Family Planning

What Is Family Planning? Having the number of children you want, when you want them.

If a person wants to wait to have children or to decide when to have children, there are many ways to prevent pregnancy

Both men and women must take part in family planning Who Does It? Both men and women must take part in family planning

In America, many people use family planning and control when they have children

All of the family planning methods we will talk about are used safely by millions of women and men

Reasons for choosing smaller families

Pregnancy is Risky! Mothers and babies will be healthier because fewer pregnancies means less risks

More Food Fewer children means more food for each child

More Time Fewer children can mean more time for parents to spend with their children

Education Waiting to have children can give women and men time to finish their education

Why is family planning hard? Some people want to have large families A woman’s husband might not want her to use family planning It’s not accepted by some religions A person might be afraid that others will think they’re having sex with someone other than their husband or wife if they are using protection

A person has the right to decide how many children they want to have It’s A Right! A person has the right to decide how many children they want to have

It’s a Right! A woman has the right to protect her health from the risks of pregnancy

What if a woman’s husband says NO? She must decide if she will use family planning anyway Some methods of family planning can be used without the man knowing

Preventing Pregnancy

A Pregnancy Happens When… After a man ejaculates inside a woman, the man’s sperm and the woman’s egg join together to make a zygote. When the zygote attaches to the side of a woman’s womb, a pregnancy begins.

There are several methods of family planning Barrier Methods Hormonal Methods IUDs (Intrauterine Devices) Natural Methods Permanent Methods All of these methods (EXCEPT FOR PERMANENT METHODS) can be stopped at ANY time if a woman decides to get pregnant or if she decides to try a different method of family planning

Barrier methods work by physically preventing the man’s sperm from joining with the woman’s egg

Condoms An example of a barrier method Can be bought at the store or at a clinic or an agency The ONLY method of family planning that also protects against diseases

Hormones and Hormonal Methods Hormones are chemicals in the body. Men and women have different hormones. It is hormones that make men grow mustaches and women grow breasts. Hormones also determine when a woman can get pregnant (when she is “fertile”) by getting her body ready for pregnancy.

Hormonal Methods When a woman uses a hormonal method of family planning, she puts hormones in her body that prevent her from getting pregnant by: Preventing her body from releasing an egg Making it harder for the sperm to reach the egg Keeping the egg from sticking inside the womb

A woman needs to see a doctor to get a hormonal method!

Hormonal Methods The Pill Woman takes one pill every day at the same time The Patch Woman wears on her skin and changes once a week

Hormonal Methods Implants Inserted into the woman’s arm by a doctor Work for up to 3 years The Shot Woman gets a shot every 3 months

Intrauterine Device: IUD Put into the womb by a doctor Can last for 5 or 10 years Can be removed when the woman decides she wants to get pregnant or at any other time

Natural Methods Natural methods help a woman know when she is fertile, so that she can avoid having sex at that time. A woman is usually fertile during the middle days of her monthly bleeding cycle A woman is usually NOT fertile when she is breastfeeding for the first 6 months after her baby is born

Breastfeeding as a family planning method works only if: The baby is less than 6 months old The woman breastfeeds the baby every 6 hours and the baby eats no other food Her monthly bleeding cycle hasn’t started yet

Permanent Methods A doctor makes it impossible for men and women to have any more children The operation for a man is called a VASECTOMY The operation for a woman is called a TUBAL LIGATION

Vasectomy and Tubal Ligation DO NOT make sex any less pleasurable for men or women DO NOT make sex any less desirable for men or woman Men are still able ejaculate, but the ejaculate liquid does not have sperm

Withdrawal or “Pulling Out” The man pulls his penis out of the vagina before he ejaculates This is NOT a very good method BUT it is better than not using any method of family planning at all

Methods That Do NOT Work Washing out the vagina (“douching”) Urinating after sex Does NOT prevent pregnancy BUT it can help prevent some infections Sperm move too fast and will reach the womb before they can be washed out

Emergency Family Planning If a man and a woman have sex without using any method of family planning, there are pills that a woman can take AFTERWARDS to prevent pregnancy, called “Emergency Contraception”

Emergency Family Planning A woman must take the pills within 5 days after sex Emergency family planning is most effective within 3 days after sex Only effective if used soon after having sex. They are not as effective as consistent use of the other family planning methods talked about They are safe but can cause unpleasant side effects. This should not be used in place of other methods You can get the pills after seeing a doctor or if you are over 18 years old you may get them at a pharmacy without seeing a doctor.

Emergency Family Planning These pills PREVENT pregnancy, they DO NOT stop a pregnancy if the woman is already pregnant

Where to get it? A person can buy CONDOMS at most stores. They can get them for free at some clinics. A person can get EMERGENCY FAMILY PLANNING at a pharmacy (if they are older than 17 years old)

Where to Get it? To get any of the other methods of family planning, a person has to call their doctor If a woman is younger than 17 years old, she has to call her doctor to get emergency family planning.

Only you can decide what family planning method is right for you!

Evaluation!

What is one reason for choosing a smaller family? #1 What is one reason for choosing a smaller family?

#2 Does a woman have the right to protect her health against the risks of pregnancy? A: Yes B: No

What family planning method also protects against diseases? #3 What family planning method also protects against diseases? A. Condoms B. The Pill C. IUDs D. The Shot

Does washing the vagina after sex (“douching”) help prevent pregnancy? #4 Does washing the vagina after sex (“douching”) help prevent pregnancy? A. Yes B. No

#5 What method of family planning should a man and a woman use after they have sex without protection? A. Condoms B. An IUD C. Emergency Contraception D. Tubal Ligation

Where can a person get condoms? #6 Where can a person get condoms?