Impact Of Family Planning Programs Research Articles

Catalyzing Sustainable Development: Assessing the Impact of Family Plan-ning Programs on Population Control, Reproductive Health, and Gender Empowerment

Population growth is a global challenge with far-reaching implications for public health, sustainable development, and gender equality. Family planning programs have emerged as pivotal tools in addressing this challenge, facilitating informed reproductive choices, and improving maternal and child health outcomes. This research undertakes a comprehensive examination of the implementation of family planning programs and their effectiveness in controlling population growth. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of birth rate data, surveys, and spatial analysis with qualitative insights from interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis. The research encompasses diverse regions, cultures, and socioeconomic contexts, ensuring a holistic assessment of family planning program dynamics. The findings reveal a strong association between the availability and accessibility of family planning services and a decline in birth rates. Regions with comprehensive programs have witnessed notable reductions in birth rates, demonstrating the effectiveness of informed reproductive choices in population control. Furthermore, the research underscores the critical linkage between family planning and improved maternal and child health outcomes. Lower maternal mortality rates, decreased infant mortality, and enhanced child nutrition are observed in areas with well-established family planning services, highlighting the broader public health benefits of family planning. Gender empowerment emerges as a key theme, with women in regions with accessible family planning reporting increased autonomy in reproductive decision-making, higher educational attainment, and greater workforce participation. This underscores the transformative potential of family planning in advancing gender equity and women's participation in societal development. Cultural norms and societal beliefs are identified as significant determinants of program success, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches and community engagement strategies. Disparities in access to family planning services are evident, particularly among vulnerable populations, highlighting the imperative of targeted interventions and equitable resource allocation. The research also highlights policy implications, advocating for supportive regulatory frameworks, education initiatives, and community-driven approaches to optimize program outcomes. In conclusion, this research contributes valuable insights to the fields of population control, public health, gender empowerment, and policy development. It reinforces the significance of family planning programs as catalysts for sustainable development and underscores the importance of informed policy decisions and program enhancements in addressing global population challenges.

Contraceptive method mix in the context of family planning programmes in developing countries

The paper examines the formation of the contraceptive method mix within the framework of family planning programmes in developing countries, taking into account the influence of socio-demographic, economic, and behavioural factors. The study has shown that the impact of family planning programmes on changes in the method mix is ambiguous and depends on the time of the start of the programme, the region of the country, the level of medical service development, and other factors. The paper also analyzes the correlation between the peculiarities of the method mix in a country and abolishment of particular methods. The author reveals that in developing countries the poorest users of young reproductive age are the most vulnerable and prone to contraception discontinuation. It is these population groups that experience the most dissatisfaction with family planning.

The road from ICPD to SDGs: Health returns of reducing the unmet need for family planning in India

ObjectiveThis study attempts to estimate the impact of reducing the unmet need for family planning on the key maternal and child health indicators in India from 1993 to 2016, and projecting this for the period from 2016 to 2030. Data and methodsThe data have been compiled from various sources such as the United Nations’ World Population prospects, national family health surveys and the sample registration system. The family planning and demographic projection modules of ‘Spectrum’, a modular computer simulation program, were used to estimate the impact of family planning programmes on reproductive, maternal and child health outcomes in India from 1993 to 2030. ResultsReduction of the unmet need for family planning averted approximately 56 million unintended pregnancies, 7 million unsafe abortions and 167,000 maternal deaths between 1993 and 2016. It is expected that an additional 41 million unintended pregnancies, 5 million unsafe abortions and 124,000 maternal deaths can be avoided by reducing the unmet need for family planning to 5% by 2030. Similarly, the declining unmet need for family planning between 1993 and 2016 led to a reduction in the pregnancy rate, abortion rate, and risk-adjusted infant and under-five mortality rates by 27 per 1000 married women, 1.8 per million married women, 10 per 1000 live births and 15 per 1000 live births, respectively. It is expected that approximately 24 pregnancies per 1000 married women, 1.6 abortions per million married women, 10 risk adjusted infant deaths per 1000 live births, and 14 under-five deaths per 1000 live births can be avoided by reducing the unmet need for family planning to 5% by 2030. ConclusionsThe findings of this study advocate that family planning is one of the best return on-investment strategies for India to achieve several targets under the reproductive, maternal and child health-related sustainable development goals.

PROTOCOL: Involving men and boys in family planning: A systematic review of the effective components and characteristics of complex interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

PROTOCOL: Involving men and boys in family planning: A systematic review of the effective components and characteristics of complex interventions in low- and middle-income countries.

Change and Continuity in Kassena Men's Perceptions of Family Planning in Northern Ghana

Studies suggest that men's perceptions of family planning in sub-Saharan Africa would be improved if they were included more extensively in family planning programs. However, few studies capture how men's views change over time and what processes are responsible for these shifts. Examining the processes that underpin men's shifting family formation strategies is essential in order to understand the impact of family planning programs. This research, framed by a political economy of fertility approach that draws on life history data, highlights intergenerational change and continuity in men's perceptions of family planning in Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region of Ghana, where a family planning program involving men was implemented in the 1990s. Eight months of ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in rural village and clinic settings in 2013 and 2014. We find that men's sense of responsibility for the cost of schooling, against a changing economic backdrop, as well as shifts toward “companionate marriage” are among the most salient factors contributing to their growing approval of family planning. This study highlights the importance of paying attention to changes in the larger socioeconomic context that encourage men's acceptance of family planning. We argue that programs incorporating men should move beyond health education to consider broader social and economic drivers of attitudinal change.

Lifecycle Fertility and the Impact of Family Planning Programs: Evidence from Southern Africa

The impact of family planning programs on fertility in developing countries is contested, with empirical evidence finding negative effects on completed fertility but no consistent effect on short-run fertility. Using a lifecycle model of fertility control choice, we theoretically and empirically show that differential responses of short-run and completed fertility are consistent with a single behavioral response to improved contraceptive access — a shifting of births earlier in the lifecycle due to improved control over fertility outcomes. Women without access to modern contraceptives use traditional methods to delay wanted births because of a precautionary motive to avoid exceeding their target fertility; improved contraceptive access relaxes this precautionary motive and can increase short-run, but not completed, fertility. Using a difference-in-difference design that exploits the legalization of injectables in Zambia, we show that an expansion of the type and availability of modern contraceptives increases use of injectables and modern contraceptives by 350% and 50%, respectively; decreases use of traditional fertility control methods such as unsafe abortions, coital infrequency, and postpartum behaviors; and increases short-run fertility by 10%. Consistent with the predictions of our model, completed fertility does not increase and short-run fertility increases are confined to rural women 20–45. Our results confirm that improved control over unwanted pregnancies can produce the divergent fertility responses found in the literature and suggest that access to modern contraceptives is welfare-improving for women, despite having counterintuitive implications for fertility.

Protocol for a systematic review on the effect of demand generation interventions on uptake and use of modern contraceptives in LMIC.

BackgroundDespite a global increase in contraception use, its prevalence remains low in low- and middle-income countries. One strategy to improve uptake and use of contraception, as an essential complement to policies and supply-side interventions, is demand generation. Demand generation interventions have reportedly produced positive effects on uptake and use of family planning services, but the evidence base remains poorly documented. To reduce this knowledge gap, we will conduct a systematic review on the impact of demand generation interventions on the use of modern contraception. The objectives of the review will be as follows: (1) to synthesize evidence on the impacts and costs of family planning demand generation interventions and on their effectiveness in improving modern contraceptive use and (2) to identify the indicators used to assess effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and impacts of demand generation interventions.Methods/designWe will systematically review the public health and health promotion literature in several databases (e.g., CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE) as well as gray literature. We will select articles from 1970 to 2015, in French and in English. The review will include studies that assess the impact of family planning programs or interventions on changes in contraception use. The studied interventions will be those with a demand generation component, even if a supply component is implemented. Two members of the team will independently search, screen, extract data, and assess the quality of the studies selected. Different tools will be used to assess the quality of the studies depending on the study design. If appropriate, a meta-analysis will be conducted. The analysis will involve comparing odd ratios (OR)DiscussionThe systematic review results will be disseminated to United Nations Population Fund program countries and will contribute to the development of a guidance document and programmatic tools for planning, implementing, and evaluating demand generation interventions in family planning. Improving the effectiveness of family planning programs is critical for empowering women and adolescent girls, improving human capital, reducing dependency ratios, reducing maternal and child mortality, and achieving demographic dividends in low- and middle-income countries.Systematic review registrationThis protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD 42015017549).

Intended and unintended pregnancies worldwide in 2012 and recent trends.

Periodic estimation of the incidence of global unintended pregnancy can help demonstrate the need for and impact of family planning programs. We draw upon multiple sources of data to estimate pregnancy incidence by intention status and outcome at worldwide, regional, and subregional levels in 2012 and to assess recent trends using previously published estimates for 2008 and 1995. We find that 213 million pregnancies occurred in 2012, up slightly from 211 million in 2008. The global pregnancy rate decreased only slightly from 2008 to 2012, after declining substantially between 1995 and 2008. Eighty-five million pregnancies, representing 40 percent of all pregnancies, were unintended in 2012. Of these, 50 percent ended in abortion, 13 percent ended in miscarriage, and 38 percent resulted in an unplanned birth. The unintended pregnancy rate continued to decline in Africa and in the Latin America and Caribbean region. If the aims of the London Summit on Family Planning are carried out, the incidence of unwanted and mistimed pregnancies should decline in the coming years.

The impact of family planning programs on unmet need and demand for contraception.

Much of the existing literature on the demographic impact of family planning programs focuses on their role in increasing contraceptive use, which, in turn, accelerates fertility decline. What is not clear, however, is whether this effect operates solely through a reduction in unmet need brought about by eliminating obstacles to use or whether and to what extent the programs also affect demand for contraception through messages concerning the benefits of family planning. This article aims to shed additional light on this issue by analyzing data drawn from recent Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 63 developing countries. The first section reviews general levels and trends in unmet need, demand, and use over the course of the fertility transition. The second section presents different types of evidence of program effects, including results from a controlled experiment and from country case studies. The evidence indicates a program impact on both unmet need and demand.

A Demographic Dividend for Sub-Saharan Africa: Source, Magnitude, and Realization

Managing rapid population growth and spurring economic growth are among the most pressing policy challenges for Sub-Saharan Africa. We discuss the links between them and investigate the potential of family planning programs to address these challenges. Specifically, we estimate the impact of family planning programs on income per capita that can arise via the demographic dividend (DD), a boost to per capita income that operates through a chain of causality related to declining fertility. We develop a model to determine the impact of unmet (MUN) for modern contraceptive methods on fertility and hence on the population age structure in the coming years. We also estimate empirically the DD that has been observed in other countries, using a cross-country regression with panel data covering 40 years. Using the age structure projected by MUN and the empirical estimates of the DD, we estimate the potential for additional economic growth in Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal. We find that in 2030, these countries can enjoy an increase in per capita income of 8-13% by meeting one-third of their unmet need for modern contraception and can enjoy a 31-65% higher income per capita by meeting all of the unmet need. By 2050, these ranges become 13-22% and 47-87% respectively. We discuss the policy implications of our findings.

Slowly rising hilly young population of Himachal: A step towards stabilization

Background:Socioeconomic development is the best contraceptive. Himachal Pradesh has made developments in all the fields, especially reducing the size of the family via family planning program.Aim:The objectives of this analysis are to describe the various methods of family planning used from 2003 to 2010 and their impact in averting the births in the state and in stabilizing the population.Materials and Methods:We collected secondary data of the family planning program and the various methods employed from the total population (Census 2011) covered under family planning program (FPP) of the state. We analyzed and compared the results with India. We measured the impact of the program due to FP methods adopted. We employed the standardized program indicators- total fertility rate, birth rate, death rate, growth rate and census trend towards population growth; fertility rate (in %), birth rate and death rate (per thousand of the population per year) from 3.8, 31.5 and 11.1 in 1981 to 1.9, 17.2 and 7.2 in 2009. We entered dataset by double data entry technique and analyzed descriptively using Epi info version 3.3.2 and stat calc software.Results:The state has the population of 6,856,509, sex ratio in age 0-6 years is 906/1000 males. The unmet need for family planning services is 15%. The impact of family planning program has resulted in averting of 3,387,744 of pregnancies from 2003 to 2010. The total fertility rate (TFR) has come down to 1.9 in 2008 from 3.8 children per woman in 1981. The death rate has declined from 11.1 per 1000 live births in 1981 to 7.2 per 1000 live births in 2009. The trend in decadal growth rate of the state is observable as 23.0% in 1971 while in 2011, it is 12.8%; more towards young population and for geriatric one as well but not exploding like India.Conclusion:Total population is on the increase with reference to the population of reproductive age bracket (15-49 years) and also geriatric population above 60 steadily despite good social and health indicators. Bulging reproductive age group with mild upward shift of the geriatric population is the root cause for increasing population in hills of Himachal Pradesh.

O734 IMPACT 2: AN INNOVATIVE TOOL MEASURING THE IMPACT OF FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMMES

International Journal of Gynecology & ObstetricsVolume 119, Issue S3 p. S518-S519 Free communication (oral) presentations O734 IMPACT 2: AN INNOVATIVE TOOL MEASURING THE IMPACT OF FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAMMES M. Weinberger, M. WeinbergerSearch for more papers by this authorF. Pozo-Martin, F. Pozo-MartinSearch for more papers by this authorK. Fry, K. FrySearch for more papers by this authorT. Boler, T. BolerSearch for more papers by this authorK. Hopkins, K. HopkinsSearch for more papers by this author M. Weinberger, M. WeinbergerSearch for more papers by this authorF. Pozo-Martin, F. Pozo-MartinSearch for more papers by this authorK. Fry, K. FrySearch for more papers by this authorT. Boler, T. BolerSearch for more papers by this authorK. Hopkins, K. HopkinsSearch for more papers by this author First published: 22 October 2012 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7292(12)61164-3AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume119, IssueS3Abstracts of XX FIGO World Congress of Gynecology and ObstetricsOctober 2012Pages S518-S519 RelatedInformation

Ethnic Disparities in Contraceptive Use and its Impact on Family Planning Program in Nepal

Aims: Regardless of three decades of implementation of family planning program in Nepal, need of family planning services is largely unmet. Systematic studies, evaluating the impact of family planning program on several ethnic groups of Nepal has not been carried out in large scale. This study sheds light on the investigation of, whether the use of contraceptives varies among different ethnic groups in Nepal and what are the predictors of contraceptive variance in ethnic groups in Nepal. Methods: The study is based on data collected from Nepal Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) 2006. Multilevel logistic regression analyses of 10793 married women of reproductive age nested within 264 clusters from the surveys were considered as the sample size. Individual, household, and program variables were set and a multilevel logistic regression model was fitted to analyse the variables, using GLLAMM command in STATA-9. Results: Multilevel logistic regression analysis indicated that Muslims, Dalits and Terai Madheshi women were significantly less likely to use modern contraceptives compared to the Brahmins and Chhetries (Higher Castes). Women who were exposed to family planning information on radio were more likely to use modern contraceptives than women not exposed to radio information (OR=1.22, P> 0.01). An odd of using contraceptives by Newars was (OR 1.09, P>0.05), the highest among all ethnic groups. Exposure of women to family planning messages through health facilities, family planning workers and means of communication, increased the odds of using modern contraceptives. However, impact of the family planning information on contraceptive use varied among ethnicity. Conclusions: Special attention needs to be paid, in particular to the ethnicity, while formulating family planning policies in Nepal, for better success rate of family planning intervention programs. NJOG 2011 Nov-Dec; 6 (2): 14-19 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njog.v6i2.6750

DOES CONTRACEPTION BENEFIT WOMEN? STRUCTURE, AGENCY, AND WELL-BEING IN RURAL MEXICO

The authors of this paper examine Amartya Sen's contributions to the concept of human well-being from a gender perspective and argue that this concept is particularly useful for explaining women's decisions on contraceptive use. The study draws on data collected in six rural communities of Chiapas, Mexico. It emphasizes the ways in which public discourse articulates the apparent benefits of having small families; the context of the household and community in which rural women make reproductive decisions; and the impact of family planning programs on women's sense of subjective well-being. In particular, it questions the assumption that reduced fertility through contraception necessarily enhances women's well-being and points to the importance that women attach to being a party to reproductive decisions. The authors also explore the links between women's assessment of these decisions and of paid work, and their actual education levels and real possibilities of employment.

Product advertising versus ideas advertising.

Social marketing programs which promote the use of a product, such as a condom, have certain advantages over programs which simply try to convince people to change their behavior. Of considerable importance, the success or failure of a social marketing program can be readily assessed through the level of sales of the promoted product. Most programs designed to alleviate poverty or advance social goals are extremely hard to measure, often leading to program inefficiency and even undetected failure. However, when a socially motivated program depends upon product sales, those sales can be quickly measured. Even though sales statistics alone are not enough to accurately judge the impact of family planning programs, they can still say much about relative program efficiencies. The brand advantage of promoting and selling branded products is also explained.

Purposive Program Placement and the Estimation of Family Planning Program Effects in Tanzania

Most studies evaluating the impact of family planning on fertility treat the presence of family planning clinics as being “randomly” assigned among the areas included in the study. They tend to ignore the possibility that the distribution of services may be related to the fertility level observed in a particular area. In some cases the distribution of services may respond to a conscious effort by public authorities or funding agencies to target areas with observed higher fertility. Even in absence of program planning, the factors determining service placement might be related to the determinants of high, or low, fertility in a particular area. If that is the case, and one fails to account for the endogeneity of family planning services, then the estimated impact of family planning programs will be biased. This article presents a modeling approach to address this issue. The model extends the simultaneous equation framework by integrating an individual-level model of timing and spacing of children with the dynamic process of program placement. Individual-level data from the 1991/1992 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey are augmented with data on the timing of, and factors influencing, family planning service placement to demonstrate the approach. The empirical results show that standard methods yield misleading results on the impact of different components of the family planning program on fertility. In particular, the effect of access to family planning hospitals on births is overstated, and the impact of access to health centers that offer family planning is understated significantly. We quantify the size of these effects through simulations.

The Influence of Spouses over each Other's Contraceptive Attitudes in Ghana

To what extent do spouses influence each other's reproductive goals? This question was investigated in Ghana with particular reference to family planning attitudes. Two mechanisms were identified as plausible explanations for why an individual's characteristics may affect a partner's beliefs and behavior. Quantitative evidence from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and qualitative information from focus-group research in Ghana were used in the analysis. Results from both data sources show that spousal influence, rather than being mutual or reciprocal, is an exclusive right exercised only by the husband. The study attributed the limited impact of family planning programs in Ghana and most of sub-Saharan Africa to the continued neglect of men as equal targets of such programs.

Family Planning Programs Will Lead to One-Third Reduction in Developing-World Population by 2100

The population of the developing world is 412 million people smaller than it would have been if there had been no family planning programs. This report focuses on the impact of family planning programs on fertility decline and population growth in developing countries. According to the UN estimates the total fertility rate (TFR) in the developing world declined from 6.1 lifetime births per woman in 1960-65 to 4.2 per women in 1980-85. The analysis showed that in the absence of family programs the TFR in 1980-85 would have been 5.4 births per woman 1.2 births more than the estimated TFR for that period. In addition the researchers projected the effects of such programs on future fertility and found that the estimated population by the year 2100 will be 10 billion one-third lower than it would have been if there were no family planning programs. The researchers conclude that family planning programs had a significant effect on population growth in developing countries.

Fertility in Developing Countries: An Economic Perspective on Research and Policy Issues.

The contributing authors to this collection presented both theoretical essays and empirical studies. These contributions when taken together provide a broad perspective on the current status of research on the factors which influence fertility in developing countries. Particular attention is focused on microeconomic models of fertility and their relevancy for understanding reproductive behavior is evaluated. Both the consequences and the determinants of fertility are examined. The impact of family planning programs on fertility and the relationship between fertility and mortality especially child mortality are also given special attention by many of the authors. Many of the studies are derived from the International Labor Organizations program of research and action in population employment. The program stimulated considerable research on the relationship between fertility and income employment and equality. This volume represents an attempt to draw conclusions both substantive and methodological from this research. Part I provides an overview and critique of fertility theories a summary of the findings of empirical fertility research and an assessment of significance of economic research on fertility in policy making. Part II deals with methodological issues including measurement problems techniques for pooling time series and cross sectional data aggregate level analysis estimation techniques for fertility models the role of simulation techniques in fertility analysis and policy making and the use of anthropological data and methods to expand microeconomic models of fertility. Part II presents the findings of 5 empirical investigations of fertility conducted in Kenya Nigeria India Turkey and Yugoslavia and of a comparative study of fertility patterns in Mexico and Costa Rica. Also included is an empirical analysis of the impact of income redistribution on fertility based on data from 36 developing countries. This collection should be expecially useful to policy makers economic planners demographers and economists.

How the Number of Living Sons Influences Contraceptive Use in Menoufia Governorate, Egypt

Couples in rural areas of many Arab societies, including Egypt, have consistently reported strong preferences for having sons. However, these reported preferences are not always reflected in reproductive behavior. In 38 rural villages in Menoufia Governorate in Egypt, women's responses to a community-based contraceptive distribution program were examined, taking into consideration both the number of living children and the number of living sons each women reported having. Controlling for number of living children, women with more sons were more likely to be using contraception before the distribution program began. Among women not using contraception before the program, those with more sons were more likely to initiate contraceptive use and were more likely to continue use for a nine-month period following the distribution. These findings imply that in addition to obstacles related to contraceptive availability, there are several cultural, social, and economic factors that influence fertility behavior and exert considerable pressure on married couples to have large families, including several sons. Unless the pressure exerted by these factors is changed or reduced, the impact of family planning programs is likely to reach a plateau at a relatively low prevalence level.