The Quality And Availability Of Family Planning Services And Contraceptive Use In Tanzania

Living Standards Measurement Study No. 114. Analyzes characteristics of health facilities and pharmacies as determinants of contraceptive use and fertility in Tanzania. The high level of fertility in Tanzania has remained constant over the p

Living Standards Measurement Study No. 108. Nigeria, which has experienced high fertility and rapid population growth over the past 30 years, has launched efforts to stem its population growth through contraceptive use. In this study, individual women are linked to the characteristics of the nearest pharmacy, health facility, and source of family planning to assess the importance of the socioeconomic background and the characteristics of nearby services for women's contraceptive use and fertility. The results suggest that limited levels of female schooling are constraining contraceptive use, particularly in rural areas. Policies to raise female schooling will raise contraceptive use and lower fertility. Broader availability of the pill through pharmacy outlets and of the injection and IUD in fixed health facilities is also likely to raise contraceptive use. Consultation fees at health facilities do not appear to be constraining demand for modern methods.

Living Standards Measurement Study Working Paper No. 111. This study looks at the socioeconomic background of individual women and draws a correlation between them and the characteristics of their nearest source of family planning. The study assesses the importance of the socioeconomic background and the availability, price, and quality of services on contraceptive use and fertility. In 1969, Ghana was among the first Sub-Saharan African countries to adopt a population policy. Today, the average distance to a source of family planning is still about three miles. Population and fertility growth rates are high, and contraceptive use is low. The results suggest that raising levels of female schooling will also raise contraceptive use and lower female fertility, particularly in rural areas. However, the distances between facilities and related service centers remain a binding constraint on contraceptive use among those in the sample. The study also found no consistent effect on the demand for contraception or on fertility when measuring the quality of services.

This document is one of two evidence-based cornerstones of the World Health Organization's (WHO) new initiative to develop and implement evidence-based guidelines for family planning. The first cornerstone, the Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use (third edition) published in 2004, provides guidance for who can use contraceptive methods safely. This document, the Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use (second edition), provides guidance for how to use contraceptive methods safely and effectively once they are deemed to be medically appropriate. The recommendations contained in this document are the product of a process that culminated in an expert Working Group meeting held at the World Health Organization, Geneva, 13-16 April 2004.

Sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancies, infertility, and other reproductive problems are a growing concern around the world, especially in developing countries. Reproductive Health in Developing Countries describes the magnitude of these problems and what is known about the effectiveness of interventions in the following areas: Infection-free sex. Immediate priorities for combating sexually transmitted and reproductive tract diseases are identified. Intended pregnancies and births. The panel reports on the state of family planning and ways to provide services. Healthy pregnancy and delivery. The book explores the myths and substantive socio-economic problems that underlie maternal deaths. Healthy sexuality. Such issues as sexual violence and the practice of female genital mutilation are discussed in terms of the cultural contexts in which they occur. Addressing the design and delivery of reproductive health services, this volume presents lessons learned from past programs and offers principles for deciding how to spend limited available funds. Reproductive Health in Developing Countries will be of special interest to policymakers, health care professionals, and researchers working on reproductive issues in the developing world.

These WHO guidelines provide recommendations for programmes as to how they can ensure that human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled, while services are scaled up to reduce unmet need for contraception. Both health data and international human rights laws and treaties were incorporated into the guidance. This guidance is complementary to existing WHO recommendations for sexual and reproductive health programmes, including guidance on family planning, maternal and newborn health, safe abortion, and core competencies for primary health care.