Family Planning
Maternal and Child Health Section

Introduction to Family Planning

What is Family Planning?
Family planning is the voluntary pre-pregnancy planning and action of people to prevent, delay, or achieve a pregnancy. It is also a fundamental step to improving health outcomes for women and children. Family planning services include counseling and education, pre-conception care, screening and laboratory tests, and family planning methods. Family planning methods include abstinence, natural family planning, and all FDA approved methods of fertility control – hormonal contraception and contraceptive supplies such as diaphragms and intrauterine devices.

Why is family planning part of the health department?
The Centers for Disease Control characterizes family planning as one of the top 10 public health achievements of the 20th century. In 1800, women had an average of 7 children; today women average 2.1 children. A woman is fertile for an average of 35 years of her life; if she has two children, she will spend about 30 years of her life avoiding pregnancy.

Family planning information and services help individuals maintain their overall health. Family planning improves community health by helping men and women have children when they are physically, emotionally, and financially prepared to take on the responsibility. Family planning information and services help reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy.

What is unintended pregnancy?
An unintended pregnancy is one that is unwanted or mistimed at the time of conception. It does not mean an unwanted birth or an unloved child. It does mean that there is less opportunity for the parents to prepare physically and financially, take advantage of pre-pregnancy risk identification and management, and initiate needed changes in diet, exercise, smoking and drinking that help ensure a healthy pregnancy.

Why is unintended pregnancy a problem?
For some, unintended pregnancies result in healthy children in happy families. For others there are negative health effects from late or inadequate prenatal care, low birth weight, fetal exposure to alcohol, tobacco smoke and other toxins, and maternal depression. Unintended pregnancies are also associated with economic hardship, marital dissolution, poor child health and development, spouse abuse, and child abuse and neglect. Almost half of all unintended pregnancies result in induced abortion.

Where can I get more information?
State programs are described in this website. You may also call the Minnesota Family Planning and STD Hotline at 1-800-78-FACTS. The hotline has information on the kinds of family planning methods that are available and where you may get services. More information is available in the other sites listed in the LINKS section of this website.

For questions about this page, please contact our Maternal and Child Health Section.

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