For as long as there have been family planning programs, there has been family planning research. At the theoretical level, researchers examine the effect of fertility on health and socioeconomic development and study the determinants of fertility for individuals and populations. At the policy level, studies explore the role of family planning programs in modifying fertility and health. The development of new contraceptives is accompanied by clinical and pre introductory trials carried out in program settings. Surveys are conducted to measure changes in contraceptive use and fertility, and the results are used to make decisions affecting programs. Finally, programs themselves carry out operations research (OR) to improve service delivery.

The aim of this volume is to provide an overview of how operations research is used by family planning programs. The readings in this book illustrate many of the major issues and topics that have benefitted from operations research, as well as many of the research designs encountered among OR studies. The book also provides information about the problems that programs and researchers encounter in carrying out operations research and the challenges faced in translating research findings into changes in day-to-day program operations.

The first four sections in this book deal with major operations research topic areas including program impact, access, resources, and quality of care. The last section deals with issues in the conduct of OR studies and the use of OR findings. Each section begins with a brief introduction intended to provide the reader with basic information about the topic under consideration, and about the programmatic and research issues dealt with in the readings. Occasionally, section introductions also suggest areas within the section topics requiring further study. Finally, most papers are prefaced by brief remarks by the editors designed to identify the salient aspects and issues raised by each study.