Editorial: Family planning in Australia.

Abstract

In Australia family planning began and developed together with contraception in a time when both were unmentionable yet it has become recognized and euphemisms are no longer needed. Family planning can best be described as an effort to make reproductive behavior consistent with circumstances and with ones goals and values. It should be an integral part of the family life cycle i.e. health education socioeconomic needs and resources social welfare housing labor and legislation. Worldwide interest in family planning arose in the latter half of the 1960s and remains small in comparison to the need. The rationale behind the interest was the realization that high rates of population growth had serious consequences for government policies to develop the economy and raising of living standards. On December 11 1972 the Australian government indicated its official policy on population and family planning by pledging funds to the UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF). In almost all nations where family planning has been accepted as a necessary part of social welfare the impetus has come from a voluntary organization. The Family Planning Association of Australia did the lions share of the pioneering work in family planning in Australia. It is now a member organization of the Australian Federation of Family Planning Associations 1 of the 70 associations which together form the IPPF. Credit for the spread of the deliberate use of birth control must go largely to 2 organizations active during the early years of the 20th century the Malthusian League and the organization formed by Marie Stopes the Society for Constructive Birth Control and Racial Progress. In Australia the 1st birth control clinic was opened in Martin Place in 1933 with female doctors in attendance. The 1940s appear to have been years of adversity for the Association. Debate or discussion focused on continuing the Birth Control Clinic as a war effort. During the 1950s international affiliation occurred and the Racial Hygiene Association of Australia became an associate member of the newly formed IPPF. In 1960 oral contraceptives (OCs) became available in Australia and the Racial Hygiene Association of Australia became the Family Planning Association of Australia. Concern for the poor and the lack of family planning clinics led to the establishment of a pilot clinic by the Brotherhood of St. Lawrence Melbourne Victoria and to other concerned organizations. Increased support during the 1960s led to the establishment of clinics in outpatient departments of hospitals and baby health centers and to the acceptance of vasectomies.