Family Planning

Counseling

Optional Session III,

Slide #1
Serving Diverse Groups

• Different woman have different needs

• What are some of the special needs of
these groups: male vs. female,
adolescents vs. adults, postabortion or
postpartum women vs. interval.
• How would you address each of these
woman’s needs?

Optional Session III,

Slide #2
Family Planning Counseling
Needs of Adolescents
• Young people deserve nonjudgmental and
respectful care
• Show them that you enjoy working with them
• Use terms that suit young people
• Try to make sure that a young woman's choices
are her own
• Speak without expressing judgment
• Take time to fully address questions, fears, and
misinformation
Optional Session III,
Slide #3
Family Planning Counseling
Needs of Postpartum Women
• Discuss the importance of birth spacing
• Explain the rapid return to fertility for women who
are not breastfeeding
• Discuss return to sexual activity
• Explain benefits of LAM and exclusive
breastfeeding
• Discuss family planning options and when each
method can be started
• Integrate family planning within maternal, newborn
and child health services
Optional Session III,
Slide #4
 How can I help you?

• Let’s plan for the future

• You can become pregnant soon if
you are not breast feeding
• Breast feeding will protect you
from pregnancy for 6 months if you
use it exclusively without giving
other food or liquids.
• There are many good family
planning methods that you can use
while you are breastfeeding

Optional Session III,

Slide #5
Family Planning Needs of
Postabortion Women
• Women who have just been treated for postabortion
complications need easy and immediate access to family
planning services
• A woman who has had postabortion complications needs
support.
- Try to understand what she has been through
- Treat her with respect and avoid judgment and criticism
- Ensure privacy and confidentiality
- Ask if she wants someone she trusts to be present during
counseling
• Explain that fertility returns quickly and discuss family planning
options
Optional Session III,
Slide #6
.

How can I help you?

Let’s discuss your needs:

• You can get pregnant again

quickly
• I can help you choose and use a
method
• All family planning methods are
safe now if you have no infection

Optional Session III,

Slide #7
Culture/Gender Roles and FP

• Explore how cultural beliefs and traditions about

roles for men and women affect use of FP
• Suggest strategies for:
– Empowering women to control their fertility
– Changing some of the roles that make women less
important or less powerful than men

Optional Session III,

Slide #8