Our Goals
The Family Planning Research team focuses on fostering research of important questions in family planning. Our mission is to promote and advance knowledge in womens reproductive health, to improve womens access to reproductive options and treatments, and to understand how social determinants of health impacts womens choices. We are an interdisciplinary group of researchers, new investigators, and trainees whose aim is to enhance research capacity to improve the maternal health of Canadian women. We give priority to projects engaging multidisciplinary teams, mentoring new researchers and addressing concerns that will better the lives of women and their families.
Why is this a womens health research priority?
Although Canadian data is unknown, globally and in the United States half of all pregnancies are unintended and half of these end in abortion. Effective evidence-informed policies supporting optimal family planning and birth spacing is important for the physical, mental and economic health of mothers and their families. Thirty-two percent of Canadian women are estimated to have an abortion at some time in their lives. Repeat abortions account for 38-49% of current abortions, and make up a large proportion of both a high risk population for future unintended pregnancies and a highly marginalized population (e.g., young maternal age, poverty, concurrent single motherhood, substance use and mental health conditions and difficulty accessing services due to rural and remote locations). Family planning is a priority in womens health research because current knowledge on comprehensive outcomes and long term health implications after abortion or contraception prescription are limited by short follow up periods and high loss-to-follow-up rates.
Family Planning News
Research Partners:
CONTRACEPTION ACCESS RESEARCH TEAM
Publications:
Developing a National Family Planning Primary Healthcare Research Program: opportunities and priorities identified through stakeholder and expert consultations (April 2012)
Développer un Programme National de Recherch sur les soins Primaires en Planification Familiale (April 2012)
