The World Health Organization issued new contraception guidance in Geneva on September 23, recommending more ways to use established birth control methods and adding mifepristone as an emergency contraception option. The recommendations are intended to help governments and clinicians expand informed choices while weighing the evidence on safety and effectiveness.
WHO estimates that 164 million women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy are not using contraception. Its new guideline addresses that unmet need by reviewing five areas: extended or continuous use of combined oral contraceptives, longer use of an etonogestrel implant, and three medicines not previously covered in its contraceptive guidance.
For people using combined oral contraceptive pills, WHO says extended schedules of up to six months or continuous use for up to one year are alternatives to a cyclical schedule. It also supports use of the contraceptive implant for up to five years. The agency says fewer replacements could mean fewer clinic visits and lower associated costs.
The guideline recommends mifepristone as another emergency contraception option, taken as soon as possible and within five days after unprotected sex. WHO says the evidence suggests that the studied doses are likely to be as safe and effective as other emergency methods. The recommendation concerns emergency contraception and does not by itself change national rules on access.
The agency drew limits around two other medicines. WHO called for more research on ormeloxifene before its inclusion in family planning programmes because safety evidence remains limited. It advised against adding pills containing quinestrol to national programmes, citing limited evidence and reports of serious adverse events.
WHO says countries can use the guideline when updating national policies and clinical practice. It has also published a separate profile of desired features for future male contraceptives, including safety, effectiveness and affordability. Those products remain under development; the new guidance does not mean they are available now.
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