A Child deserves to be born into a loving family. Giving women access to family planning allows them to plan the right time to
have a child, when they can love it with all their heart. Yet surveys show that approximately one out of three pregnancies are unwanted. Over 300
million couples wish to limit their family size, but do not have access to family planning.
Family planning increases the chances of survival of both mother and child. A planned family is the best
environment for the child's overall development, making it possible for them to develop to their full potential and to grow into healthy, productive adults.
Spacing of children allows both mother and child to remain healthy during these critical years.
According to the World Bank, family planning is the best way to improve maternal and child health, at a cost of only $1 to $2 per person per
year.
Below, thirty-four year old Maria at her home in the Serato region of Brazil with 6 of her 7
surviving children. Eleven other children died of tetanus, dehydration and gastrointestinal illnesses. Poverty is endemic in Latin America.
Shortfalls in international Family Planning funding are estimated to result in as many as 220 million unintended pregnancies annually,
104 million unintended births annually, and 82 million additional preventable abortions. |
