The INFO Project Blog

Implants offer a highly effective way to expand family planning choices for women and reduce the incidence of maternal mortality worldwide, according to the latest issue of Population Reports. Released with a companion issue of INFO Reports, the publication emphasizes the method’s ease of use and its potential for reducing unmet need worldwide. Currently just .3% of married women choose this family planning method. Read more about the new publications here.

Authors Deepa Ramchandran and Ushma Upadhyay are eager to know how program managers and service providers will use the reports’ findings. They offer up two questions for readers.

1. By 2008, Norplant, the six-capsule implant system, will no longer be available. Are programs that are currently offering Norplant switching to provide the newer implants (either Jadelle, Implanon, or Sino-Implant (II))?

If so, how are they planning to transition to the new implants?

If not, what alternative are they providing for women who want long-acting methods?

2. We have heard that in many countries demand for implants is very high and many women want implants but are unable to obtain them. Cost is the largest barrier to access to implants and many of the reported shortages of implants are due to their high cost. What strategies are programs using to continue to provide implants to their clients?