DHEW's New Center: The National Commitment to Family Planning

Abstract

This paper outlines the need and recommends plans for increased Federal involvement in family planning services. Although the U.S.A. population growth is now less than 1% per year for many the abstract problem of population is a very real problem of impacted living. The purpose of family planning is to make accessible to every family the capability for conscious choice. Such services are not widely available. A recent study indicates that 22% of all births are unwanted by at least 1 spouse. Although only 5% of first births are unwanted more than half of children born sixth or later resulted from unwanted pregnancies. Unwanted births vary inversely with education and from 17% among the nonpoor to 42% among the poor population. About 2.2 million unwanted births occurred among the the poor from 1960 to 1965. A New Orleans study indicated only 28% of poor women use contraception whereas 85% of upper socio-economic women do. The unmet need for family planning services is immense one survey estimating over 5 million women in the United States need subsidized family planning aid. In 1968 about 14% of these women were reached through Planned Parenthood Federation programs and scattered state and local efforts. Less than half the counties in the country have facilities and some serve relatively few patients. More Federally subsidized facilities are planned through grants and contracts. Cooperation with existing agencies is to be developed. More comprehensive medical care is anticipated where needed. Reduction in population growth achieved as a product of individual- and family-enriched living can benefit all.