Preface

Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility. In addition, it reinforces couple's rights to determine the number and spacing of their children, while supporting the health and development of communities.

Millions of women of reproductive age in developing countries want to avoid pregnancy but are unable to use modern contraceptive methods. Family planning and the use of effec‐ tive contraception reduce the need for abortion, especially unsafe abortion and maternal deaths. Furthermore, barrier methods provide dual protection against unintended pregnan‐ cies and sexually transmitted infections including HIV.

Closely spaced and ill-timed births contribute to some of the world's highest infant mortality rates. Babies born to adolescents have higher neonatal mortality rates. Teenage pregnancies have long-term implications for adolescents and their families. In addition, family planning represents an opportunity for them to pursue additional education and paid employment.

The content covers an introduction to the basic principles of family planning and deals in detail with numerous issues that pertain to family planning.

I am thankful to all the authors for their invaluable efforts and contributions. I would also like to thank Ms. Marijana Francetic, Publishing Process Manager, who really worked hard to bring out this book well in time. I would also like to thank Ana Pantar and Senior Com‐ missioning Editors, Ivona Lovric and Iva Lipovic, for their support and advice.

> **Professor Zouhair O. Amarin** Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Jordan University of Science and Technology Jordan

**Section 1**

**Introduction to Family Planning**

**Introduction to Family Planning**

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Introductory Chapter: Family Planning**

**Introductory Chapter: Family Planning**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.76418

Men and women have used contraception, in one form or another, for thousands of years. Most individuals at some time in their lives will use contraception. The worldwide trend towards delayed onset of childbearing and smaller families means that many women will need to use contraception for up to 30 years and will use different methods at different stages

The ideal contraceptive method needs to be highly effective with no side effects, cheap, independent of intercourse, rapidly reversible, widely available, acceptable to all cultures and religions, and easily distributed and can be administered by non-healthcare personnel [2].

Contraceptives are classified into hormonal, in the form of combined oral contraceptives (COCs), combined hormonal patches, progesterone only preparations, that include injectables and subdermal implants, intrauterine contraception in the form of copper intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUCD) and hormone releasing IUCDs, barrier methods in the form of male and female condoms, coitus interruptus, natural family planning, emergency contracep-

Natural methods are physiologic-based methods that use neither chemical nor mechanical contraceptive method. These are least effective and not reliable. Fertility awareness and periodic abstinence emphasise avoidance of intercourse shortly before and after estimated ovula-

Fertility awareness and periodic abstinence relate to the fertile window of the cycle through

tion period, therefore it is important to decide the fertile window of the cycle [4–10].

the assessment of cervical mucus and the basal body temperature [1–3].

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76418

**2. Classification and key points**

tion, female sterilisation and vasectomy [1–3].

Zouhair Amarin

Zouhair Amarin

**1. Overview**

of their lives [1].

#### **Introductory Chapter: Family Planning Introductory Chapter: Family Planning**

#### Zouhair Amarin Zouhair Amarin

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76418

**1. Overview**

Men and women have used contraception, in one form or another, for thousands of years. Most individuals at some time in their lives will use contraception. The worldwide trend towards delayed onset of childbearing and smaller families means that many women will need to use contraception for up to 30 years and will use different methods at different stages of their lives [1].

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.76418

The ideal contraceptive method needs to be highly effective with no side effects, cheap, independent of intercourse, rapidly reversible, widely available, acceptable to all cultures and religions, and easily distributed and can be administered by non-healthcare personnel [2].
