It is important to understand the social, physical, and administrative environment in which the grassroots components of a health program function and provide services.

One of the purposes of family planning programmes in developing countries is to provide for the unmet needs of couples for contraception.

Contraception as a behavioral phenomenon has been the focus of many population researches, during the last half a century. In fact, explaining contraceptive behavior is a complex theoretical effort. Learning, motivation,

An outline is given of progress made in understanding the causes of maternal mortality since the Safe Motherhood Initiative was launched a decade ago. It remains vital to analyze. why women are dying from pregnancy-related conditions and to identify the weak links in the chain of care.

In these words, Ayurved, the ancient Indian medical science, describes "safe motherhood" Thus, "Motherhood is the basis of family life which, in turn, is the backbone of all the orders of society. Hence, family life remains protected if the woman is safe and protected."

A woman would prefer to prevent an unwanted pregnancy rather than having an abortion or carrying the pregnancy to term. No amount of legal or religious restrictions, social stigma or lack of access to professional care can stop her if she decides to seek termination of an unplanned pregnancy.

Every minute of every day a woman dies as a result of pregnancy or childbirth. The loss per annum of 500,000 women is mind boggling. A maternal death is the outcome of a chain of events and disadvantages throughout a woman's life.

The paper uses the National Family Health Survey (NFHS, 1992-93) data to examine the extent to which sex preferences have constrained the success of the family planning programme and inhibited the acceptance of contraception in the different states of the country.

In the year 1950, injectable contraceptives were developed (containing only progestin). For the treatment of endometriosis and endometrial cancer as well as of painful menstrual periods, (dysmenorrhoea), excessive hair growth (hirsutism), and bleeding disorders, progestins were finally used.