Family Plannings Role in Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths

Katie Taylor
Deputy Assistant Administrator Bureau for Global Health US Agency for International Development

Throughout the Reproductive Life Course: Opportunities and Challenges for Empowering Girls and Women USAID-HRSA Meeting Mayflower Hotel Washington ,D.C. April 2_3rd, 2014

Role of Family Planning in Maternal and Child Health

Family Planning Improves Maternal and Child Health and Wellbeing by: Preventing unintended pregnancy and reducing unmet need for contraception Helping couples achieve their desired family size Helping ensure that pregnancy occurs at the healthiest times of a womans life

Healthy Times for a Pregnancy Over the Reproductive Life Course

After age 18 At least 24 months after a live birth (approximately 3 years between births)

Before age 34
Up to parity 4 Family planning helps ensure that pregnancies occur at the healthiest times of a womans life.
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Source: A.Blanc, W.Winfrey and J Ross, 2012

Key Findings from USAID Global Report on Equality and Empowerment since 2000
While there have been improvements in some areas, overall progress toward womens empowerment and gender equality is halting and inconsistent. Since 2000, modern contraceptive use has plateaued or increased modestly in most countries.

Teenage pregnancy has declined modestly in many countries.

More than 1/3 of married women experienced violence at the hands of an intimate partner in 14 countries.
Source: Womens Lives and Challenges: Equality and Empowerment since 2000, USAID, March, 2014.

NEED FOR HIGH IMPACT SOLUTIONS TO ACCELERATE MORTALITY REDUCTION, EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER EQUALITY

These findings underscore the need for high impact solutions to help accelerate mortality reductions. Your research and promising practices will help programs more effectively reach and empower women and girls. We look forward to learning from you. Thank you for your contributions!

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