"…we have to think first what we are going to feed our children before we have them …": Rwandan women use family planning to provide a better life for their children.

Abstract

Use of modern contraception in Rwanda has risen dramatically over a short time period. To better understand contraceptive users' motivations for family planning services in Rwanda, 32 in-depth interviews with contraceptive users and eight focus groups with 88 family planning providers were conducted in Rwanda's Musanze and Nyamasheke districts. Study participants noted how family planning is critical for providing a better life for children. Family planning gives mothers independence from childcare to work in order to provide for their children's wellbeing. Family planning presented an opportunity for generational upward mobility and was perceived as a way to contribute positively to society.