This fact sheet contains information about the copper IUD for non-medical professionals.

This fact sheet contains information about the progestin IUD for non-medical professionals.

This patient information leaflet was developed by the ICA Foundation. It provides an overview of the LNG-IUS to potential users, and includes information about side effects, insertion and removal procedures, mechanism of action, and efficacy.  

This 1-page chart compares the effectiveness of various family planning methods, including IUDs, and has a few key messages on how to make ones method more effective which could be useful to providers and program managers alike.

The information in this document is compiled from the Contraceptive Myths and Counseling Messages Database. It provides evidence-based information and counseling messages that providers around the world have used to dispel commonly-held contraceptive myths and misperceptions. Health care professionals can use this resource to correct misinformation and support informed decisions by helping clients understand the facts on how contraceptive methods work, on who can use them, their possible side effects, and much more.

This wall chart illustrates all contraceptive methods including IUDs and explains whether each method is temporary or permanent, its effectiveness, ease of use, and side effects. It also includes a chart which shows which methods are not advisable for certain health conditions (smoking, high blood pressure, breastfeeding, etc.). This chart updates and replaces previously published editions. It is published in several languages. 

This document offers summaries of key consumer issues regarding the IUD and programs designed to address those issues.  The issues and recommendations are drawn from consumer-directed IUD communications that have been conducted to date, although it should be noted that IUD marketing has been relatively limited, and few programs have been rigorously evaluated.  Examples are drawn from programs conducted in various cultural settings and three specific case studies from Kenya, Pakistan, and Nepal.

This interactive counseling resource is a tool for family planning clients and providers to use together to: help clients choose and use the method of contraception that suits them best; give providers essential information needed to offer high-quality family planning care to clients; and help providers counsel clients more effectively. This tool, which is consistent with the WHO Medical Eligibility Criteria and the Selected Practice Recommendations, contributes to ensure informed free choice and proper use of a method of contraception.

This IUD pamphlet was created to inform and stimulate IUD use during an effort to reintroduce the IUD in Kenya.  The pamphlet was designed by the Kenyan Ministry of Health with leadership from the Division of Reproductive Health; specifically, Dr Josephine Kibaru, Head of the Division of Reproductive Health and Dr Marsden Solomon, Program Manager, Family Planning.  The materials were also developed with technical support from the IUCD Task Force.

This brief addresses ACQUIRE’s work using the Supply-Demand-Advocacy model to promote the IUD in Ethiopia, focusing particularly on using communication for advocacy and to create demand.

This brief addresses ACQUIRE’s work using the Supply-Demand-Advocacy (SDA) model to promote the IUD in Guinea, focusing particularly on communications for demand creation and advocacy.

This brief addresses ACQUIRE’s work using the Supply-Demand-Advocacy (SDA) model to promote the IUD in Kenya, focusing particularly on using communication for advocacy and to create demand.

This brief addresses ACQUIRE’s work using the Supply-Demand-Advocacy model to promote the IUD in Uganda, focusing particularly on using communication for advocacy and to create demand.

In 2003, the Kenya Ministry of Health, Division of Reproductive Health launched an IUD reintroduction initiative with the collaboration of over 18 international and local partners.  From 2003-2005, project partners designed and implemented a comprehensive program that addressed barriers to IUD use at all levels where needs had been identified: advocacy to policy makers and providers, provider clinical training, improved logistics and supplies, and community level education.  This case study describes the expansion of this IUD program in the Kisii district of Kenya.

This marketing case study details the experience of PSI and its Pakistan affiliate, Greenstar, in the development of a social franchise network of private doctors, paramedics, and pharmacists to increase access to reproductive health care, and specifically IUDs, by low-income Pakistanis.

In 2003, PSI/Nepal created the Sun Quality Health Network (SQH) to enhance the quality of family planning services in the private sector, and increase access to a range of methods, including IUDs.  This case study describes the marketing and social franchise model that has offered providers with opportunities for extensive training and on-going support and supervision in IUD provision.

The TAHSEEN integrated family planning and reproductive health model focuses on improving the quality of care, mobilizing the community, and ensuring long-term sustainability. TAHSEEN’s community-based model for provision of RH/FP services (including the IUD) involves training of providers, community mobilization, linkages to non-health programs, working with media, and enforcing the message through behavioral change and communication activities.

The purpose of this book is to share a set of steps and tools with health communication professionals to help ensure that behavior change communication efforts are developed strategically—with participation from all stakeholders, clear goals, segmented audiences, and effective messages based on sound research and credible theory. The text is based on many years of experience in the field and is supplemented with real-world examples and case studies.

This online training course is based on the issue of Population Reports, "Elements of Success in Family Planning Programming." It summarizes the core factors contributing to success in family planning programming, as identified by family planning professionals around the world. It highlights program experiences, best practices, and lessons learned. The course includes a section on communication, called "Effective Communication Strategies." Access to the course is free and available to all who are interested.

C-Change developed the Social and Behavior Change Communication Capacity Assessment Tool (SBCC-CAT) in two versions--for use with organizations (to assess program and staff capacity in SBCC), and with donors and networks (to assess their own capacity and that of the partners they support and manage). Together with a facilitator, organizations can use this tool to determine their competencies in five areas:

The C-Change project created this learning package for facilitated, face-to-face workshops on social and behavior change communication (SBCC). The package includes a series of six modules for communication practitioners working in development. A facilitator's guide accompanies each module. The C-Modules contain the following downloadable documents:

While not specific to IUDs, this general communication report describes how family planning program managers must build behavior change communication (BCC) into their overall strategies. It captures the main elements necessary in developing a BCC program. 

Program managers can use these tools to help plan and develop their BCC programs pertaining to the promotion of IUDs or other family planning methods. 

The INFO Project, in collaboration with WHO and IBP, sponsored an online global discussion forum to share program experiences, review research findings, highlight resources, and reach consensus on the core elements of successful family planning programs. Before launching the forum, INFO conducted an online survey with 445 health care professionals from 98 countries responding by ranking the importance of a variety of factors involved in running family planning programs.

This paper highlights the ways in which projects can identify and adapt communication technologies, such as the Internet, personal digital assistants, and cellular phones, in developing health communications programs.

This document is a compilation of discussion guides used in Guinea to conduct focus group discussions and in-depth interviews on longer-acting and permanent contraception among women, men, service providers, and religious and community leaders.

This brochure highlights the steps within the P-Process, a framework designed to guide communication professionals as they develop strategic communication programs.  This step-by-step road map leads communication professionals from a loosely defined concept about changing behavior to a strategic and participatory program with a measurable impact on the intended audience. 

This guide to communication program planning draws on the National Cancer Institute's 25 years of experience in health communication. The planning steps in this book can help make any communication program work, regardless of size, topic, geographic span, intended audience, or budget. The key is reading all the steps and adapting those relevant to your program at a level of effort appropriate to the program's scope. The tips and sidebars throughout the book suggest ways to tailor the process to your various communication needs.  

This advocacy brief provides information to health ministers about the attributes of long-acting and permanent methods of contraception (LAPMs) and offers practical advice for promoting LAPMs within a developing-country context. Request a copy of this document: EngenderHealth Ninth Avenue New York, NY 10001 U.S.A. Telephone: 212-561-8000 Fax: 212-561-8067 E-mail: info@engenderhealth.org See also:

This advocacy brief provides evidence about the benefits of long-acting and permanent methods (LAPMs) to both clients and health care systems. It also offers recommendations—to stakeholders at the district, national and international levels—for investing in and sustaining LAPM programming. See also: Long-Acting and Permanent Methods of Contraception: Without Them, A Country’s Development Will Be Low and Slow

Family Health International (FHI) developed this package of eight briefs to present the benefits of long-acting and permanent methods (LAPMs) and the rationale for  introducing or revitalizing them within national reproductive health and family planning programs. They are meant to inform policy-makers, program managers, and donors, as well as diverse stakeholders at the community level who wish to improve and expand LAPM provision within their communities.  

When cost and access barriers are removed, long-acting and permanent methods (LAPMs) fill a growing need to both space and limit births. This brief describes some of the factors to consider when expanding contraceptive method choice to include LAPMs.

This presentation seeks to add ideas and findings derived from the scientific study of behavior change to our knowledge of the latest research findings and facts about IUDs as well as the types of barriers that exist to greater IUD uptake within the parameters of good service delivery.

Reality √ is a family planning projection tool consisting of a straightforward Excel Workbook that allows one to assess past trends in the CPR and test future scenarios for the geographic area in which one’s program is operating. The tool also allows users to test and assess whether established goals are reasonable based on the local, specific context. Beneficiaries of the tool would include Ministry of Health planners and administrators at the national, provincial, or district levels, as well as family planning programmers at donor agencies or cooperating agencies.

This 8-page reference guide is a helpful tool to use when thinking about how best to convey health information so that staekholders are able to make sound policy, advocacy, planning and programmatic decisions. 

This toolkit was designed to assist program managers in designing, conducting and evaluating advocacy campaigns. While the tool focuses on young people’s sexual and reproductive health, many of the steps outlined in the guide may be helpful for others addressing family planning in general and the promotion of IUDs in particular.

This 64-page guide provides assistance to those working in family planning across Africa to effectively advocate for renewed emphasis on family planning to enhance the visibility, availability, and quality of family planning services. It does not focus on IUDs specifically, but can be used as a general tool to guide advocacy efforts. 

Repositioning Family Planning is a multilateral initiative to ensure that access to quality family planning services remains a key issue for policymakers and providers working to impact children’s health as well as the health of women and men in Africa. This brief describes key points to the success of this family planning initiative which certainly includes attention to the IUD.

These tools and guidelines provide a step-by-step guide for planning advocacy initiatives. It also includes advice for successful implementation that can be applied to family planning initiatives.