World Population Day is commemorated on 11 July, which was the day in 1987 when the world's population reached the five billion mark. Today there are more than 7 billion people living on the planet, a large number that is challenging the development of many societies and placing great strain on the environment.
According to the United Nations (UN), World Population Day is held to improve awareness of population issues, such as family planning, maternal health, poverty, gender equality and human rights, and encourages people to get involved in working towards solving these issues.
However, the UN emphasises that the overriding idea behind the day is to reaffirm people's right to plan their families and the organisation encourages activities and the exchange of information in order to make this a reality throughout the world.
Family planning has to do with the planning of when to have children. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) says that there are approximately 22 million women worldwide who would like to plan their families through avoiding or delaying pregnancy, but they lack the support and means to do so. This is also true for many South African women and girls.
At the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) we encourage our members to take control of their family's health. We also support the right of women to plan their families and encourage our members to visit their healthcare practitioners if they have any questions about family planning.
Unplanned pregnancies can make life very hard some individuals. For example, it can be devastating to a teenager who is not earning money and still has to finish school. Teenagers are not ready to have children and parents need to speak to them about the dangers of having sex so young. Similarly, a mother who has a number of children and very little income is going to have a difficult time making ends meet and feeding her children.
Some women who unexpectedly get pregnant opt to rather have an abortion than have the baby and this is their choice. However, terminating a pregnancy is traumatic, may be expensive and is not always good for your health. If they are able to it makes much more sense for people to plan when they want to have a family and practice birth control methods that prevent them from falling pregnant until they feel they are ready to have children.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says: "Family planning allows individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births. It is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and treatment of involuntary infertility. A woman's ability to space and limit her pregnancies has a direct impact on her health and well-being as well as on the outcome of each pregnancy."
The use of birth control methods, which can help to prevent women from falling pregnant until they feel they are ready to do so, is an important part of family planning.
One way individuals can ensure that they do not get pregnant is to avoid sexual activity altogether until they are ready to have children. This will also help them to avoid catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as herpes or HIV.
For those who do not see the avoidance of sex, or abstinence, as an option there are also a number of contraceptives on the market today that can help avoid unwanted pregnancies. Some of these, like condoms if used correctly, can help protect against pregnancy and STIs while most only protect against pregnancy. These contraceptives include:
Some people who wish to make absolutely certain that they do not fall pregnant use a combination of methods, i.e. the female pill used with the male condom. An added advantage of this is that the condom provides protection against the spread of HIV and other STIs.
For those who are concerned that they may be pregnant reasonably priced pregnancy tests are available at your local pharmacy. If this tests positive be sure to visit your doctor as soon as possible. He or she will undertake a blood test to confirm whether you are pregnant or not.
Most of us would prefer to have our children at a time of our choosing and when we are ready. This is why family planning is so important and to our benefit. Visit your doctor or healthcare provider if you have any questions about pregnancy or family planning.
For any GEMS member queries please phone the GEMS call centre on 0860 00 4367 or visit our website at www.gems.gov.za. GEMS will assist you in every way possible to ensure your family's health and wellbeing.
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