Meeting demand for family planning within a generation: the post-2015 agenda

Abstract

Expanding access to family planning has been a key aim of health and development programming for almost 50 years. During that time, important gains have been made in addressing unmet need for family planning, increasing contraceptive prevalence, and preventing unintended pregnancies. Over the past two decades, however, the pace of these gains has slowed, especially in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia. 1 Singh S Darroch JE Adding it up: costs and benefits of contraceptive services—estimates for 2012. Guttmacher Institute and United Nations Population Fund, New York2012 Google Scholar , 2 Darroch JE Singh S Trends in contraceptive need and use in developing countries in 2003, 2008, and 2012: an analysis of national surveys. Lancet. 2013; 381: 1756-1762 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (177) Google Scholar , 3 Alkema L Kantorova V Menozzi C Biddlecom A National, regional, and global rates and trends in contraceptive prevalence and unmet need for family planning between 1990 and 2015: a systematic and comprehensive analysis. Lancet. 2013; 381: 1642-1652 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (318) Google Scholar Meanwhile, an ever growing body of research shows the wider beneficial effect of family planning on improving maternal and child health and survival, increasing economic wellbeing of individuals, families, communities, and nations, fostering environmental sustainability, and empowering women. 4 Cleland J Bernstein S Ezeh A Faundes A Glasier A Innis J Family planning: the unfinished agenda. Lancet. 2006; 368: 1810-1827 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (586) Google Scholar , 5 Ahmed S Li Q Liu L Tsui AO Maternal deaths averted by contraceptive use: an analysis of 172 countries. Lancet. 2012; 380: 111-125 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (386) Google Scholar , 6 Rutstein S Effects of preceding birth intervals on neonatal, infant and under-five years mortality and nutritional status in developing countries: evidence from the Demographic and Health Surveys. Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2005; 89: S7-24 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (302) Google Scholar , 7 Glasier A Gulmezoglu AM Schmid GP Moreno CG Van Look PF Sexual and reproductive health: a matter of life and death. Lancet. 2006; 368: 1595-1607 Summary Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (384) Google Scholar , 8 UNFPAFamily planning and the environment: stabilizing population would help sustain the planet. United Nations, New York2008 Google Scholar