Family Planning & Reproductive Health

Description

Funding for Family Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH) improves maternal and child health, reduces unintended pregnancies, prevents unsafe abortions, lowers rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and promotes gender equality and the rights of women and girls.

What does it buy?

Funds support programming that provides voluntary modern contraception services and supplies and prevents practices that harm women and girls, including female genital cutting and gender-based violence.

Why is it important?

• In FY 2019, the U.S. invested a total of $607.5 million in international FP/RH. This funding achieved:
  • Contraceptive services and supplies distributed to 24.3 million women and couples;
  • 7.2 million unintended pregnancies averted; and
  • 14,700 maternal deaths prevented.
• International FP/RH programs are cost-effective; every additional dollar spent on contraceptive services saves $2.22 in pregnancy-related care.
• Spacing pregnancies by at least three years with family planning could prevent an estimated 26% of under-5 child deaths.
• An estimated 214 million women in developing regions who want to avoid pregnancy for at least two years have an unmet need for modern contraceptives. Meeting this need would reduce unintended pregnancies and decrease abortions, many of which are unsafe.
• About 295,000 women died from pregnancy and childbirth in 2017, including from unsafe abortions. The “vast majority of these deaths—94%—occurred in low-resource settings, and most could have been prevented.”
• Addressing the demand for FP/RH services promotes women’s rights and empowerment by enabling women and girls to pursue educational and economic opportunities and enhancing programs that prevent and address child, early, and forced marriage, as well as gender-based violence.

Why should Americans care?

• Investments in bilateral and multilateral FP/RH programs are essential to achieving U.S. global health goals, advancing gender equality, supporting more sustainable development, and raising standards of living.
• Funding for family planning and reproductive health reduces maternal mortality and promotes the development of healthier, more prosperous societies.

What more could be done?

• The U.S.’s share of global bilateral family planning and reproductive health required to reach the unmet need is $1.55 billion. Burden share was agreed on by UN member states in 1994. Burden sharing is calculated based on targets which specified that one-third of the necessary financial resources should be provided by donor countries and two-thirds by developing nations. The U.S. percentage share is based on the total gross national income of the developed world. Other donor governments and developing nations are responsible for $10.44 billion.
• With each additional $10 million, 400,000 more women and couples would receive contraceptive services and supplies and as a result, 119,000 fewer unintended pregnancies would occur. This would lead to:
  • 53,000 fewer unplanned births;
  • 51,000 fewer abortions, including 34,000 fewer provided in unsafe conditions; and
  • 240 fewer maternal deaths.