Progress and problems of family planning in Brazil

Abstract

The concern in learning the reaction of the press in the two principal cities in Brazil, as refers to family planning, is based on the double function in which this matter may affect a society and reflect reality while influencing such reality. Therefore, for the period studied, we can see that no contrary position was taken to family planning by the press, not a critical conscience; but reflecting the sensationalistic exploitation which unfavorably involved the movements of family planning in the country and which disguised other purposes. With the exception of the emotional campaigns, the reaction of the press tends to be unfavorable. This tendency must, however, be put to use by a source of organized information, such as BEMFAM. In order to fully reach its objective, BEMFAM must send out information to reach not only the patients who will ultimately utilize the contraceptive methods, and (1) inform them of the safety with which they can be utilized, and (2) destroy the political mystifications which a group intends to confer upon family planning; all this in compliance with the legal limitations existing which hinder the diffusion of contraceptive methods. The true needs of the Brazilian families to know and use the contraceptive methods have however helped the progress of BEMFAM, which already has forty clinics in operation. The opposition experienced by family planning will slowly be overcome and the time this will take will greatly depend on the work performed. The work ofa societysuch as BEMFAM, not only offering contraceptive treatment, but also studying the social reality where action takes place and trying to utilize the fruit borne from this knowledge, to divulge family planning information will certainly accelerate this process of change. Although aiming at the fight against provoked abortion, this change in behavior may, in the future, reflect itself in the birth rate, as they are involved in the same area of motivation: to plan offspring in accordance with the resources which the family and society can offer.