Planning a family is a personal decision that is for each couple to think about. The desired number of children can be decided as a matter of choice, depending on financial constraints and an ability to love and provide for each additional child. Family planning is the process of deciding when to have a child, as well as spacing intervals between children to control the size of a family.
Significance
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. Families with children that were conceived through unplanned pregnancies, or that are close in age, may face financial difficulties or may not be able to give as much time and attention to each child for their growth and developmental needs. Family planning remains an effective method that gives couples freedom to use birth control until they feel they are ready to parent a child.
Benefits
Family planning is done by couples reflecting on how many children they would like to have together and at what intervals for birth. This method is also known as birth spacing and allows couples to take responsibility for their health and for the children they will conceive, recognizing that the child they bring into the world will know that he is loved and was planned.
Pregnancies that occur within short intervals of time can reduce the health of both mother and baby. Women who are pregnant at shorter intervals have a greater risk of premature labor, and a greater threat of bleeding during pregnancy, causing complications with delivery. Couples that lengthen the interval between pregnancies allow for mothers to take time to heal and rebuild their natural supply of nutrients in the body. Those that choose family planning should familiarize themselves with the methods of birth control to recognize the options available.
Barrier Methods
Birth control that uses barrier methods is designed to physically prohibit sperm from fertilizing an egg. Some types of barrier methods are available over the counter and are inexpensive to use, such as male and female condoms, as well as spermicidal creams. According to Michigan State University, male condoms provide 97 percent protection against pregnancy and female condoms provide 95 percent protection, when used correctly. The use of spermicides is considered 99 percent effective when combined with another vaginal barrier method .
Other barrier methods work in a similar approach but must be ordered by a physician. These include a diaphragm and an intrauterine device (IUD). A diaphragm is a flexible, bowl-shaped appliance that fits over the cervix which must be measured to ensure a proper fit. It can then be placed before intercourse, but must be kept in place for six hours following to ensure effectiveness. A diaphragm, when used with spermicidal cream, provides effectiveness of 82 to 94 percent in preventing pregnancy, according to the University of Arizona Health Center. An IUD is a device that is placed in the uterus and prevents sperm from entering. It can stay in place for up to 10 years, and is 98 to 99.9 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
Hormones
Other methods of birth control work as a process of altering the hormones of a woman to prevent ovulation and averting a chance at fertilization. The Pill is the most common form of oral contraception used among women between the ages of 15 and 29. The Pill is considered to be 99 percent effective when taken regularly and requires a prescription for use. Hormone injections must be given by a health care provider, and are injected into muscle tissue. They are effective for three months, after which they must be given again. Injections have a 99 percent effectiveness rate in preventing pregnancy.
A skin patch can be placed on various parts of the body where it will release hormones through the skin to be absorbed. Skin patches are worn for a week, after which they are removed and another placed in a different location. Contraceptive skin patches are 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
Hormonal skin implants must be inserted by a health care provider, but they maintain effectiveness for three years. Vaginal rings can be placed by the woman and can remain intact for three weeks before replacement. Both methods provide 99 percent effectiveness against pregnancy.
Natural and Surgical Techniques
Natural family planning, or fertility awareness, is a method that couples use when they want to avoid pregnancy but do not wish to use barrier methods or hormones. Natural family planning involves monitoring for changes in a woman's body each month that indicates that she is ovulating. Couples then avoid intercourse during ovulation to avoid pregnancy. Use of natural family planning methods provides a 70 to 95 percent uccess rate in preventing pregnancy, depending on the method and consistency of use.
A permanent method that couples may choose when they decide they have completed their family is surgical sterilization. During a tubal ligation for a woman, the fallopian tubes are tied to prevent passage of an egg. A vasectomy in a man is a surgical procedure that blocks the tube through which sperm passes to exit the body. Both methods are 99 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.
