Long-Acting and Permanent Methods of Contraception: Without Them, a Country’s Development Will Be Low and Slow

This two-page advocacy brief, third in a series of five briefs published by The ACQUIRE Project, answers key questions about long-acting and/or permanent family planning methods, which include intrauterine devices (IUDs or IUCDs), implants, female sterilisation, and vasectomy. Written in a question and answer format, the brief is designed for policy and reproductive health decision-makers such as health ministers, but is written in a way designed to be accessible to anyone within the reproductive health sector.

The brief gives a short overview of family planning in Southern Africa, emphasising the existing unmet need for family planning programmes and methods that are effective. The brief then answers the following key questions about long-acting and permanent contraception:

• What are the long-acting and permanent methods of contraception?
• What are the most significant attributes of long-acting and/or permanent methods?
• Why is long-acting and permanent contraception so important to a country?
• Are people in Sub-Saharan Africa afraid to use these methods?
• Aren't there many people who cannot use long-acting and permanent methods?
• Why is unmet need for these methods so high?
• Isn't long-acting and permanent contraception expensive?
• What should a Minister of Health do?

The brief includes key facts about family planning and reproductive health, as well as suggestions for action around promoting long-acting and permanent contraception.