These country-specific briefs highlight the burden of disease related to unmet need for spacing and family planning. They focus on the potential contribution of HTSP to decrease the burden of disease. Use these briefs as a powerful resource for family planning and HTSP advocacy.

The briefs can be used to:

Present HTSP data to decision-makers to advance understanding of the role of pregnancy timing and spacing in the health of mothers and newborns

Advocate for increased resources for HTSP interventions with national policymakers and district health teams

Ultimately, the hope is that these briefs can be used as part of a strategy to:

Implement HTSP behavior change communication and counseling interventions as an integral risk prevention strategy in all family planning, child and maternal health communications and client counseling protocols.

Ensure that the two 2006 pregnancy spacing recommendations from the technical experts to the WHO, as well as information on the specific health benefits associated with the healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy are included in all communications and protocols.

Develop or strengthen pregnancy delay or spacing services and communication activities for young (15-29 years) clients.

Achieve a more balanced method mix, help families understand that long-acting and intermediate methods (IUDs and injectables) are safe, and can effectively help them achieve their spacing preferences.

Expand communications and service delivery efforts among zero-parity adolescents that are oriented to health risks associated with the timing of a first and subsequent pregnancy.