REVERSIBLE CONTRACEPTION - ISSUES FACED BY EMERGING COUNTRIES

There is no doubt that fertility regulation represents an important co ntribution 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 incre ase from 51% (1990) to 59% in the year 2000. Accordingly, 151 million surgical procedures for female and male sterilization, 8.7 billion cyc les of oral contraceptives (OCs), 663 million doses of injectables, 31 0 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. Subs idiaries of multinational companies are often involved in the local pr oduction of OCs and condoms, whereas most domestic IUD manufacturing v entures have been undertaken by local private companies. External assi stance agencies have been active in supporting the local production of contraceptives. (C) 1998 International Federation of Gynecology and O bstetrics.