Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use

Second edition - 2004

 

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The Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use is one of WHO's two evidence-based guidelines on contraceptive use. The document provides guidance on the safe and effective use of a wide range of contraceptive methods, and is the companion guideline to WHO's Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use. The document is intended to be used by policy-makers, programme managers, and the scientific community, and aims to support national programmes in the preparation of service delivery guidelines.

The recommendations were determined by consensus at an expert Working Group meeting held at WHO in Geneva,13–16 April 2004, and were based on systematic reviews of available scientific literature. The document contains recommendations answering 33 questions selected by WHO, including 10 new questions for this second edition.

The document covers the following family planning methods: combined oral contraceptives (COCs), combined injectable contraceptives (CICs), progestogen-only pills (POPs), depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN), levonorgestrel implants, emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), copper-bearing intrauterine devices, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine devices (LNG IUDs), fertility awareness-based methods, and sterilization.

Through the CIRE System (Continuous Identification of Research Evidence), WHO will monitor the publication of new research evidence that may affect the recommendations contained in the Selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use. WHO will update and add to the recommendations in this document through expert Working Group meetings every three to four years. For issues where the evidence base may change rapidly, we will also publish "guidance updates" on this web site where new evidence warrants comments on or changes to the original guidelines: Click here for any new guidance updates. 

 

© World Heallth Organization 2004

This document is not a formal publication of the World Health Organization (WHO), and all the rights are reserved by the Organization. The document may, however, be freely reviewed, abstracted, reproduced, and translated in part or in whole, but not for sale nor for use in conjunction with commercial purposes. 

Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters.