Dashboard Module 4: Family Planning Resources Family Planning Glossary

Module 4: Family Planning Resources

Family Planning Glossary

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Access - Access to services means the degree to which services can be obtained within the cost and effort limits that are acceptable to the general population. Even motivated clients can have their access blocked by medical and other barriers, such as cost, distance, and social/cultural barriers. Service programs must go beyond making services merely available - that is, merely ensuring there is a supply of contraceptives in clinics with counselors and other service providers present to help clients choose and receive their method of choice. Service programs must also make sure that services are accessible by identifying and reducing or eliminating barriers such as cost, distance and social/cultural concerns. [Global Health]
Adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health - AYSRH is also known as adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (ASRHR). The period of life that encompasses the transition from childhood to adulthood. While WHO defines adolescents as people aged between 10 and 19 years, it recognizes that age is only one characteristic defining this critical period of rapid human development. An individual’s behavior and the choices they make during this time can determine their future health and well-being. 'Adolescents' are defined as individuals in the 10-19 years age group, 'youth' is the 15–24-year age group, and 'young people' covers the age range 10-24 years. [WHO]
Adolescent and youth-friendly health services - AYFHS, also called youth-friendly services (YFS), or adolescent and youth-friendly services (AYFS), are designed to address barriers faced by youth in accessing high-quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. AYFHS is a global HIP enhancement called adolescent-responsive contraceptive services (ARCS).
Advocacy - Interventions aimed at rallying support from key stakeholders in favor of family planning through policies and a supportive environment that allows family planning to thrive. This is not the same as generating demand for family planning or health promotion.
Advocacy core group - A group made up of committed volunteers and notable people in society who advocate for support for family planning and other health interventions and prompt the government to allocate funds for family planning.

Backup contraceptive method - A contraceptive method that is used when mistakes are made with using an ongoing method of contraception, or to help ensure that a woman does not become pregnant.
Birth spacing - A widely-used term referring to the use of contraception to space pregnancies to leave an interval of 2 to 3 years between births as recommended for maternal and newborn health. It is sometimes referred to as Child Birth Spacing (CBS).
Bodily autonomy - Measurements of women's ability to make their own decisions on issues relating to health care, contraception, and whether to have sex. The goal is for women and girls to have the information, services, and means to make decisions about their own bodies and lives – free from violence, discrimination, or coercion. Only 55% of women worldwide have bodily autonomy, [UNFPA]

Capacity - Competence, skills, or ability to implement efficient family planning programs.
Capacity building - refers to the comprehensive development of an organization's abilities, infrastructure, and resources. For NGOs, it encompasses not only acquiring knowledge but also the necessary systems, assets, and services required to effectively carry out their work. This includes elements such as software, data storage and protection systems, and monitoring staff. It involves ensuring that NGOs have the budget to purchase these essential tools, beyond mere training. Capacity building also emphasizes the importance of knowledge exchange, recognizing that it is a two-way process and not merely a transfer of knowledge from one party to another. This exchange of knowledge and capacity fosters innovation by combining diverse lived and learned experiences to create new solutions and improvements.
Champion - An advocate, campaigner, promoter, proposer, spokesperson, supporter, upholder. One who supports, advances, promotes or furthers a cause, like the cause of reproductive health.
Commodity - Used interchangeably with stock, goods, products, and other terms to refer to all the items that flow through a logistics system.
Commodity security - Contraceptive commodity security is when people are able to choose, obtain, and use the reproductive health supplies they want. But many countries face challenges meeting demand for contraceptives and other essential reproductive health supplies. Stock outs occur when a person is unable to get the contraceptive method they want because the pharmacy or provider doesn't have it in stock.
Community health worker - CHWs are trusted and culturally competent frontline public health professionals who serve as a bridge between the healthcare system and underserved communities. They provide essential health education, outreach, preventive care, and support to community members, with a focus on improving health outcomes, reducing health disparities, and promoting community well-being. The use of the term CHW varies considerably by country. CHWs may be known as Community Reproductive Health Workers (CRHWs), Community Health Officers (CHOs), Community-Based Distribution Agents (CBD Agents), Village Health Teams (VHTs), or other terms.
Community-based family planning - CBFP is a programmatic strategy that brings family planning information and services to women and men in the communities where they live rather than requiring them to travel to health facilities. [Global Health]
Comprehensive sexuality education - CSE is a rights-based approach to providing accurate information and promoting healthy attitudes about a breadth of topics, including puberty and human development (anatomy and physiology/social and emotional development), gender identity and sexual orientation, relationships, intimate partner violence, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (particularly contraception, sexual decision-making and consent, and STI prevention and care). Comprehensive sexuality education enables young people to protect their health, well-being, and dignity and to achieve their future goals and dreams. [Engender Health]
Conceptual framework - Also known as a conceptual model, a diagram of a set of relationships between factors that are believed to impact or lead to a target condition. It is the foundation of project design, management, and monitoring. [Global Health]
Condoms - A form of contraception. Male condoms sheath a penis. Female condoms fit loosely inside a vagina. Both form a barrier that prevent sperm and egg from meeting.
Contraception - The act of intentionally preventing pregnancy, such as through the use of devices, practices, medications, or surgical procedures. [WHO]
Contraceptive care - Family planning information, counseling, and services for contraceptive care.
Contraceptive method - Methods of contraception include oral contraceptive pills, implants, injectable methods, patches, vaginal rings, intrauterine devices, condoms, and male and female sterilization. These methods have different mechanisms of action and effectiveness in preventing unintended pregnancy. [WHO]
Contraceptive prevalence rate - CPR is the percentage of women ages 15-49 who are practicing, or whose sexual partners (sometimes in union) are practicing, any form of contraception. Some measures specify mCPR, for modern methods of contraception. [Measure Evaluation]
Contraceptive security - Contraceptive security exists when people can choose, obtain, and use high-quality contraceptives, including condoms when they want them for family planning and HIV/STI prevention. [Global Health Learning]
Contraceptive Technology Update - CTU is a technical update targeted at key stakeholders in a state to discuss the situation of family planning programming and investment in the state. CTU provides the opportunity for the sharing of up-to-date information.
Couple-years of protection - CYP is the estimated protection provided by contraceptive methods during a one-year period, based upon the volume of all contraceptives sold or distributed free of charge to clients during that period. [Global Health]

Data for Decision-making - Using D4D is a foundational competency for all local governments to review, analyze, and use available data from different sources for decision-making. This improves family planning service delivery and programming and can also go beyond the health sector. Local governments can use high-quality data to evaluate their effectiveness and identify areas for improvement. It can also be used to motivate local implementers.
Data quality assessment - DQA is an evaluation of the quality of data aimed at determining the accuracy, reliability, and consistency of data collected or stored in a dataset, information system, or database. The goal of DQA is to identify and rectify errors, gaps, and inconsistencies in the data to ensure usefulness and relevance for analysis and decision-making.
Demand satisfied - The percentage of women of reproductive age (15–49 years) who desire either to have no (additional) children or to postpone the next child and who are currently using a modern method of contraception. This SDG indicator is also referred to as the demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods. The proportion of demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods is useful in assessing overall levels of coverage for family planning programs and services. Demand satisfied reflects the need for family planning is met.
Demographic dividend - The demographic dividend is the economic benefit that can arise when a population has a relatively large proportion of working-age people and effectively invests in their empowerment, education, and employment. Smaller numbers of children per household generally lead to larger investments per child, more freedom for women to enter the formal workforce, and more household savings for old age. When this happens, the national economic payoff can be substantial. [Demographic Dividend]
Designated days for family planning services - DDFP is a designated period of one to several days, for assured family planning service provision is when services are provided over a fixed period of time, often for free. This eliminates a major barrier to women’s and girls’ access to family planning. DDFP can complement routine family planning service provision by offering a method that is typically not provided at the facility, or by guaranteeing the availability of a routine family planning service or family planning providers on a specific day. Other names include: Fixed Day Static Services (FDS), Family Planning Day, Family Planning In-reaches, Family Planning Special Days, and Facility-Based Family Health Days.
DMPA - The most widely-used progestogen-only injectable, Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate is effective for up to four months. The injectable can be delivered into the muscle (intramuscular injection), or just under the skin (subcutaneous injection). Following either kind of injection, the hormone is released slowly into the bloodstream. DMPA is a very effective contraceptive. When individuals are injected on time, fewer than 1 pregnancy per 100 users will occur. [WHO]
Drug shop operator - Also known as chemists or patent medical vendors manage shops that sell non-prescription drugs and prepackaged medicines and commonly offer medical advice, private consultations, and treatment. [Global Health]
Dual protection - Male and female condoms, when used correctly and consistently, are safe and highly effective in preventing transmission of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and unplanned pregnancies. For people living with HIV, using condoms in addition to other treatments is known as double protection.

Emergency contraception - A method to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or if contraception has failed, either with a pill or with an IUD. There is a five-day window to employ a backup contraceptive method.
Enabling environment - A conducive space with beneficial norms, policies, and support for family planning interventions to thrive. Usually created through advocacy and complemented by other program areas.
Evolving capacities - Recognizes that individuals’ abilities to make SRH decisions evolve as they transition from infancy to childhood and from childhood to adolescence. An adolescent who understands the need to protect their reproductive health and therefore requests safe healthcare services can be considered capable of consenting to those services without parental or spousal consent.

Facility-based in-reach - The provision of family planning services to clients mobilized from a community to a particular facility on designated days of the week.
Family planning - Family planning allows people to determine freely and responsibly the number of children, if any, and the spacing of births. It is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and by treating infertility
Family planning supportive supervision - FPSS is a checklist/tool that provides an opportunity for supervisors to detect early critical issues needing attention and to identify other capacity-building needs of service providers.

Gender - The social and cultural roles of each sex within a given society are referred to as gender. A person’s gender identity and gender expression do not always align with each other or with their sex. [Engender Health]
Gender equality - The concept that all human beings are free to develop their abilities and make choices without the limitations set by stereotypes, rigid gender roles, or discrimination ― no matter their sex or gender identity.
Gender equity - The process of being fair to someone regardless of their sex or gender. To ensure fairness, measures must be taken to compensate for cumulative economic, social, and political disadvantages based on sex or gender that prevent someone from operating on a level playing field.
Gender expression - The ways in which a person manifests their gender. This includes name, pronouns, clothing, hairstyle, behavior, voice, and/or body characteristics that a society identifies as masculine or feminine. [Engender Health]
Gender identity - A person’s internal sense of their gender, which may or may not align with their sex, and which is not necessarily externally visible. [Engender Health]
Gender intentional - This refers to the relationship between gender inequality and programming, where the latter actively seeks to address or transform the former. Gender-intentional programming can be either gender-specific or gender transformative. Gender-specific programming considers gender inequality and its relationship to programming and takes remedial action to address it. However, it does not change underlying power relations. Gender transformative programming addresses the causes of gender-based inequities by transforming harmful gender norms, roles, and relations through the inclusion of strategies to foster progressive changes in power relationships between women and men and people of other genders.
Gender mainstreaming - This refers to the process of integrating a gender lens into all aspects of an organization’s strategies and initiatives, and into its culture, systems, and operations. It is a strategy for making the needs and interests of all genders an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs, policies, and organizational processes, so that everyone can benefit equally, and inequality is not perpetuated.
Gender-responsive - A program, policy, or activity that addresses gender-based barriers, respects gender differences, enables structures, systems, and methodologies to be sensitive to gender, ensures gender parity is a wider strategy to advance gender equality, and evolves to close gaps and eradicate gender-based discrimination.

Health management information system - HMIS is a planned system of collecting, processing, storing, disseminating, and using health-related information to carry out functions of management. It consists of people, tools (paper-based and electronic), and procedures to gather, sort, and distribute timely, accurate information to decision-makers. [Adapted from Kotler, Phillip and Keller, Kevin Lane; Marketing Management, Pearson Education, 12 Ed, 2006.] [Global Health]
High-impact Practices - High-Impact Practices (HIPs) are a collection of proven practices that reflect global expert consensus on what works in family planning programming. This set of evidence-based family planning practices has been vetted by experts against specific criteria and documented in an easy-to-use format. The Gates Foundation is a HIP co-sponsor, along with USAID, UNFPA, IPPF, WHO, and FP2030.
Hormonal contraceptive methods - Contraceptive methods that release small amounts of one or more hormones to prevent ovulation. Usually oral pills, implants, patches, vaginal rings, or injectables.
Human-centered design - HCD is a problem-solving technique that puts real people at the center of the development process to create products and services that resonate and are tailored to the audience’s needs.

Information education communication - IEC is a communication strategy for influencing behavior that emphasizes information and education and combines strategies, approaches, and methods that enable individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to play active roles in achieving, protecting, and sustaining their own health. Embodied in IEC is the process of learning that empowers people to make decisions, modify behaviors, and change social conditions. [Global Health]
Informed choice - Complete, correct, and clear information about all options, plus details about the chosen method. [Global Health]
Interfaith forum - A group of committed religious leaders who promote family planning among faith communities and advocate to the government for support when necessary.
Intrauterine devices - IUDs are contraceptive devices inserted into the uterus where they release either a copper component or a small amount of a hormone (Levnorgesterol) to prevent the sperm from reaching the egg.

Lactational amenorrhea method - A temporary method of contraception for new mothers whose monthly bleeding has not returned. During this period, eggs are not released so pregnancy cannot occur.
LGBTQ+ - Also known as LGBTQIA+ and LGBTQIA2+. Abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer/questioning, and other (e.g., intersex, agender, asexual, pansexual, and ally). [Engender Health]
Local government areas - LGAs are units of government within a state which have direct oversight of communities within the state.
Logistics - The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services, and related information – in this case, contraceptives – from point of origin to point of consumption to meet client requirements. [Global Health]
Logistics management information system - LMIS tracks logistics data in three main areas: contraceptive stock on hand; rate of contraceptive consumption; losses and adjustments due to expiration, theft, damage, or transfer. [Global Health]
Long-acting reversible methods - LARCs are contraceptive methods that prevent pregnancy for an extended period of time without requiring user action but do not permanently affect the ability to have children. These include hormonal implants and IUDs. [Global Health]
Lower middle-incomecountries - LMIC economies are those with a GNI per capita between $1,146 and $4,515. The term Global South is also sometimes used. The terms Developing Country and Third World were formerly utilized but are no longer appropriate.

Mobile services - A team of healthcare providers travels from a health facility to a community (or from a higher to a lower-level health facility) to offer family planning services and methods in areas where services are limited or do not exist. The purpose of mobile services is to make as many contraceptive methods as possible available to under-served and hard-to-reach groups. [Global Health]

Nongovernmental organization - An NGO is an entity that is neither a conventional for-profit business or a part of a government but operates at the discretion of the government. The organization may be international, national or local and is frequently established by ordinary citizens, and funded by governments (USAID, DFID), foundations, businesses, or private persons. [Global Health]

Patent and proprietary medicine vendors - PPMV refers to a type of private health facility that provides non-clinical services in the community. They are often the closest facilities for obtaining over-the-counter medicines and commodities in the community.
Permanent methods - Male sterilization (vasectomy) and female sterilization (tubal ligation) are highly effective contraceptive methods that are considered permanent. They are suitable for couples who are certain they don’t want any more children. [Global Health]
Pharmacist - Specifically educated and trained health professionals who are charged by their national or other appropriate (state or provincial) authorities with managing the distribution of medicines to consumers and engaging in appropriate efforts to ensure their safe and efficacious use. [WHO] [Global Health]
Postpartum family planning - PPFP, also known as Immediate Postpartum Family Planning (IPPFP), is a HIP and refers to the provision of family planning counseling and services as part of care to postpartum women immediately after childbirth and before discharge from the health facility. The extended postpartum period is up to twelve months following childbirth and is an important entry point for family planning service providers to reduce unintended and too closely spaced pregnancies.
Private health sector - The private health sector comprises all providers who exist outside of the public sector, whether their aim is philanthropic or commercial, and whose aim is to treat illness or prevent disease (WHO 2005). It is a large and diverse group that includes private practitioners, clinics, hospitals, laboratories, and diagnostic facilities; non-profit nongovernmental organizations and faith-based organizations (FBOs); shopkeepers and traditional healers; pharmacies and pharmaceutical wholesalers, distributors, and manufacturers; and private companies not engaged in health that provide health care services to their employees and communities. [Global Health]
Provider-dependent methods - Provider-dependent methods are those that must be administered by a professional health worker. Surgical sterilization and IUDs are always provider-dependent methods. In some countries, Depo-Provera is provider-dependent; other countries allow Community-Based Distribution Agents to deliver injectables. [Global Health]
Public health sector - Health services are delivered and managed by the government or Ministry of Health. [Global Health]

Quality improvement team - QITs are groups established to check the quality of family planning services in health facilities, ensuring that the health care provider is trained, services are provided consistently, and commodities are available.

Scale-up - The deliberate efforts to increase the impact of health service innovations were successfully tested in pilot or experimental projects to benefit more people and to foster policy and program development on a lasting basis. [WHO/ExpandNet, 2009] [Global Health]
Self care - WHO recommends that self-administered injectable contraception depot medroxyprogesterone acetate in its subcutaneous form (DMPA SC) should be made available as an additional approach to delivering injectable contraception for individuals of reproductive age.
Sex - Also known as Sex Assigned at Birth. The classification of a person as male, female, or intersex, determined at birth, usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy but reflects a combination of characteristics including: chromosomes, hormones, internal and external reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics (the latter of which typically emerge at puberty). [Engender Health]
Sexual and reproductive health and rights - The comprehensive definition of SRHR proposed by the Guttmacher–Lancet Commission covers sexual health, sexual rights, reproductive health, and reproductive rights and reflects an emerging consensus on the services and interventions needed to address the sexual and reproductive health needs of all individuals. Additionally, it addresses issues such as violence, stigma, and respect for bodily autonomy, which profoundly affect individuals’ psychological, emotional, and social well-being. It further specifically addresses the SRHR of neglected groups (adolescent girls, LGBT+ individuals, and those with disabilities). As such, the definition offers a comprehensive framework to guide governments, United Nations agencies, civil society, and other stakeholders involved in designing policies, services, and programs that address all aspects of SRHR effectively and equitably. [Starrs and others, 2018]
Sexual orientation - Encompasses sex, gender identities and expressions, and sexual orientation, as well as eroticism, intimacy, pleasure, and reproduction as experienced and expressed in attitudes and beliefs, thoughts and values, behaviors and practices, desires and fantasies, and relationships and roles. A person’s enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction to another person. For example, heterosexual and LGBTQ+ [Engender Health]
Sexually healthy adolescents - Adolescents who understand and appreciate their bodies and related sexual and reproductive functions, are knowledgeable about sexuality and SRH, are able to communicate about sexual issues effectively and assume responsibility for their behaviors, including through evaluating their personal readiness for engaging in mature sexual relationships, being able to express intimacy and love in respectful and appropriate ways, and making SRH decisions that are consistent with their personal values. [Engender Health]
Sexually transmitted infection - STIs are spread predominantly by unprotected sexual contact. Some STIs can also be transmitted during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding and through infected blood or blood products. The most common and curable STIs are trichomonas, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. Viral STIs include HIV, genital herpes simplex virus (HSV), viral hepatitis B, human papillomavirus (HPV), and human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1).
Social and behavior change communication - SBCC, also known as Behavior Change Communication (BCC), is the strategic use of communication approaches to promote changes in knowledge, attitudes, norms, beliefs, and behaviors. SBCC refers to the coordination of messages and activities across a variety of channels to reach multiple levels of society, including the individual, the community, services, and policy. SBCC is grounded in theory and is evidence-based.
Stakeholder engagement - The formal and informal ways of staying connected to stakeholders (conversations, committee involvement, champions, interviews, focus group meetings, site visits, written communications) so that they are in a position to use research findings to inform programs, policies, and practice. [Soutch: K4Health Research Utilization Toolkit] [Global Health]
Stakeholders - A person, group or institution with involvement in, interests in, or in-depth knowledge of, a topic and/or context, who can affect or be affected by the actions associated with an intervention, program, study or policy. [Global Health]
Sterilization - Sterilization is considered a permanent method that blocks sperm in men and eggs in women. Voluntary and informed choice is essential. [WHO]
Supply chain - A logistical system of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer.
Sustainability - The capacity of a health system to continue its activities in the future at the same level and where necessary, for example, due to population growth or an epidemiological situation, to expand activities. This covers the sustainability of both resources and health outcomes across time. A health service is sustainable when operated by an organizational system with the long-term ability to mobilize and allocate sufficient and appropriate resources (manpower, technology, information, and finance) for activities that meet individual or public health needs/demands. [Global Health]

Task-sharing - Sometimes known as task-shifting, the systematic delegation of tasks, where appropriate, to less specialized workers in order to maximize the efficient use of resources. Task-sharing involves training mid and low-level cadres of health workers—such as clinical officers, auxiliary nurses, and CHWs—to deliver some services offered by higher-level cadres in order to optimize the reach of a limited health workforce. [WHO Optimize MNH Guidance: Recommendations on CHW Provision of Injectable Contraceptives 2012] [Global Health]

Whole market approach - Also known as the Total Market Approach, ensures that all family planning users - including those who require free contraceptives and those who can and will pay for commercial family planning products - are covered through multiple public, non-profit, and private channels. [Pandit and Bornbush 2003] [Global Health]
Whole site orientation - WSO is an approach that targets all staff working in a health facility – both clinical and non-clinical, even security guards and receptionists – to become advocates for family planning and AYSRH. All facility staff receive “orientation” training to gain a basic understanding of family planning/AYSRH and its benefits. When a client encounters any staff member at the facility, that staff member is then able to either counsel and provide family planning/AYSRH services to the client or direct the client to someone else who can.
Women of reproductive age - Women ages 15-49.