matlab, Bangladesh where the CPR rose to 45% as opposed to only 16% in the rest of the country. FPP helps prevent high numbers of abortions and keeps maternal mortality rates. For example when Chile began its program in 1963, 3% of couples used contraception. By 1978 the CPR rose to 23% and the death rates due to abortion fell from 118 to 24/1,000,000. The World Bank states that 85 developing countries, representing 95% of the population in The Third World, now offer FPP, and this has been achieved by offering couples information and access to contraception. However, most of these FPP are still not reaching the rural populations, the retention rates are low, and the administration of services is poor. A major social problem still remains-the high incidence of adolescent pregnancies. Worldwide it has been estimated that between 25-50% of maternal deaths could be prevented by the use of contraception to avoid high-risk or unwanted pregnancies. Worldwide between 20-30% of all unwanted pregnancies end up in abortions, legal or illegal. 80% of these abortions are illegal, with an estimated 100,000- 200,000 women dying annually. FP has many additional benefits including: 1) helping to make paternity a responsibility; 2) increasing people options and alternatives; and 3) helping mothers to space their pregnancies assuring better health for themselves and their children. Their success also depends on medical, political and financial support nationally and internationally.