Why should I use contraceptives?

Contraceptive use benefits each person, the broader community, and society in general [1].
Contraceptives give you options; you can decide when you want to have children, how many children you want to have, as well as whether you want to have children at all.
Contraceptives have also led to fewer risks. For example, they allow younger women to wait until they are older and their bodies are better able to support a pregnancy; similarly, they allow older women to prevent pregnancy when their bodies can no longer comfortably tolerate pregnancy and childbirth.
Contraceptives prevent teen pregnancies, which can negatively affect their relationships and careers. Teen pregnancies can also adversely affect the health of a newborn baby as babies born to teen mothers tend to be underweight and more at risk of neonatal mortality (when the baby dies within 28 days).
Contraceptives contribute to healthier babies overall because when pregnancies are too close together it results in a higher infant mortality rate (number of infant deaths under age of one). This is because parents may struggle to provide the best care for their newborns when their babies are too close together.
Contraceptives positively impact the economy, the environment, the education system, and health services because they help slow down population growth.