Family planning programmes and action in Western Europe

Abstract Neo-Malthusian organisations for spreading birth control propaganda were created in many West European countries in the 1870s and '80s. But the birth control movement proper, with its provision of clinics and other means of supplying advice on contraception, began much later-generally after World War I and largely on a welfare basis, divorced from Malthusianism. Legal and other difficulties impeded progress and conditioned the nature of the movement. Since World War II, however, the relevance of birth control has come increasingly to be recognized and the movement has expanded markedly. In some countries - especially in France, West Germany and Italy - there are still legal obstacles, though ways have been found of avoiding them. But even in other countries the direct impact of birth control clinics is far smaller than might have been expected and married couples still obtain their information on contraception from other sources. In recent years the various national movements have shown a greater interest in the evaluation of their activities. As a result, the near future may see substantial changes in their structure and in the approach to their potential clientèle.