You might have wondered what the big fuss around family planning is about. Family planning is all about helping individuals determine when and if they want to have children by providing them with the necessary knowledge, resources, and procedures. It includes a variety of contraceptives and barrier techniques, such as condoms, and methods like abstinence.

What services are there for family planning?

Primary healthcare clinics across the country provide access to family planning, including free contraceptives and counselling.

Who is family planning for?

All women, men, and teenagers have access to family planning.

Benefits of family planning

• Preventing health risks

Family planning allows for planning pregnancies and can postpone pregnancies for women at a higher risk of health problems and death from childbirth.

• Prevent HIV/AIDS​

Family planning lowers the likelihood of unplanned pregnancy and the transmission of HIV/AIDS among women with the use of the dual method, resulting in fewer infected newborns and orphans.

• Empowering people

People can make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health with the help of family planning.

• Reducing teenage pregnancies

Young women who are not ready to have children have the option to protect themselves from an unplanned pregnancy.

Access to family planning is a human right, and if you want to avoid unplanned pregnancy and learn more about family planning and contraception, go to your local clinic and chat with a nurse who can help you, or send me a DM.

If you or a friend need advice or help, you can contact me here on Ask Choma, send a Facebook message , a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657).