[Family health and responsible paternity: Chile's experience 1965-1988]

In 1965 the Chilean government incorporated fertility regulation policies to the national health programs. The aim was to promote responsible parenthood and family welfare, reducing the number of clandestine abortions and the associated maternal and infant mortality. These decreased to 1.7 per 1000 and 18.5 per 1000 respectively around 1987. Even though demographic control was not a purpose of the program, global fertility rate decreased to 2.4%, birth rate to 22.3% and the population growth and dependency rates to 1.7% and 0.58%, respectively. After 25 years, the program may be considered successful and associated to a general improvement in health conditions in Chile. Social protection programs are needed in many cases to further improve family welfare.