Family planning
Reliable birth control or family planning is one of the major objectives of medical science. A large part of this effort relates to sterilization, which is now the most commonly-used method of family planning in the world. Human fertility, infertility, and contraception evaluations are characterized by a large number of basic tests, the majority of which require accurate timing relative to the female menstrual cycle or ovulation cycle. Many contraceptive methods, fertility therapies, or infertility treatments are also dependent on menstrual cycle or ovulation timing. Four methods of family planning are currently available, sterilization, abstinence, abortion and contraception. Of these four birth control methods, contraception is the most widely utilized. Many women use periodic abstinence as their method of family planning. This method of family planning, generally referred to as the "rhythm method," typically involves recognition of a woman's fertile period using any one of various methods, including a "guess" based on the length of her menstrual cycle. Ovulation may be assumed to occur mid-cycle, and thus the period of abstinence is set accordingly. Detecting with reasonable precision the fertile period of the female reproductive cycle would have significant benefits from a human "family planning". For example, by detecting the fertile period, a woman would be able to determine when intercourse would likely lead to conception. Such information could therefore be used by the woman to either refrain from or engage in intercourse if contraception or conception is desired, respectively. The female ovulation, or menstrual, cycle occurs every 28 to 30 days on average, measured from the onset of menstruation. Three significant events can occur in conjunction with the menstrual cycle: ovulation, pregnancy, and menopause. Ovulation marks the beginning of a period of fertility while pregnancy follows from the fertilization of an ovum. Menopause marks the final menstrual event. Determining and monitoring ovulation, pregnancy and menopause is important. Conception in a human female can only occur during periods of fertility, typically in the 24 through 36 hours following ovulation. For couples desiring conception, accurately determining the time of ovulation is critical. In the past various contraceptive devices have been proposed for placing a barrier between the penis and the vagina. These barriers have been formed as condoms which are designed to fit the male anatomy, and diaphragms which are designed for insertion into the female anatomy.
Family planning categories
Basal thermometer
Related products