Reproductive decisions in family: abortion, contraception, IVF

Reproductive decisions in modern families are based on reproductive goals, on the one hand, and the possibilities of their implementation, on the other. Reproductive solutions, the approach to which has evolved along with the possibilities of producing safe abortion and effective contraception, have made it possible even to make male and female sterilization reversible, and assisted reproductive technologies have become used when it is necessary to restore fertility, artificially limited to protect against unwanted pregnancy. Birth control as a demographic, social, and medical problem of society has become more dependent on regulating the number of births in a family. The purpose of the article is to identify trends in making individual decisions regarding birth of children, taking into account the new possibilities of artificial termination of pregnancy, protection against unwanted pregnancy, and fertility restoration using assisted reproductive technologies. The information base consists of thematic data from official state and medical statistics, information and analytical materials, results of sociological surveys from different years, publications by Russian and foreign scientists in the field of demography and medicine, materials from specialized websites. Changes in the priorities of modern contraceptive methods are identified as the availability of programs based on in vitro fertilization in Russia and other countries increases (growth of male and female sterilization with cryopreservation of sexual material). The trend of changing attitudes towards «home abortions» is shown, which intensified after the expansion of telemedicine as a necessary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The gender barriers of contraception in connection with limited methods for men and the medical and social prospects for solving this problem in different countries are highlighted.