Family planning services in the United States

In recent years the United States has made considerable progress in providing family planning services for those in need. This does not mean, however, that the problems posed by unwanted pregnancies and unwanted births have been completely overcome. Estimates of the number of low-income women needing and receiving family planning services indicate that roughly 3.6 million women at risk of an unwanted pregnancy were receiving family planning services in 1973. This represented almost two-thirds of those in need at the time. Many programs are also seeking to meet the teenage need demonstrated by very high rates of out-of-wedlock births, premarital conceptions, obstetric problems, and legal abortion demands of women 15 to 19 years of age. As of 1973, it appeared that between 1.3 and 2.2 million never-married teenagers were in need of organized family planning services, and that of these, services were being received by between 25 and 42 per cent.