Contraceptive development and better family planning
| Autor: | S J, Segal |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1996 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Drug Implants Male Adolescent Health Policy Sexual Behavior Urban Health Abortion Induced Levonorgestrel Pregnancy Unwanted United States Cohort Studies Contraception Adolescent Behavior Pregnancy Family Planning Services Contraceptive Agents Female Humans Female Contraceptive Devices Contraceptives Oral Research Article |
| Zdroj: | Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. 73(1) |
| ISSN: | 0028-7091 |
| Popis: | Contraception helps many people achieve their desired fertility. Pharmacological or mechanical contraceptive methods by themselves do not lead to successful contraception. Once empowered through education or improved socioeconomic status to realize their ability to limit their family size, women's options are abstinence (including delaying the marriage age), contraception (including surgical sterilization and natural family planning methods), or abortion. Most people in the US trying to avoid pregnancy use surgical sterilization. The reversible methods most used, in order of frequency, are the pill, the condom, and the diaphragm. The 10% of couples who use no method make up slightly more than 50% of unplanned pregnancies, while the 90% of those who use contraception make up the remaining 50% (i.e., contraceptive failures). If used properly, modern contraceptives are very effective. Methods with low failure rates (IUDs, implants, and injectables) are used by only 2% or fewer of US contraceptive users but are more widely used elsewhere. More than 50% of pregnancies in the US are unplanned. Most adolescent pregnancies are unplanned. Contraceptive users account for about 50% of induced abortions. Reducing unwanted pregnancies has helped people achieve their desired fertility and greatly reduces the induced abortion rate. The US has the highest adolescent pregnancy rate in the Western world, partly due to the time lag between initiating sexual activity and initiating contraceptive use. Reasons for unplanned pregnancies among youth include lack of counseling and contraceptive failure. Contraceptive development should focus on improving use-effectiveness. The implant is the newest contraceptive method. A variety of male and female contraceptive methods are currently under study (e.g., immunological methods, postcoital pills, skin methods [patches, creams, and gels], improved IUDs, and improved male condoms). Leaders should consider unplanned pregnancy as a serious public health problem and take steps to reduce unplanned pregnancies. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|