The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released the fifth edition of ‘Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use (MEC)’.
Target audience: Policy makers, family planning programme managers and the scientific community.
Key Messages:
All recommendations are evidence based following the GRADE approach. The strength of evidence for each recommendation is provided.
The document describes four MEC categories for contraceptive eligibility:
- Category 1: A condition for which there is no restriction for the use of the contraceptive method
- Category 2: A condition where the advantages of using the method generally outweigh the theoretical or proven risks
- Category 3: A condition where the theoretical or proven risks usually outweigh the advantages of using the method
- Category 4: A condition which represents an unacceptable health risk if the contraceptive method is used.
Compared to the fourth edition, the current edition provides recommendations for the following new methods:
- subcutaneously-administered depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC)
- Sino-implant (II)
- emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) – ulipristal acetate (UPA) as a new method added to the guideline; use of CYP3A4 inducers and obesity as new conditions for ECP use
- progesterone-releasing vaginal ring
Note: The document will be available online by 1 July 2015 (estimated). However, the following are currently available:
Executive summary of the latest recommendations
Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use Wheel 2015 edition
Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use (MEC) fourth edition 2010
Useful Links:
Link to the MEC fifth edition 2015 Executive Summary:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/172915/1/WHO_RHR_15.07_eng.pdf?ua=1&ua=1
Link to the MEC Wheel 2015 Edition:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/173585/1/9789241549257_eng.pdf?ua=1
Link to the MEC fourth edition 2010:
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241563888_eng.pdf?ua=1
Link to WHO’s Sexual and Reproductive Health page dealing with family planning:
http://who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/family_planning/en/
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