Interrelations between Maternal and Neonatal Health and Family Planning: Conceptualization of the Theme

Abstract

Selected concepts of the health theme in family planning as recently reviewed are presented in brief terms. Each concept is illustrated by studies in both the more and the less developed countries. No attempt at comprehensive coverage of the literature is made. Attention is directed to parity and child mortality, parity and child health and development, sibling size and intelligence, parity and maternal health, parity and maternal morbidity, maternal age and child mortality, maternal age and child health and development, maternal age and maternal mortality, maternal age and maternal morbidity, and birth interval (child spacing) and child health. The overall conceptualization of the health theme in family planning is as follows: a child's chances of being born alive, surviving the 1st 5 years of life, enjoying goood health and adequate physical and intellectual development are reduced by poor pregnancy timing, i.e., being conceived at an early maternal age of less than 20 years or conversely at an advanced maternal age of 35+ years, a large sibship size of 3 or more, i.e., high parity in regard to the mother and high birth order in regard to the child, inadequate spacing between the child and his/her preceding or succeeding siblings, multiparity, poor prenatal and natal care for the mother and poor child care, and any combination of the above, particularly high parity at a young age or grand multiparity at any age. A mother's chance of surviving pregnancy and labor, of being free from obstetrical and gynecological complications, of enjoying good health and having normal and healthy children are reduced by the same factors affecting a child's health. The prescription of family planning will reduce substantially health risks to mothers and children. Consequently, family planning needs to become a part of routine medical care for responsible health professionals throughout the world. The provision of family planning services including effective information, education, and communication programs, is a basic responsibility of all governments and policy makers. This is the case regardless of the level of demographic pressures in the concerned countries.