Raising children can be rewarding and meaningful. The task of raising a child can also be demanding, as well as emotionally and financially exhausting. Couples who prepare in advance for when they want to have a child, how many children they want and at what time intervals are practicing family planning. Family planning gives couples more control over their own lives and the children they bring into their family.
Family Planning
Family planning means deliberately choosing when to have children by spacing the number of pregnancies, as well as avoiding unintentional pregnancy. It is a method of choosing to wait to have a baby, or alternatively, to try to conceive at a desired time. Family planning involves the use of some form of contraception or natural family planning methods until a couple is ready for a child.
Benefits for Women
Family planning benefits women's health and safety. According to the University of Iowa, having another baby within a year of giving birth physically strains a mother by depleting necessary iron and vitamins in her body. Attempts at breastfeeding two children who are closely spaced may also be less successful. Caring for children can be stressful, and women who choose when and how many children to have may be better able to work or further their educations before committing to the potentially demanding tasks of raising children.
Children's Health
Family planning and spacing of pregnancies provides health benefits for children as well. Parents who wait less than six months before conceiving again after a pregnancy have a 23 percent greater chance of having a baby born prematurely, and a 14 percent greater chance of having a child born with a birth defect. Additionally, women who have power over when they have their children are less likely to have abortions.
Sexual Behavior
Family planning encourages healthier sexual behavior between couples, with the use of contraception and preparation for pregnancy. Couples who are not in monogamous relationships can use birth control to reduce the likelihood of a pregnancy as well as to reduce the risk of some sexually transmitted infections. Family planning also encourages better decision making by sexually active teenagers, and reduces the incidence of teen pregnancy.
Significance for Couples
The ability to maintain control over when and how a family should begin provides benefits for couples. Parents are able to prepare themselves emotionally and financially for a child. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, unintended pregnancies are connected with marital problems, financial hardship, and an increased chance of spousal and child abuse. Couples who take the time to prepare for a family by planning ahead have much to gain when the child or children they desire come at the right time for them.
