Handbook of Family Planning

An updated account of family planning methods and services, with new chapters on sexually transmitted diseases and future developments. It is recognized throughout that practices and services in this area are particularly affected by politics, sexual behaviour and social attitudes.

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In the 1960s the provision of effective and safe methods of family planning to every couple was identified as an important ingredient in improving women's health. It is now accepted that easy access to all aspects of family planning is an essential prerequisite for men and women to control their reproductive lives. The aim of international organizations such as the World Health Organization to ensure that every child was wanted was endorsed by the governments of most countries in the world. The British government recognised this need by passing the National Health Service Reorganization Act 1973 which made provision for free family planning within the National Health Service. The network of family planning clinics in each region of Britain expanded and provided a resource for the training of doctors and nurses. The teaching of family planning is now an established part of the curriculum in all medical schools in the UK. In 1990 however, control of reproduction no longer appears on the list of governments' priorities for health care or research.
There is a real danger that any breakdown in the family planning services in the UK, which are amongst the most comprehensive in the world, may lead to an increased demand for therapeutic abortion and the birth of unwanted babies. In the second edition of her book, Nancy Loudon and her team of authors have provided an up-to-date account of family planning methods and services. Chapters on sexually transmitted diseases and future developments have been added since the first edition. The threat of AIDS has already had an impact on the pattern of sexual behaviour and has added a new dimension to choosing the method of contraception. New methods will not replace the "pill", rather they will provide a wider choice of methods to fit the needs of individual couples. The 1990s is likely to see the introduction of antagonists of progesterone and pituitary hormones which will prevent the implantation of a fertilized ovum. These "contragestive" agents will add another dimension to family planning.