Family planning is a decision made by an individual or couples about how many children one would like to have, when to start having children, when to stop having children and how long to rest between each pregnancy(MOH,2007). A significant number of useful studies have been conducted which account for aggregate fertility trends or explain individual fertility behaviors with some degree of power. It can be firmly asserted that the weakness of fertility research to date is not one of the poor theoretical formulations but its failure to place fertility within its local socio cultural and economic context. This study is an attempt to examine the possible socio-cultural and economic factors affecting women's role in family planning decision making with specific reference to Addis Ketema Sub-City, Addis Ababa. The findings indicate that socio-cultural and economic factors interact on fertility and women's fertility behaviors is greatly influenced by the socio-cultural values attached to child bearing.

These four papers supplement the book Contraception and Reproduction: Health Consequences for Women and Children in the Developing World by bringing together data and analyses that would otherwise be difficult to obtain in a single source. The topics addressed are an analysis of the relationship between maternal mortality and changing reproductive patterns; the risks and benefits of contraception; the effects of changing reproductive patterns on infant health; and the psychosocial consequences to women of controlled fertility and contraceptive use.

Experts estimate that nearly 60 percent of all U.S. pregnancies--and 81 percent of pregnancies among adolescents--are unintended. Yet the topic of preventing these unintended pregnancies has long been treated gingerly because of personal sensitivities and public controversies, especially the angry debate over abortion. Additionally, child welfare advocates long have overlooked the connection between pregnancy planning and the improved well-being of families and communities that results when children are wanted. Now, current issues--health care and welfare reform, and the new international focus on population--are drawing attention to the consequences of unintended pregnancy. In this climate The Best Intentions offers a timely exploration of family planning issues from a distinguished panel of experts. This committee sheds much-needed light on the questions and controversies surrounding unintended pregnancy. The book offers specific recommendations to put the United States on par with other developed nations in terms of contraceptive attitudes and policies, and it considers the effectiveness of over 20 pregnancy prevention programs. The Best Intentions explores problematic definitions--"unintended" versus "unwanted" versus "mistimed"--and presents data on pregnancy rates and trends. The book also summarizes the health and social consequences of unintended pregnancies, for both men and women, and for the children they bear. Why does unintended pregnancy occur? In discussions of "reasons behind the rates," the book examines Americans' ambivalence about sexuality and the many other social, cultural, religious, and economic factors that affect our approach to contraception. The committee explores the complicated web of peer pressure, life aspirations, and notions of romance that shape an individual's decisions about sex, contraception, and pregnancy. And the book looks at such practical issues as the attitudes of doctors toward birth control and the place of contraception in both health insurance and "managed care." The Best Intentions offers frank discussion, synthesis of data, and policy recommendations on one of today's most sensitive social topics. This book will be important to policymakers, health and social service personnel, foundation executives, opinion leaders, researchers, and concerned individuals. May

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2013 in the subject Gender Studies, grade: A+, Hawassa University (Hawassa University - Colege of Medicine and Health Sciences), language: English, abstract: Family planning is defined as the use of various methods of fertility control that will help individuals or couples to have the number of children they desire and at a planned time interval in order to ascertain the well-being of the children, parents and communities at large Different gender norms in the community were obstacles for family planning utilization in the community. Those gender norms directly or by complement with each other acts as the barriers of FP utilizations. Decision making power of men/husbands on family planning (needs for his consent by women/wives), seeing children as social prestige due to cultural beliefs, low status of women in community, undermining knowledge of women, limiting responsibility of women/wives to home, dominance of men/husbands on households, etc are affecting directly or by complement with each other the family planning decision making among Married couples. Objective: To explore the influence of gender norms on family planning decision- making among married couples, in Jeldu Woreda rural Kebeles, west Shewa 2012/13. Methods: A Qualitative study with grounded theory design was employed. Data collection was done using a semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions. The methods employed were in-depth interview and focus group discussions. Data analysis was begun with transcription. Transcripts were coded using Atlas.ti-7 Software using thematic analysis. Recommendation: HEWs, woreda women’s and children’s affairs and family planning programmers needs to consider and design activities that have more holistic approach, including and integrating elements like men’s dominance on households, the low-status women in the community, cultural beliefs related with number of children, attitudes towards gender and proverbs/sayings related with gender. BCC and IEC program targeting family planning at different levels of government FMOH, Regional health bureau and woreda health office should give consideration and attention for gender norms in the community.

"This report examines the distribution and correlates of two different dimensions of the empowerment of currently married women age 15-49 in 23 developing countries"-- P. xv.

The evaluation of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) by the Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (DCP3) focuses on maternal conditions, childhood illness, and malnutrition. Specifically, the chapters address acute illness and undernutrition in children, principally under age 5. It also covers maternal mortality, morbidity, stillbirth, and influences to pregnancy and pre-pregnancy. Volume 3 focuses on developments since the publication of DCP2 and will also include the transition to older childhood, in particular, the overlap and commonality with the child development volume. The DCP3 evaluation of these conditions produced three key findings: 1. There is significant difficulty in measuring the burden of key conditions such as unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, nonsexually transmitted infections, infertility, and violence against women. 2. Investments in the continuum of care can have significant returns for improved and equitable access, health, poverty, and health systems. 3. There is a large difference in how RMNCH conditions affect different income groups; investments in RMNCH can lessen the disparity in terms of both health and financial risk.