LARC for Youth

On the heels of world contraception day and renewed efforts to improve family planning services globally, new recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics highlight the importance of youth-friendly services and policies. Until now, pediatricians first recommended condoms or oral contraception as the best options for pregnancy prevention despite their relatively high failure rate compared … Continue reading →

Common Misconceptions around Male Circumcision and HIV Transmission

Misconceptions around family planning and sexual and reproductive health continue to pose a challenge for increasing uptake of these services.  Many services providers seek to overcome these barriers through education and information campaigns that correct possible biases. However, a recent study suggests that information provision, even when correct, may still lead to misconceptions. More providers … Continue reading →

Covert Contraception

While the total fertility rate in most of the world is steady or declining, population growth is rapidly rising in sub-Saharan Africa. The rate of contraceptive uptake remains among the lowest in the world and is in part due to differences in fertility demand as well as cultural and gender norms. DHS data indicates that in … Continue reading →

Stigma and the Role of HIV Prevention Programs

Addressing HIV plays an important role in many reproductive health programs. Often, in conjunction with the provision of services, programs seek to address and decrease the stigma around HIV. Some contend that decreased stigma can help reduce risky sexual behavior as people have a better understanding of HIV and its effects and improve the uptake … Continue reading →

Preventing Teen Pregnancy: More Contraception and MTV?

Teenage pregnancy in the United States hit an all time low in 2013. After a rise in pregnancies between 1986 and 1991, many organizations and policymakers developed programs to prevent or delay adolescent pregnancy. Between 1991 and 2012, teenage pregnancy rates had a statistically significant drop in all 50 states and D.C. 48 states experienced a … Continue reading →

Africa’s Rapidly Growing Population and the Role of Family Planning

Last week UNICEF released the Generation 2030 Africa Report on changing demographics around the continent. The report predicts that, despite declines in fertility rates, the population will double by 2050 to approximately 2.4 billion people. Over the next 35 years, 4 out of every 10 babies born will be in Africa. Nigeria alone will account … Continue reading →

Correcting Misconceptions: Youth Programs in Action

A call to action by the Philippine Information Agency highlights the ever-growing need for education in the face of reproductive health misconceptions.  In a recent presentation, the Assistant Secretary of the National Youth Commission (NYC) of the Philippines addressed his audience with startling statistics from a demographic and health survey.  He explained, “fifty percent of the youth … Continue reading →

Health Policymakers Meet Behavioral Economics

While behavioral economics has become increasingly popular in academia, its popularity among policymakers is less clearly marked.  A recent article in the Oxford Journal identifies trends in opinions towards behavioral economics among health policymakers. Researchers collected survey responses from a total of 520 policymakers working in the low- and middle-income countries that are often targeted by behavioral … Continue reading →

Reshaping Views of Reproductive Health through Media Intervention

In an effort to reshape attitudes toward reproductive health, Sierra Leone-based nonprofit Ipas invited a cohort of national journalists to a two-day training on the subject.  The training focused on educating participants about the prevalence of unsafe abortions in Sierra Leone, the status of abortion laws in the region and the media’s role in transmitting these messages to the public. By … Continue reading →

World Cup Condoms: Promoting Safer Sex

DKT International recently introduced a new Caipirinha flavored condom in Brazilian colors to increase the uptake of condoms during the 2014 World Cup. Several other international agencies — including UNAIDS Protect the Goal — have also leveraged the cultural importance of the World Cup globally to promote sexual health. Intensive marketing campaigns such as this … Continue reading →