Family planning

Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and management, and infertility management.
Family planning is sometimes used as a synonym for the use of birth control, however, it often includes a wide variety of methods, and practices that are not birth control. It is most usually applied to a female-male couple who wish to limit the number of children they have and/or to control the timing of pregnancy (also known as spacing children). Family planning may encompass sterilization, as well as abortion.
Family planning services are 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."

Purposes

Raising a child requires significant amounts of resources: time, social, financial, and environmental. Planning can help assure that resources are available. The purpose of family planning is to make sure that any couple, man or woman who has the desire to have a child has the resources that are needed in order to complete this goal.
 With these resources a couple, man or women can explore the options of natural birth, surrogacy, artificial insemination or adoption. In the other case, if the person does not wish to have a child at the specific time, they can investigate the resources that are needed to prevent pregnancy, such as birth control, contraceptives, or physical protection and prevention.

Health

See also: Maternal health and teenage pregnancy

Waiting until the mother is at least 18 years old before trying to have children improves maternal and child health. Also, if additional children are desired after a child is born, it is healthier for the mother and the child to wait at least 2 years after the previous birth before attempting to conceive (but not more than 5 years). After a miscarriage or abortion, it is healthier to wait at least 6 months.
When planning a family women who are over the age of 35 should be aware of the risks of having a child at that age. Older women are at a higher risk of having a child with autism and down syndrome, the chances of having multiple births increases, which cause further late-pregnancy risks, they have an increased chance of developing gestational diabetes, the need for a Caesarian-section is greater, older women's bodies are not as well-suited for delivering a baby. The risk of prolonged labor is higher. Older mothers have a higher risk of a long labor, putting the baby in distress.
"Family planning benefits the health and well-being of women and families throughout the world. Using contraception can help to avoid unwanted pregnancies and space births; protect against STDs, including HIV/AIDS; and provide other health benefits."

Modern methods

Some families use modern medical advances in family planning. For example in surrogacy treatments a woman agrees to become pregnant and deliver a child for another couple or person.
There are two types of surrogacy: traditional and gestational. Traditional Surrogacy is where the Surrogate uses her own eggs AND carries the child for her Intended Parents. This procedure is done in a doctor's office through IUI. This type of surrogacy obviously includes a genetic connection between the surrogate and the child. Legally speaking, the Surrogate will have to disclaim any interest in the child to complete the transfer to the Intended Parents. A gestational surrogacy occurs when the Intended Mother's or a donor egg is fertilized outside the body and then the embryos are transferred into the uterus. The woman who carries the child is often referred to as a Gestational Carrier. The legal steps to confirm parentage with the Intended Parents are generally easier than in a traditional because there is no genetic connection between child and Carrier.
In sperm donations, pregnancies are usually achieved using donated sperm by artificial insemination (either by intracervical insemination or intrauterine insemination) and less commonly by invitro fertilization (IVF), usually known in this context as Assisted reproductive technology (ART), but insemination may also be achieved by a donor having sexual intercourse with a woman for the sole purpose of initiating conception. This method is known as natural insemination (NI).
There is generally a demand for sperm donors who have no genetic problems in their family, 20/20 eyesight, with excellent visual acuity, a college degree, and sometimes a value on a certain height and age.
In cases were couples may not want to have children just yet and plan with time family planning programs help a lot. Federal family planning programs reduced childbearing among poor women by as much as 29 percent, according to a University of Michigan study.
Adoption sometimes used to build a family. There are seven steps that one must make towards adoption. You must decide to pursue an adoption, apply to adopt, complete an adoption home study, get approved to adopt, be matched with a child, receive an adoptive placement, and then legalize the adoption.

Finances

 Family economics and Cost of raising a child

Family planning is among the most cost-effective of all health interventions. "The cost savings stem from a reduction in unintended pregnancy, as well as a reduction in transmission of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
Childbirth and prenatal health care cost averaged $7,090 for normal delivery in the US in 1996. US Department of Agriculture estimates that for a child born in 2007, a US family will spend an average of $11,000 to $23,000 per year for the first 17 years of child's life.(Total inflation adjusted estimated expenditure: $196,000 to $393,000, depending on household income.)
If this is your first baby you’ll need to budget for things like a buggy, car seat, cot, clothes, nappies; milk, bottles, sterilizing equipment, if you’re not solely breastfeeding; and baby food and toys. Don’t feel you have to buy everything new – friends and family can help with second-hand clothes, buggies, cots and toys, and you can often find cheaper or second-hand items online. However, you shouldn’t buy a second-hand car seat unless you’re sure it’s never been involved in a road traffic accident.

Birth control

Birth control

Birth control is techniques used to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
There are a range of contraceptive methods, each with unique advantages and disadvantages. Any of the widely recognized methods of birth control is much more effective than no method. Behavioral methods that include intercourse, such as withdrawal and calendar based methods have little up front cost and are readily available, but are much less effective in typical use than most other methods. Long-acting reversible contraceptive methods, such as IUD and implant are highly effective and convenient, requiring little user action. When cost of failure is included, IUDs and vasectomy are much less costly than other methods. In addition to providing birth control, male or female condoms protect against sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Condoms may be used alone, or in addition to other methods, as backup or to prevent STD. Surgical methods (tubal ligation, vasectomy) provide long term contraception for those who have completed their families.
Before choosing a birth control method, think about your overall health, how often you have sex, the number of sex partners you have, f you want to have children someday, how well each method works to prevent pregnancy, possible side effects, and your comfort level with using the method.

Finances

o        Planning a family on your own terms can be extremely advantageous to your family's financial situation, both present and future. Employing methods of birth control for periods of financial struggle, while setting money aside for unseen hardships (infertility, illness, loss of income) during times of prosperity will help you avoid the financial anxiety an unplanned pregnancy may bring.

Family Dynamic

o        Whether you want two children, no children or twenty, family planning will help you build the family dynamic of your wishes. Decide what is right for your family based on the specific needs of each member, whether that means trying for another child naturally, sterilization, adoption or a different choice.

Residential

o        Conscious family planning will aid you in your decision to purchase and/or sell a home in a particular area. Depending on the desired growth of your family, what kind of schools you want your children to attend and the cost of living, you will better be able to choose a home that will suit the needs of your complete family.

Higher Education

o        Higher education in terms of you and your partner is a vital consideration for family planning. Seeking a degree or certification takes time, energy and money. The advantage of planning your family according to these demands will enable you to complete your education in a timelier fashion with much less stress, worry and guilt.

Time Management

o        For many working families, a single income is not enough to sustain the financial burden. If both parents in a household work and will continue to do so, it's vital that the spare time each has is spent nurturing the growth of the children. This becomes increasingly more difficult as more children are added to the household.

Advantages

According to the California Department of Health Services Office of Family Planning, family planning reduces the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions among women, and allows women the opportunity to choose when the time is right to have a child. Family planning gives women the option to wait until they are financially able to care for a child, and gives them time to pursue educational and employment goals without worrying about the financial burden of an unplanned pregnancy.

Disadvantages

The side effects of hormonal birth control may stand out as a disadvantage for some women. While many women regularly use contraception without experiencing side effects, complications can and do occur. The most common side effects associated with hormonal contraception include weight gain, headaches, dizziness and nausea. Less common but more serious side effects include stroke, blood clots and ectopic pregnancy.

Though natural family planning poses no health risks, this method is among the least effective at preventing pregnancy, according to the National Women's Health Information Center. Out of 100 women who use natural family planning, approximately 25 will become pregnant.

Health Benefits

According to a report in the November 2003 International Journal of Cancer, using oral contraceptives for five years or more reduces a woman's chances of getting ovarian cancer in the future. Birth control pills also reduce the risk of ovarian cysts, and certain brands of oral contraceptives may also help clear up acne, regulate or lessen menstrual flow, and reduce menstrual cramps and other premenstrual symptoms.

Perhaps most important, family planning can help save the lives of both women and children, especially in third world countries. "Family planning programs have a tremendous impact on the reduction of maternal mortality," says Yves Bergevin, M.D., coordinator of the Thematic Fund for Maternal Health. According to the United Nations Population Fund, every eight minutes a woman dies during an unsafe abortion, and approximately 2.7 million newborn deaths could be prevented each year through birth control.

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