Contraception and women's health

Abstract

Contraception is one of the essential elements of reproductive health. It allows women to determine the number and timing of their children and empowers them to manage their lives with respect and dignity. Although fertility has declined during the last few decades, the unmet need for family planning remains substantial with 120 million women in the developing countries who do not want any more children and are not using a family planning method. They remain at the risk of pregnancy, and consequently at risk also of an induced abortion and the associated complications when performed under unsafe conditions. In assessment of the contraceptive safety, both the benefits and the risks associated with use of individual methods should be considered and a balanced view presented to the potential user to assist her in making a choice. The challenges in the 21st century are to respond to the needs of women and make available a wide range of fertility regulating methods to address their diverse needs, creating an environment that would enable them to choose optimal contraception, and promoting strategies for increased male participation and shared responsibility in fertility regulation. The concept of health as a human right has emerged as one of the most important aspirations of the world community. The constitution of the WHO asserts that: