Ensuring access to information and affordable quality services for a wide range of contraceptive methods within family planning and reproductive health programs is imperative for women and men to achieve their reproductive intentions, including the choice to limit future births.  Unfortunately, more than 200 million women in the developing world want to prevent pregnancy but are not using modern contraception due to significant barriers to making informed choices and accessing the contraceptive method that best meets their needs.

In May 2012, the Population Council, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), and the Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition (RHSC) hosted a meeting to discuss opportunities to accelerate progress toward meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of universal access to reproductive health services by increasing access to highly effective, long-acting and reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods. Participants stated in a report that “women are qualified to make informed choices about the contraceptive that best meets their needs, if access is provided, correct information is available, and quality of care is ensured.” The report also mentioned some potential barriers to the use of contraceptives and in particular LA/PMs, including limited options and inconsistent stock in public and private health facilities, and the lack of trained health care providers in counseling, inserting, and removing long-acting methods and other services necessary for women to achieve reproductive goals.