Benefits of family planning

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HealthWiki > Where Women Have No Doctor > Chapter 13: Family Planning > Benefits of Family Planning

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In this chapter:

 

In this chapter:

Every year, half a million people die of problems from pregnancy, childbirth, and unsafe abortion. Family planning helps prevent these deaths. Pregnancy is a greater health risk when it happens: In poor countries about half of all deaths in women of child-bearing age are caused by problems in pregnancy and birth. Family planning helps prevent these pregnancies and deaths. too young. Pregnancy before age 18 makes someone more likely to die in childbirth because their body is not fully grown. Their baby also has a greater chance of dying in the first year. too old. Pregnancy and birth are more dangerous for someone who is older, especially if they have other health problems or have had many children. too close together. The body needs over a year to recover between pregnancies. too many times. Someone who has been pregnant many times is more likely to die from heavy bleeding after birth and other causes.

In this chapter, “have sex” usually means penis-in-vagina sex, because this is the kind of sex that can cause pregnancy.

All of the family planning methods found in this chapter are used safely by millions of people all over the world.

This chart shows how well each method prevents pregnancy and protects against STIs. The chart also shows some possible side effects for each method and other important information about using it. Some methods require people to do something every day or every time they have sex. This can make them more challenging for people to use correctly all the time, so they tend to be less effective at preventing pregnancy.

This page was updated:29 May 2025

Sources

• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2019) Interpregnancy Care