Global Family Planning Handbook

A new resource provides evidence-based recommendations for providers.

Family Health Research: 2007, Vol. 1, Issue 3

Health care providers with questions about a client's eligibility for the contraceptive method she desires or with concerns about counseling a client on the relative merits of a method can now turn to a comprehensive handbook for advice based on the best available scientific evidence.

Family Planning: A Global Handbook is one of the World Health Organization's (WHO's) "four cornerstones" of family planning guidance. It is published by the WHO, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The handbook complements the other cornerstone documents by helping providers apply research findings in their everyday practice, explains Dr. Irina Yacobson, FHI's assistant medical director, who served as one of the six key technical advisors to its authors. "We realized that we needed to translate the international guidelines and the evidence behind them into practical recommendations," she said. "The evidence is more or less universal, but how you act on it may vary in different situations."

The Global Handbook: What's New Expanded coverage of methods such as emergency contraceptive pills, female condoms, and new and simpler fertility awareness methods Lists of reported side effects, health benefits, and health risks of methods Updated checklists on medical eligibility More on how to manage common problems with contraceptive use Guidance on family planning methods for people with HIV New sections on topics such as adolescents, men, women nearing menopause, maternal and newborn health, infertility, and infection prevention

Consensus recommendations

The handbook is designed to help family planning providers serve the needs of their clients at all levels of a health care system. Its content represents a consensus among technical experts from more than 30 organizations in many countries, built through a collaborative process that included several expert meetings and frequent consultation.

The format and organization of the handbook are similar to those of the publication it replaces, The Essentials of Contraceptive Technology, which was first published by the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs in 1997. The information in the new book has been updated and expanded, with many new features.

The core of the book consists of 19 chapters about contraceptive methods, including how a method works, its effectiveness and side effects, how to provide it to a client, and how to support its continued use. Other chapters address important service delivery topics. A section at the back of the book contains job aids and other tools for providers.

Encouraging use

The handbook's authors, advisors, and publishers will work with colleagues from the 46 leading family planning and health organizations that endorsed the publication to encourage providers to use it. They expect the book to be used as a daily reference for family planning providers, but also to revise clinical practice guidelines and to develop or update training courses. By the end of September 2007, more than 40,000 copies of the handbook had been distributed, and it was being translated into nine languages.

Obtaining copies

Family Planning: A Global Handbook is available free of charge to readers in developing countries. Copies may be ordered by mail from: Orders, INFO Project, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA; by telephone at 1-410-659-6315; by fax at 1-410-659-6266; or by e-mail. The handbook or individual chapters can be downloaded here.

WHO's Four Cornerstones of Family Planning Guidance Decision-Making Tool for Family Planning Clients Family Planning: A Global Handbook Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use