What is family planning?

Family planning refers to use of modern contraceptives or natural techniques to limit or space
pregnancies. Modern methods of contraception include the pill, female and male sterilization, IUD,
injectables, implants, male and female condom, diaphragm, and emergency contraception. Traditional
methods include periodic abstinence, withdrawal and folk methods.

DHS data and family planning

The DHS collects data on knowledge and use of contraceptive methods, both modern and traditional.
Women are also asked where they obtain their contraceptive method, and whether or not they were
provided information during their contraceptive counseling that allowed them to make an informed choice.
In order to assess missed opportunities, non-users of contraception are often asked if they have discussed
family planning with health care providers. Men are also asked about their opinions towards family planning.
In some surveys, information is also collected on exposure to family planning campaigns and coverage of
social marketing programs.

Extensive data on family planning are available on STATcompiler. Compare among countries and analyze
trends over time.

Which DHS indicators are related to family planning?

Knowledge of contraceptive methods (women and men)

Ever use of contraception(women and men)
Current use of contraception (women and men)
Current use of contraception by background characteristics
Number of children at first use
Knowledge of fertile period (women and men)
Contraceptive effect of breastfeeding
Timing of sterilization
Source of supply for modern contraceptive methods
Contraceptive discontinuation rates
Future use of contraception
Reason for not using contraception
Preferred method of contraception for future use
Heard family planning on radio and television or in a newspaper or magazine
Acceptability of media messages on family planning
Contact of non-users with family planning providers
Planning is being used
Was family planning use mainly the woman's/the husband/partner's or a joint decision
Informed choice of family planning methods
Unmet need for family planning

Which SPA data are related to family planning?

The Service Provision Assessment (SPA) survey collects data on family planning from the health facility
perspective. The SPA monitors availability of family planning methods, equipment, client educational
materials, availability of trained providers and the setting needed to adequately distribute and counsel
women about family planning.
 The Service Provision Assessment (SPA) survey is a health facility assessment that provides a
comprehensive overview of a countrys health service delivery. SPA surveys fill an urgent need for
monitoring health system strengthening in developing countries. They collect information on the overall
availability of different facility-based health services in a country and their readiness to provide those
services. The SPA questionnaires have been updated in 2012 in collaboration with international agencies to
make them easier to use and to include additional information. The inventory questionnaire collects
information for the calculation of USAID and WHOs service readiness indicators.

SPA surveys answer 4 broad groups of questions:

1. What is the availability of different health services in a country? Specifically, what proportions of the
different facility types offer specific health services?
2. To what extent are facilities prepared to provide health services? Do facilities have the necessary
infrastructure, resources and support systems available? For example, what proportions of facilities have
regular electricity? What proportions have regular water supply?
3. To what extent does the service delivery process follow generally accepted standards of care? Does the
process followed in service delivery meet standards of acceptable quality and content?
4. Are clients and service providers satisfied with the service delivery environment?

The key services and topics assessed in a SPA survey are:

1. Infrastructure, Resources, and Systems: water, electricity, latrines, infection control, management
systems, storage and stock monitoring for vaccines, contraceptives, and medicines, infection control
2. Child Health: availability of vaccines, medicines, and Vitamin A, availability of curative care services and
the availability of equipment and supplies for outpatient care, adherence to guidelines for sick child care
3. Maternal and Newborn Health: availability and appropriate assessment of clients for antenatal care,
delivery services, newborn care, emergency obstetric care
4. Family Planning: availability of contraceptives and supplies, user fees, counseling and client assessment,
provision of STI treatment for family planning clients
5. HIV/AIDS: availability HIV testing services, HIV/AIDS care and support services, antiretroviral treatment,
prevention of mother-to-child-transmission, post-exposure prophylaxis
6. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
7. Malaria: availability of malaria diagnostic and treatment services, guidelines, antimalarial, laboratory
diagnostic capacity
8. Tuberculosis: availability of TB diagnostic services, availability of first line medicines for treating TB
9. Basic surgery
10. Non-communicable diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases