Contraceptive Use and Family Planning Strategies

Contraceptive use and family planning constitute core components of global reproductive health, underpinning efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies, improve maternal and child outcomes, and promote gender equality. Strategies range from the provision of a broad method mix—including hormonal, barrier, long-acting reversible and permanent methods—to community-based interventions and policy frameworks that facilitate access to information and services. Over the past decade, initiatives have emphasised rights-based approaches, male and partner involvement, and adolescent-friendly services, recognising the sociocultural and economic determinants of uptake. Advances in data science and geospatial analysis now enable more precise targeting of underserved populations, while digital platforms offer novel channels for education and counselling. Despite progress in many regions, significant disparities persist, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where unmet need for modern methods remains high. Integrative strategies that combine robust supply chains, community engagement and supportive legal environments are essential to sustain gains and achieve universal access to voluntary family planning.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Contraceptive Use and Family Planning Strategies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in contraceptive use and family planning strategies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Unmet need for family planning: The proportion of women of reproductive age who wish to delay or avoid pregnancy but are not using any method of contraception.

Modern contraceptive prevalence rate (mCPR): The percentage of women of reproductive age who are using, or whose partner is using, modern methods of contraception at a given point in time.

Geospatial modelling: A statistical approach that incorporates geographical location data to estimate and visualise spatial patterns and trends in public health indicators.

Indirect elicitation methods: Survey techniques that ask sensitive questions in a manner that ensures respondent privacy, aiming to reduce reporting bias.

References

1. Machine learning modeling for identifying predictors of unmet need for family planning among married/in-union women in Ethiopia: Evidence from performance monitoring and accountability (PMA) survey 2019 dataset. PLOS Digital Health (2023).
2. Are self-reported fertility preferences biased? Evidence from indirect elicitation methods. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2024).
3. Mapping heterogeneity in family planning indicators in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Nigeria, 2000–2020. BMC Medicine (2024).