This report on new findings in contraception research can help program managers, providers, teachers, and communicators to:  update colleagues and students on recent research findings; draw attention to the new, longer "grace period" for DMPA reinjection recently recommended by WHO, and advocate clear and prominent changes in program policy and training; answer concerns about ready access to emergency contraceptive pills; adopt and use checklists that qualify more women to use IUDs; recommend LAM to women with HIV who are breastfeeding; offer a wide range o

 Family planning users and providers have been calling for more choices. They want contraceptive methods that provide highly effective protection and at the same time cause fewer side effects, cost less, and are easier to use. In response, researchers are improving existing contraceptives and developing new ways to deliver hormones. Offering a wide range of safe, effective, and convenient family planning methods encourages more people to use contraception. Having more choices helps ensure that users are satisfied with their family planning method.

 Family planning users and providers have been calling for more choices. They want contraceptive methods that provide highly effective protection and at the same time cause fewer side effects, cost less, and are easier to use. In response, researchers are improving existing contraceptives and developing new ways to deliver hormones. Offering a wide range of safe, effective, and convenient family planning methods encourages more people to use contraception. Having more choices helps ensure that users are satisfied with their family planning method.

 Fertility fell in almost all developing countries surveyed since 1990, as use of modern contraception rose. These trends continue a long-term change in attitudes and behavior. Findings from more than 100 surveys conducted since 1990 suggest that, as family planning programs have become widespread, more and more people want smaller families, and more succeed in having the size of family that they want.

 Every week urban areas gain another one million people. Within four years half of the world's population will live in urban areas. How governments and communities meet the concurrent challenges of rapid urbanization, poverty, development, and protection of the natural environment will largely determine the world’s future.  

 This issue of Population Reports focuses on the impact of rapid population growth on the environment.  Many developing economies currently consume resources much faster than they can regenerate.

 The freshwater shortage is emerging as one of the most critical global natural resource issues.  At present, 31 countries face chronic freshwater shortages and this figure is expected to rise to 48 countries (encompassing 35% of the world's projected population) by the year 2025.  Population growth, rising demands for water for irrigated agriculture and industrial development, massive urbanization, and rising living standards are contributing to the shortage.  Pollution has produced a decrease in the finite supply of freshwater at

 This report provides an overview of the important developments in the population field, particularly in the production of food that will meet the demand of the growing population.  It is noted that while the global economy produces enough food to feed the world's 6 billion people, many people lack access to enough food for a healthy life.  This is most apparent in poor countries where population is growing rapidly and hunger and malnutrition are often the critical problems.

 The 10th Special Topics series emphasizes how population growth is linked with environmental stress.  Each of the 90 million new people added to the Earth each year requires food, energy, and water.  By the year 2000, >50% of developing countries will not be able to provide food for their populations.  Almost 50% of the world's population will not have enough fuelwood to meet their needs.  Only a few large st

 Data from the Demographic and Health Surveys and the Family Planning Surveys are used to review fertility trends in developing countries since the 1960s.  Consideration is given to fertility patterns and preference; contraceptive use, knowledge, and availability; estimates of unmet needs for family planning services; trends in marriage age; infant and child mortality; and antenatal and child health care.  Future fertility patterns are also projected.  An

This issue presents, in comparable form, the major findings of all World Fertility and Contraceptive Prevalence Surveys available from developing countries--89 in all from 49 countries, covering women age 15--44 married or in union.  These surveys, which constitute the largest body of knowledge on fertility and family planning available, reveal striking differences in family planning practices.  The percentage of cou

Today more than 1 billion of the world's nearly 5 billion people are between the ages of 10-19 years.  In developing countries, there are 860 million people in this age group.  National and international agencies are focusing new attention on the problems of youth and on programs to help young people make the transition to responsible adulthood.  The major challenges that f

 This report provides an overview of migration, population growth, and development.  The population of the developing world increased dramatically from 1.7 billion in 1950 to 3.3 billion in 1980.  This increase was expressed in rapid urbanization and large-scale international labor migration.  Approximately 1 billion people now live in developing country cities and the

 Formal population education aims to teach school children about basic population issues and to encourage them eventually to have smaller families.  It is vital to include population in the school curriculum because population and family life issues are an important aspect of many personal, community, and national decisions.  National population education programs began in about a dozen countries, mostly Asian,

 CPSs (contraceptive prevalence surveys) are regional or national probability sample surveys designed to evaluate family planning programs by collecting information on contraceptive knowledge and use, choice of methods, and use in relation to desire for additional children.  16 developing countries have already conducted CPSs and at least 3 more are planning to do so.  This is a detailed summary of information obtained from those surveys with the information presented in graphic and tabular form.

 In 1979, 5 years following the initiation of the 1st World Fertility Survey (WFS) -- the largest social science research project ever undertaken -- data from the WFS are answering questions that policy makers and demographers have debated for the last 10 years.  By means of the WFS over 400,000 women of reproductive age in over 40 developing countries and 20 developed countries are providing information on their marriages, fertility, and contraceptive pr

 This is a guide to aid in selecting and maintaining the proper equipment used in the following sterilization procedures: 1) minilaparotomy, 2) laparoscopy, 3) conventional laparotomy, 4) colpotomy, 5) culdoscopy, and 6) vasectomy.  Prototype, experimental, or infrequently used instruments are not discussed.  Colpotomy, minilaparotomy, and conventional vasectomy are low-technology procedures requiring relatively