Contraception and psychosocial stress. Lack of control over one's own life is a major cause of stress (75). Thus the use of contraception can improve women's emotional health by providing more reproductive control and greater choice about childbearing (74, 75, 129). Also, because using contraception, like other preventive health practices, reflects an orientation to the future, it can be an important step toward overcoming fatalism and lack of self-worth (129).

In some circumstances, however, obtaining and using contraception can itself be stressful, especially where modern contraceptives are not yet widely accepted. A woman may worry about visiting a family planning clinic and undergoing questioning or a physical examination. She may fear disrespectful treatment or negligent care. She may also fear that visiting a clinic or using contraception will provoke her husband's anger or will bring criticism from her family, her in-laws, or others (74). She may experience painful or worrying side effects from using a contraceptive method. She may hear frightening false rumors about the dangers of contraceptive methods. Family planning managers must recognize these possible stresses and develop strategies to relieve them. As contraceptive use becomes the community norm and as services improve, using contraception may become less stressful.