Childbearing difficulties: A forgotten component of family planning programs in West Africa
Abstract
The definition of reproductive health is well codified and agreed upon by all stakeholders: ''It's defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters relating to the reproductive system and to its functions and processes. Reproductive health, therefore, implies that people can have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so"1. This definition makes explicit the ability to decide to reproduce when, how, and how often to do so; implying that every male and female should benefit from interventions to ensure their reproduction.
Historically, family planning programs have evolved from a focus on population control (pre-Cairo) to programs built around four pillars - health, rights, access, and quality of services - after the 1994 Cairo conference. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition recognizes the two entities of family planning—using contraceptive methods and treating infertility as essential2; more than 25 years after the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), the continuing influence of population control in policies and strategies indicates how fertility reduction still motivates much of the programming, research, and advocacy around family planning.
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