A family planning center can mean different things depending upon what the center offers. Most often, these centers are like those run by the organization Planned Parenthood®. Yet at other times, they may be centers designed for those people interested in practicing natural family planning, and they might be connected to religious organizations.
In the Planned Parenthood® model, many types of the family planning center offer women and men access to information about methods for avoiding pregnancy. Doctors and/or nurse practitioners work for the clinic, give exams, test for presence of sexually transmitted diseases, talk to people about their sexual habits, and help people determine if habits pose risks. They also administer pregnancy tests and they can help women make choices on the types of birth control they might want to use. During exams, they can place any birth control that requires insertion, like intrauterine devices (IUDs). A lot of family planning centers will also offer free condoms to women or men who request them.
Sometimes a family planning center offers access to “morning after” pills or to abortion services. Others may give abortion counseling and see to a woman’s health needs after she has one. Some family planning centers also offer pregnancy care up to delivery of a child.
Many times, services at a family planning center are free or low cost, especially for teens or for those who fall into low-income brackets. They may be more expensive if people have higher incomes, but this really depends on each center and the needs of the person using it. Many centers take a variety of insurance plans too, but some people may prefer to go elsewhere for care if they have insurance. Often, family planning centers that perform many of their services for free have long waiting times and small budgets; they may simply not be as pleasant as sitting in a well funded doctor’s office, though this can vary.
Natural family planning centers tend to have different services. Some are run by religious organizations deeply invested in natural family planning causes, and it is possible that women who are not entirely decided on natural family planning might be reminded of the religious aspects of choosing otherwise. For many women who would support natural family planning, this is of no concern, and they are far happier being at a family planning center that can support their needs and that doesn’t routinely practice other methods not in keeping with their moral views.
These clinics could be used by women who are trying to get pregnant and having difficulty, or by women who would like to use methods approved by their faith to avoid pregnancy. Sometimes the clinics have restrictions on which people they will see, and they might be resistant to working with unmarried people. However clinics may have pregnancy counseling and support, especially to prevent abortion. Charges for such clinics may be nothing or a lot depending upon income bracket and how the clinic is structured.
Clinics that offer family planning may represent two diametrically opposed views of fertility, birth control, and pregnancy counseling. Thus it makes good sense to look local clinics up online, or to call them and ask which services they do offer. This gives women and men a choice in determining which local clinics will most serve their needs.