Planning Your Family: Developing a Reproductive Life Plan

A reproductive life plan is a guide for you to decide if or when you would like to start a family. It is a set of goals you set for yourself to determine if you want to have children, when you want to have children, and under what conditions you would like to have children. The plan can be started when you feel you are ready and can be changed at any time you decide. You have the right to decide what you feel is right for yourself and should never feel that you are being forced to make decisions about whether or not to have children. You will want to review your reproductive life plan at least once a year or more frequently as your relationships or goals may change. Be sure to discuss your reproductive life plan with your health care provider. Your provider can provide information to help you develop your plan and meet the goals you set for yourself.

Planning ahead can help you avoid getting pregnant when you don't want to be pregnant and also be in good health if and when you do decide to become pregnant. Getting pregnant when you did not plan it can be a problem, or it can turn into a happy event. Planning pregnancy leads to healthier pregnancies, and healthier families.

Although many people talk about wanting to have a family, not everyone wants to have children. More and more people are childless by choice (also known as childfree). Whether to have children is a personal choice that only you can make. It's okay not to want children! If you never want to get pregnant, it is important to make sure you always use very effective birth control, such as an intrauterine device, the birth control implant, tubal sterilization (having your tubes tied), or your male partner having a vasectomy.

Each state has different laws about pregnancy and the right to make a decision about abortion. It is important to know the current laws in your state.

The first step is to decide if you want to have children. The next step is to answer questions about your plans for having children. There are 2 sets of questions depending on whether or not you want to have children.

After considering these important questions, talk about your plans for having or not having children in more depth with your partner, family, and health care provider. A reproductive life plan is important and can help you have a healthy baby and a less stressful pregnancy if you want to have children. It can also help you avoid pregnancy if you do not want to have children.

Flesch-Kincaid reading level 7.2

Approved October 2023. This handout replaces “Planning Your Family: Developing a Reproductive Life Plan” published in Volume 56, Issue 5, September/October 2011.

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