WHO widens contraception choices—and sets a five-to-10-year clock for male methods
WHO says 164 million women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy are not using contraception; its new guidance expands supported choices while setting a research target for future male methods.
A wider menu, not a single new product
The World Health Organization published new guidance on Sept. 23 that broadens how several existing contraceptives can be used and adds an emergency option. It recommends that combined oral contraceptive pills may be taken continuously for up to a year or for extended periods of up to six months, rather than only in cycles. It also supports contraceptive implants for up to five years, potentially reducing replacement procedures and clinic visits. who +1
The recommendations do not mean every method is available everywhere. WHO says countries will need to update policies and plans, and people still need informed counseling about which option fits their health, preferences and circumstances. The practical stakes are access and flexibility: fewer routine interruptions can matter where clinics, travel and cost make follow-up difficult. who
Mifepristone joins the emergency options
The guideline recommends mifepristone as an additional emergency-contraception option, taken as soon as possible and within five days of unprotected sex. WHO says doses from 10 to 50 milligrams are likely to be as safe and effective as other emergency methods, based on the evidence it reviewed. who +1
WHO is also drawing a line around uncertainty. It calls for more research before ormeloxifene is included in family-planning programs because safety evidence remains limited, and recommends against adding quinestrol-containing pills to national programs because of limited evidence and reports of serious adverse events. who
The bigger bet is contraception controlled by men
Condoms, withdrawal and vasectomy remain the principal methods under men’s control, according to WHO. But the agency says a survey across four low- and middle-income countries found more than 75% of couples surveyed would be willing to use a new male contraceptive, while more than 85% of women said they would trust their male partners to take responsibility. who +1
WHO has responded with its first target product profile for male contraceptives, describing the safety, effectiveness, acceptability and affordability a future method should meet. Hormonal and non-hormonal candidates are in research, with several in advanced clinical trials; WHO says reversible male contraceptives could reach the market within five to 10 years. That is a forecast, not an approval or launch date. who