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  • Title: [Some considerations on family planning and contraception worldwide and in Rwanda].
    Author: Hakizimana E.
    Journal: Imbonezamuryango; 1988 Aug; (12):21-6. PubMed ID: 12342080.
    Abstract:
    The traditional argument in favor of family planning was that it was needed to reestablish balance between available resources of all kinds and basic human needs for employment, education, food, and social services. Recently the health benefits of family planning have come to be stressed. The World Health Organization estimates that a good proportion of the 15 million deaths in children under 5 each year in developing countries could be prevented if births were spaced. The World Fertility Surveys demonstrated the consequences of too close spacing. On average a baby born within 2 years of its older sibling has twice the risk of death of a baby born after a longer interval, and the older sibling also is at increased risk. Family planning protects mothers too old, too young, or too sick to carry a pregnancy safely to term. Family planning has been in mass use in the world for over 30 years and it is estimated that 350 million couples now use a method. Few biological interventions have been as massively studied as contraception. The health risks of the various methods have been minimized, and couples have a wide choice of methods enabling them to select the one most appropriate to their own health needs and socioeconomic circumstances. Family planning in Rwanda is perceived as an element of national development. A 1985 survey on traditional contraception indicated that family planning was not a new concept in Rwanda, and that too closely spaced pregnancies have been considered undesirable. The 1st family planning program offering modern contraceptive methods began in 1962, but serious efforts to encourage family planning did not begin until years later. Family planning goals were included in the 1977-81 5-year plan for the 1st time. Most of the controversy surrounding family planning in Rwanda comes from the Catholic Church. The number of new family planning acceptors has grown steadily since 1981, when the newly created National Office of Population began a program to integrate family planning services into all the nation's health facilities. 223 of the 392 health facilities now offer family planning services. There were 12,814 new acceptors in 1986 and 18,513 in 1987. Nevertheless, the total number of women in Rwanda who have ever used modern contraception is only 56,500, and much needs to be done to increase levels of use.
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