FAMILY PLANNING

Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and management, and infertility management. Family planning is choosing the number of children in a family and the length of time between their births.

Family planning is sometimes used as a synonym for the use of birth control, however, it often includes a wide variety of methods, and practices that are not birth control. It is most usually applied to a female-male couple who wish to limit the number of children they have and/or to control the timing of pregnancy (also known as spacing children). Family planning may encompass sterilization, as well as abortion.

Family planning services are defined as "educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which enable individuals, to determine freely the number and spacing of their children and to select the means by which this may be achieved."

ADVANTAGE OF FAMILY PLANNING 
 1. Family planning reduces the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions among women.
2. It allows women the opportunity to choose when the time is right to have a child. 
3. It helps to avoid the financial problems an unplanned pregnancy may bring. 
4. It helps to make sure that any couple, man or woman who has the desire to have a child has the resources that are needed in order to complete this goal.
5. Family planning helps to protect against STDs like HIV/AIDS.
6. It helps to ensure space births and hence provide health benefits to the mother.

SAFE MOTHERHOOD

Safe motherhood encompasses a series of initiatives, practices, protocols and service delivery guidelines designed to ensure that women receive high-quality gynecological, family planning, prenatal, delivery and postpartum care, in order to achieve optimal health for the mother, fetus and infant during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum.

BIRTH CONTROL METHOD

Birth controls are techniques used to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Types of birth control method include;

1. Birth control pill

The pill contains the hormones estrogen and progestin. It is taken daily to keep the ovaries from releasing an egg. The pill also causes changes in the lining of the uterus and the cervical mucus to keep the sperm from joining the egg.

Some women prefer the "extended cycle" pills. These have 12 weeks of pills that contain hormones (active) and 1 week of pills that don't contain hormones (inactive). While taking extended cycle pills, women only have their period three to four times a year.

2. Male Condoms

Male condoms are a thin sheath placed over an erect penis to keep sperm from entering a woman's body. Condoms can be made of latex, polyurethane, or "natural/lambskin". The natural kind do not protect against STIs. Condoms work best when used with a vaginal spermicide, which kills the sperm. And you need to use a new condom with each sex act.

3. Female Condoms

This condom is worn by the woman inside her vagina. It keeps sperm from getting into her body. It is made of thin, flexible, manmade rubber and is packaged with a lubricant. It can be inserted up to 8 hours before having sex.  Use a new condom each time you have intercourse. And don't use it and a male condom at the same time.

4. Shot/injection (Depo-Provera)

The birth control shot often is called by its brand name Depo-Provera. With this method you get injections, or shots, of the hormone progestin in the buttocks or arm every 3 months. A new type is injected under the skin. The birth control shot stops the ovaries from releasing an egg in most women. It also causes changes in the cervix that keep the sperm from joining with the egg.

The shot should not be used more than 2 years in a row because it can cause a temporary loss of bone density. The loss increases the longer this method is used. The bone does start to grow after this method is stopped. But it may increase the risk of fracture and osteoporosis if used for a long time.   

5. Transdermal - Contraceptive Patch (the Patch)

The skin patch is worn on the lower abdomen, buttocks, outer arm, or upper body. It releases the hormones progestin and estrogen into the bloodstream to stop the ovaries from releasing eggs in most women. It also thickens the cervical mucus, which keeps the sperm from joining with the egg. You put on a new patch once a week for 3 weeks. You don't use a patch the fourth week in order to have a period.

Women should wait three weeks after giving birth to begin using birth control that contains both estrogen and progestin. These methods increase the risk of dangerous blood clots that could form after giving birth. Women who delivered by cesarean section or have other risk factors for blood clots, such as obesity, history of blood clots, smoking, or preeclampsia, should wait six weeks. 

6. Intrauterine Device (IUD)

An IUD is a small device shaped like a "T" that goes in your uterus. There are two types:

a.                  Copper IUD:                The copper IUD goes by the brand name ParaGard. It releases a small amount of copper into the uterus, which prevents the sperm from reaching and fertilizing the egg. If fertilization does occur, the IUD keeps the fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of the uterus. A doctor needs to put in your copper IUD. It can stay in your uterus for 5 to 10 years.

b.                  Hormonal IUD:           The hormonal IUD goes by the brand name Mirena. It is sometimes called an intrauterine system, or IUS. It releases progestin into the uterus, which keeps the ovaries from releasing an egg and causes the cervical mucus to thicken so sperm can't reach the egg. It also affects the ability of a fertilized egg to successfully implant in the uterus. A doctor needs to put in a hormonal IUD. It can stay in your uterus for up to 5 years.

7. Sponge

This barrier method is a soft, disk-shaped device with a loop for taking it out. It is made out of polyurethane (pah-lee-YUR-uh-thayn) foam and contains the spermicide (SPUR-muh-syd) nonoxynol-9. Spermicide kills sperm.

Before having sex, you wet the sponge and place it, loop side down, inside your vagina to cover the cervix. The sponge is effective for more than one act of intercourse for up to 24 hours. It needs to be left in for at least 6 hours after having sex to prevent pregnancy. It must then be taken out within 30 hours after it is inserted. 

8. Vaginal Contraceptive Ring

This is a thin, flexible ring that releases the hormones progestin and estrogen. It works by stopping the ovaries from releasing eggs. It also thickens the cervical mucus, which keeps the sperm from joining the egg.

It is commonly called NuvaRing, its brand name. You squeeze the ring between your thumb and index finger and insert it into your vagina. You wear the ring for 3 weeks, take it out for the week that you have your period, and then put in a new ring.

Women should wait three weeks after giving birth to begin using birth control that contains both estrogen and progestin. These methods increase the risk of dangerous blood clots that could form after giving birth. Women who delivered by cesarean section or have other risk factors for blood clots, such as obesity, history of blood clots, smoking, or preeclampsia, should wait six weeks. 

9. Implantable rod

This is a matchstick-size, flexible rod that is put under the skin of the upper arm. It is often called by its brand name, Implanon. The rod releases a progestin, which causes changes in the lining of the uterus and the cervical mucus to keep the sperm from joining an egg. Less often, it stops the ovaries from releasing eggs. It is effective for up to 3 years.

10. Surgical sterilization

For women, surgical sterilization closes the fallopian tubes by being cut, tied, or sealed. This stops the eggs from going down to the uterus where they can be fertilized. The surgery can be done a number of ways. Sometimes, a woman having cesarean birth has the procedure done at the same time, so as to avoid having additional surgery later.

For men, having a vasectomy keeps sperm from going to his penis, so his ejaculate never has any sperm in it. Sperm stays in the system after surgery for about 3 months. During that time, use a backup form of birth control to prevent pregnancy. A simple test can be done to check if all the sperm is gone; it is called a semen analysis. 

11. Emergency contraceptive pill (ECP)

It involves taking contraceptive pills as a plan B which must be used within 72 hours of having unprotected sex. It should also not be used as regular birth control; only in emergencies. 

12. Withdrawal

Also known as coitus interruptus or "pulling out," the withdrawal method is one of the world's oldest family planning techniques. According to MayoClinic.com, withdrawal prevents conception by preventing sperm from entering the vagina. For withdrawal to work effectively, the man must fully withdraw his penis from his partner's vagina before he ejaculates. However, this method is not completely effective; sperm may leak if withdrawal is improperly timed. In some cases, viable sperm may also appear in pre-ejaculatory fluid, leading to an unplanned pregnancy. 

13. Abstinence

The most effective method of contraception is complete abstinence from heterosexual intercourse. As a contraceptive technique, abstinence is ultimately 100 percent effective and offers additional protection against sexually transmitted infections. Although couples using this family planning technique may engage in other forms of sexual contact, most find it challenging to abstain from intercourse entirely. 

14. Rhythm method

The rhythm method is also known as the calendar method; it works by predicting the days in which a woman is most fertile. To use this technique, a woman must chart her menstrual history for several months in order to anticipate the dates in which she is ovulating. According to MayoClinic.com, women using this technique must abstain from unprotected sex on the days during which she is most fertile. The rhythm method can be somewhat effective, but it requires careful record-keeping and diligent adherence to the technique. 

15. Cervical mucus method

Like the rhythm method, the cervical mucus method of family planning works by predicting the days in which a woman is most fertile. During ovulation, the consistency of cervical secretions will change to accommodate conception. A woman can determine her level of fertility by consistently documenting the color, texture and consistency of her vaginal mucus. The cervical mucus method is reliable only if a woman is intimately familiar with her own body and if the couple consistently uses other contraceptive techniques during fertile days.