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The cost-effectiveness of family planning service provision
Background:
Family planning services are amongst the most highly utilized services in the National Health Service. There have, however, been few empirical studies of the cost-effectiveness of these services.
Methods:
Two measures of output were used to calculate the cost-effectiveness of family planning services. The first measure is based on the number of pregnancies averted. The second measure uses the couple year of protection as the measure of output. Accordingly, two cost-effectiveness ratios are calculated: cost per pregnancy averted and cost per couple year of protection.
Results:
The direct cost per pregnancy averted is between 48 pounds and 167 pounds for reversible and 18 pounds and 21 pounds for non-reversible methods. The cost per couple year of protection is between 49 pounds and 184 pounds for reversible and 17 pounds and 21 pounds for non-reversible methods. For both approaches, if averted NHS costs associated with family planning services are included these translate into resource savings to the NHS resulting from the provision of these services.
Conclusion:
From the perspective adopted in this study, family planning services are highly cost-effective. According to calculations made in this paper, these services provide a high rate of return to the NHS and, when the resource consequences of unplanned pregnancies in the health sector as a whole are considered, result in resource savings.