Research Briefs on Family Planning and HIV Integration

Family planning has a critical role to play in curbing the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Strengthening links between family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services provides an opportunity to make efficient and effective use of available resources to address clients' dual risks of unintended pregnancy and HIV infection.

The following briefs discuss the acceptability and feasibility of integrating family planning into voluntary counseling and testing services in Kenya; the process by which that integration is occurring; and the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of contraception as a means of reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

Evaluating the Integration of Family Planning and Voluntary Counseling and Testing in Kenya (2007)

Operations research in Kenya suggests that integrating family planning into VCT services is feasible and acceptable and does not detract from the quality of VCT.

Contraception Cost-Effective for Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (2006)

Researchers from Family Health International have developed a model to assess the cost-effectiveness of contraception to prevention mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Results show that contraceptive use among women who wish to avoid pregnancy is at least as cost-effective as traditional strategies for preventing mother-to-child transmission.

Contraception to Prevent Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (2006)

Preventing unintended pregnancies in HIV-infected women who do not currently wish to become pregnant is an important and cost-effective way of preventing new HIV infections of infants.

Integrating Family Planning and Voluntary Counseling and Testing Services in Kenya (2004)

In response to research demonstrating the feasibility of integrating family planning into voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) centers in Kenya, the government of Kenya has moved quickly to develop and begin implementing a strategy for providing family planning services at all VCT centers in the country.

Preparedness of Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers in Kenya to Provide Family Planning (2003)

Integration of voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) and family planning services offers various benefits: Contraception is a primary HIV prevention strategy (by preventing vertical transmission) and VCT is an obvious opportunity to reach people who need to prevent unintended pregnancies and might not use traditional family planning services, such as men and adolescents.