Are you considering having a baby soon? Or do you wish to delay any potential pregnancies at this time? Whether you and your partner are ready to start having children, continue having children, or stop having children, there are family planning services tailored to suit your needs.
Reviewed by Dr. Samuel
Creating a realistic, working plan as to when she gets pregnant ultimately gives the woman great control over her life- allowing herself to be fully prepared for the birth of a child or to take measures to ensure that she doesn’t become pregnant if she does not want to get pregnant or is not ready to get pregnant.
Family planning is popularly thought of as the implementation of a plan as to when to have children through the use of contraceptives, such as the Pill or other methods of birth control. Besides the Pill, different common types of birth control are, but not limited to:
Condoms and diaphragms
Intrauterine devices (IUD)
Tubal ligation (for females) or Vasectomy (for males)
Abstinence
While the use of birth control is a significant aspect of family planning, there are many other aspects and factors of family planning that do not involve the implementation of tactics to control the timing of a pregnancy physiologically.
Learning about the woman’s menstrual/fertility cycle
Education and understanding of any challenges of getting pregnant, such as instances of infertility
Financial planning and readiness for the birth and rearing of a child or children
Creating a realistic, working plan as to when she gets pregnant ultimately gives the woman great control over her life- allowing herself to be fully prepared for the birth of a child or to take measures to ensure that she doesn’t become pregnant if she does not want to get pregnant or is not ready to get pregnant.
Giving birth to and then raising a child demands much time, effort, energy, and resources. Women and their partners must take the time to adequately prepare themselves financially as well as emotionally to meet best the responsibilities and challenges of raising a child.
Historically, the cost of raising a child has steadily increased; more financial resources are needed to build a healthy, well-developed child in this day and age than ever before. This means that deciding to start a family requires more careful and comprehensive planning than previous generations have had to do. It is the parents who are personally responsible for making sure that their child or children receive the food, clothes, shelter, healthcare, and education that they need- family planning goes a long way to ensure that parents are capable of providing the resources to meet those needs.
There are two main types of temporary birth control: “barrier” methods and “hormonal” methods. Barrier methods are birth control methods that physically prevent sperm from reaching the egg. Hormonal methods are birth control methods that physiologically alter the processes of the body to prevent a pregnancy from occurring.
Women who want a permanent method of birth control can undergo tubal ligation or other surgical sterilization procedures. Men who wish to prevent further pregnancies on their part can consider undergoing a vasectomy (male sterilization through the surgical severing of the vas deferens).
Determining which type of birth control is best for you, and personal family planning situation involves a variety of factors:
Are you the type of person that can remember to take the Pill every day at the same time, or do you prefer having a method of birth control that doesn’t require daily action?
Do you want to prevent pregnancy, or are you currently trying to avoid the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) as well?
Do you want to delay having kids for the time being, or do you know that you do not wish to have any more kids in the future?
Because a wide range of birth control options exists- many different types of the Pill are available for patients. A thorough and honest consultation with your family planning physician will be most helpful in determining the correct birth control method for you.
