Choosing to Use Family Planning 199
Some women want a lot of children—especially in communities
where poor people are denied a fair share of land, resources,
and social benefits. This is because children help with work and
provide care for their parents in old age. In these places, having
just a few children may be a privilege only wealthier people
can afford.
Other women may want
to limit the number of
children they have.This often
happens where women have
opportunities to study and earn
income, and where they can
negotiate with men in a more
equal way.
No matter where a woman
lives, she will be healthier if she
has control over how many
children she has, and when she
will have them. Still, deciding
to use—or not to use—family
planning should always be a
woman’s choice.
Choosing
to Use
Family
Planning
You have a right
to make your own
decisions about
family planning.
Talking with your husband or partner about family planning
It is best if you can talk together with your husband or partner about choosing to use
family planning and what method you will use.
Some men do not want their wives to use family planning, often because they do
not know very much about how different methods work. A man may worry about his
wife’s health, because he has heard stories about the dangers of family planning. He
may fear that if a woman uses family planning, she will have sex with another man. Or
he may also think it is ‘manly’ to have lots of children.
Try sharing the information in this chapter with your partner. It may help him
understand that:
• family planning will allow him to take better care of you and your children.
• child spacing is safer for you and your children.
• family planning can make sex with him more pleasant, because neither of
you will have to worry about an unplanned pregnancy. Being protected against
unwanted pregnancy will not make you want to have sex with other men.
If your husband still does not want you to use family planning even after learning
about its benefits, you must decide whether you will use family planning anyway. If you
do, you may need to choose a method that can be used without your partner knowing
about it.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012