Family Planning: Its Impact on the Health of Women and Children

摘要

The enormity of the maternal/child health problems facing developing countries is evident from the fact that two-thirds of their people are either children under 15 or women of child-bearing age. This report explores how family planning (FP) can help avoid or reduce some of these problems. Using research data from 37 developing and developed countries, the author shows that a child's chances of surviving the first few years of life are reduced if children are born close together in time; the family already has three or more children; and the mother is under 20 or over 35. The author recommends continuing and expanding FP programs in developing countries. An 87-item bibliography (1938-81) in English and Spanish is appended.