Christalyne Cagampang

F amily planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and
determine the spacing of pregnancies. This paper would explain more about this topic as
well as the various methods that are employed, whether natural or artificial in nature.

It is defined as "educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which

enable individuals, including minors, to determine freely the number and spacing
of their children and to select the means by which this may be achieved". Family
planning may involve consideration of the number of children a woman wishes
to have, including the choice to have no children, as well as the age at which she
wishes to have them. These matters are influenced by external factors such as
marital situation, career considerations, financial position, any disabilities that
may affect their ability to have children and raise them, besides many other
considerations.

• 214 million women of reproductive age in developing countries who want to

avoid pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method.

Key
• Some family planning methods, such as condoms, help prevent the
transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

facts • Family planning / contraception reduces the need for abortion, especially
unsafe abortion.

• Family planning reinforces people’s rights to determine the number and

spacing of their children.

• By preventing unintended pregnancy, family planning /contraception

prevents deaths of mothers and children.

Benefits of family planning Obstacles to 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.
 Preventing pregnancy-related health risks in women
 Reducing infant mortality
 Helping to prevent HIV/AIDS
 Empowering people and enhancing education
 Reducing adolescent pregnancies
 Slowing population growth
There are many reasons as to why women do not use
contraceptives. These reasons include logistical
problems, scientific and religious concerns, limited
access to transportation in order to access health
clinics, lack of education and knowledge and
opposition by partners, families or communities plus
the fact that no one is able to control their fertility
beyond basic behavior involving conception.
UNFPA says that “efforts to increase access must be
sensitive to cultural and national contexts, and must
consider economic, geographic and age disparities
within countries.”
 Christalyne Cagampang

Methods of Family Planning

Natural Methods:

Calendar/Rhythm Method

The calendar method helps you predict your fertile days by tracking the length of your menstrual cycles over
several months. Before you can use the calendar method as birth control, you need to keep track of the length of
your menstrual cycles for at least 6 periods.

The calendar method can only predict what are most likely to be safe and unsafe days — it can’t tell you for sure
exactly when you’re fertile. So it’s hard to use if your cycles are not always the same length, and you can’t use it at
all if all of your cycles are shorter than 27 days.

The calendar method is most effective when you combine it with other fertility awareness methods, like the
temperature and cervical mucus methods.
 Christalyne Cagampang

Withdrawal Method

Pulling out (also known as withdrawal) is a way to prevent pregnancy by keeping semen away from the vagina.
Withdrawal works best when you use another birth control method with it, like a condom. Pulling out is exactly
what it sounds like: pulling the penis out of the vagina before ejaculation (aka cumming). If semen (cum) gets in
your vagina, you can get pregnant. So ejaculating away from a vulva or vagina prevents pregnancy. But you have to
be sure to pull out before any semen comes out, every single time you have vaginal sex, in order for it to work.

While withdrawal can prevent pregnancy, it doesn’t protect you against STDs. Some STDs, like genital warts and
herpes, are spread through skin-to-skin contact. And STDs like chlamydia, syphilis, or gonorrhea can be carried in
precum. So if you’re going to have sex, the best way to prevent STDs is by using condoms.

Accidents happen. So if you use withdrawal for birth control, think about keeping emergency contraception (aka
the morning-after pill) in your medicine cabinet, just in case ejaculate (cum) gets in or near your vagina. Emergency
contraception can prevent pregnancy for up to 5 days after unprotected sex.
 Christalyne Cagampang

Artificial Methods:

Oral contraceptives

Birth control pills are a kind of medicine with hormones that you take every day to prevent pregnancy. There are
many different brands of pills. The pill is safe, affordable, and effective if you always take it on time. Besides
preventing pregnancy, the pill has lots of other health benefits, too. The birth control pill works by stopping sperm
from meeting an egg (which is called fertilization).

The hormones in the pill stop ovulation. No ovulation means there’s no egg hanging around for sperm to fertilize,
so pregnancy can’t happen. The pill’s hormones also thicken the mucus on the cervix. Thicker cervical mucus
makes it hard for the sperm to swim to an egg — kind of like a sticky security guard.

Implants

The birth control implant (AKA Nexplanon) is a tiny, thin rod about the size of a matchstick. The implant releases
hormones into your body that prevent you from getting pregnant. A nurse or doctor inserts the implant into your
arm and that’s it — you’re protected from pregnancy for up to 5 years. It’s get-it-and-forget-it birth control.
 Christalyne Cagampang

Injectables

The depo shot (AKA Depo-Provera) is an injection you get from a nurse or doctor once every 3 months. It’s a safe,
convenient, and private birth control method that works really well if you always get it on time.

The birth control shot (sometimes called Depo-Provera, the Depo shot, or DMPA) contains the hormone progestin.
Progestin stops you from getting pregnant by preventing ovulation. When there’s no egg in the tube, pregnancy
can’t happen. It also works by making cervical mucus thicker. When the mucus on the cervix is thicker, the sperm
can’t get through. And when the sperm and the egg can’t get together, pregnancy can’t happen.

Contraceptive Patch

The transdermal contraceptive patch is a safe, simple, and affordable birth control method that you wear on the
skin of your belly, upper arm, butt, or back. Put a new patch on every week for 3 weeks, and it releases hormones
that prevent pregnancy. Then you get a week off before you repeat the cycle.
 Christalyne Cagampang

Birth Control Ring

The birth control ring (AKA NuvaRing) is a safe, simple, and affordable birth control method that you wear inside
your vagina. The small, flexible ring prevents pregnancy by releasing hormones into your body. The ring is really
effective if you always use it the right way. The NuvaRing works by stopping sperm from meeting an egg (which is
called fertilization). Like most birth control pills, the ring contains the hormones estrogen and progestin, which are
similar to hormones our bodies make naturally. You wear the ring inside your vagina, where your vaginal lining
absorbs the hormones.

Intrauterine Device

IUD stands for Intrauterine Device (basically: a device inside your uterus). It's a small piece of flexible plastic
shaped like a T. Sometimes it’s called an IUC — intrauterine contraception.

Both copper IUDs and hormonal IUDs prevent pregnancy by changing the way sperm cells move so they can't get
to an egg. If sperm can’t make it to an egg, pregnancy can’t happen. One of the awesome things about IUDs is that
they last for years — but they’re not permanent. If you decide to get pregnant or you just don’t want to have your
IUD anymore, your nurse or doctor can quickly and easily take it out. You’re able to get pregnant right after the
IUD is removed.
 Christalyne Cagampang

Condoms

Condoms are thin, stretchy pouches that you wear on your penis during sex. Condoms provide great protection
from both pregnancy and STDs. They’re easy to use and easy to get.

Condoms are small, thin pouches made of latex (rubber), plastic (polyurethane, nitrile, or polyisoprene) or
lambskin, that cover your penis during sex and collect semen (cum). Condoms stop sperm from getting into the
vagina, so sperm can’t meet up with an egg and cause pregnancy.

Condoms also prevent STDs by covering the penis, which prevents contact with semen and vaginal fluids, and
limits skin-to-skin contact that can spread sexually transmitted infections. Lambskin condoms do not protect
against STDs. Only latex and plastic condoms do.

Female Condom

Female condoms are an alternative to regular condoms. They provide pretty much the same great protection from
pregnancy and STDs. What’s different about them? Instead of going on the penis, female condoms go inside your
vagina for pregnancy prevention or into the vagina or anus for protection from STDs. They’re sometimes called
internal condoms or referred to by their brand name, FC2 Female Condom. Female condoms — also called internal
condoms or the brand name FC2 Female Condom® — are little nitrile (soft plastic) pouches that you put inside your
vagina. They cover the inside of your vagina, creating a barrier that stops sperm from reaching an egg. If sperm
can’t get to an egg, you can’t get pregnant. The female condom also helps prevent sexually transmitted infections.