Iran’s shift in family planning policies: concerns and challenges

Abstract

Iran's significant success in implementing Family Planning (FP) during the past 25 years, has made it a role model in the world. The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Iran has dropped from 6.5 in 1960 to 1.6 in 2012, which is well below the targeted value of 2.2 for the country. Iran's success story, however, did not merely root in the implementation of FP programs. In other words, families' strong tendency to limit fertility and delayed marriages had an undeniable role in decreasing the TFR. On the other hand, Iranian policy-makers are very concerned about such a decrease and have recently restricted access to contraception, while outlawing any surgery that reduces fertility. This paper, tries to highlight the pros and cons of such restrictive policies, and argue that the policy-makers might be jeopardizing the success of Iran's FP program by overestimating its role in the TFR reduction rate.

Consistent Condom Use with Paying and Nonpaying Partners among Female Sex Workers in Iran: Findings of a National Biobehavioral Survey

“…The latter, however, could point to the important role that family planning services could play in improving safe sex practices among FSWs. Nonetheless, despite the fact that family planning services targeting FSWs are not significantly affected by Iran's recent shift in population control policies, 32,33 less than half of the FSWs reported not having ever received family planning services (eg, STI counselling, free condoms). This calls for further research on barriers to accessing the existing services and ways to make them more visible to FSWs.…”

Lifetime Abortion of Female Sex Workers in Iran: Findings of a National Bio-Behavioural Survey In 2010

“…This could be partly explained by the reverse causality effect of prior lifetime abortion experiences on current contraceptive use as well as the availability of STIs counseling services within these centers. While it is encouraging that despite Iran’s recent shift in population control policies, family planning services targeting FSWs are not significantly affected and are still freely available [39, 40], around 40% of our participants had not received family planning services (e.g., STIs counselling, free condoms). This calls for further research on barriers to accessing the available services.…”

Factors Affecting the Use of Long-Acting and Permanent Contraceptive Methods Among Married Women of Reproductive Age in East of Iran

“…Today, Iran, like many other countries in the world, is experiencing a very low fertility rate. The total fertility rate (TFR) of this country has dropped from 6.5 in 1976 to 1.6 children per women in 2012 (2). Indeed, the below-replacement level fertility is spread in most regions of Iran (1).…”