Reversible contraception: issues faced by emerging countries

There is no doubt that fertility regulation represents an important contribution to reproductive health. The role of fertility regulation in decreasing maternal mortality has been well documented. Thus, the use of contraceptives in developing countries has been projected to increase from 51% (1990) to 59% in the year 2000. Accordingly, 151 million surgical procedures for female and male sterilization, 8.7 billion cycles of oral contraceptives (OCs), 663 million doses of injectables, 310 million intrauterine devices (IUDs), and 44 billion condoms will be required in developing countries during the 1990s. Contraceptives are currently being manufactured in at least 27 developing countries. Subsidiaries of multinational companies are often involved in the local production of OCs and condoms, whereas most domestic IUD manufacturing ventures have been undertaken by local private companies. External assistance agencies have been active in supporting the local production of contraceptives.