Ethics and family planning.

Ethical problems in the area of contraception include the respect for the autonomy/integrity of the woman/couple and the question of justice. Three leading principles in Western moral philosophy are discussed and applied to contraceptive practice. To uphold the principle of autonomy, the personal choice of the woman/couple must always be respected. The question of beneficence and non-maleficence must first be related to the individual and only second to the society. The principle of justice implies that resources should be allocated to those who need them; access to contraception should not depend upon an ability to pay for the services. If the 10-year-old United Nations 'Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination of women' is to come true during this decade, we must pay more attention to the respect for integrity and to the question of justice.