Giving low-income men and women the ability to manage the size of their families has been at the heart of PSI's mission for more than three decades. Two studies of the efficiency of various family planning delivery systems show that, except for sterilization, contraceptive social marketing, PSI's unique contribution to family planning, delivers one couple year of protection at far less cost than any other mode of service delivery. PSI now has contraceptive social marketing programs in 26 countries, and produces nearly 11 million couple years of protection (CYPs) annually.

Improved access to modern and natural family planning options is the goal of all PSI family planning programs. Starting with one condom social marketing project in Kenya in 1972, PSI's family planning programs have expanded to include male and female condoms, oral and injectable contraceptives, intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs), emergency contraceptive pills and implants. PSI also promotes natural methods such as the Standard Days Method using CycleBeads® and the Lactational Amenorrhea method.

Effective contraceptive use is dependent upon client satisfaction and success with a chosen method. By having a range of affordable methods available coupled with provider counseling, women are more likely to find a contraceptive that suits their individual needs.

Product distribution takes place in conjunction with the training of health care providers and communication to increase acceptance and reduce misconceptions, such as associated side effects and efficacy of a contraceptive method.

In 2005 alone, PSI provided a year's worth of contraception to more than 11 million couples, preventing 6.4 million unintended pregnancies and averting more than 12,400 maternal deaths.

Examples of PSI Family Planning Impact

• Pakistan: The Green Star Network of clinics and pharmacies combines medical training and support supervision, public education and reliable product supply to deliver comprehensive, affordable, quality reproductive health products and services to millions of low-income people.

• Zimbabwe: A ProFam sign on thousands of clinics signals quality reproductive health services with trained providers and contraceptive products sold at affordable prices. ProFam's comprehensive product range resulted in 513,510 CYPs in 2005.

• Myanmar: PSI's Sun Quality Health network comprises nearly 400 clinics. In 2005, PSI provided the equivalent 253,835 CYPs against unintended pregnancy.


• Nepal: PSI/Nepal's Sun Quality Health network offers affordable and reliable family planning services and products in the Kathmandu Valley. Services are offered in 53 clinics as well through a mobile unit at health fairs.

• Uganda: A team of four medical detailers provides training, products, and support to health providers nationwide. In 2005 alone, PSI/Uganda provided 582,116 couple years of protection. Family planning is also an important component of PSI/Uganda's efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

• Democratic Republic of Congo: PSI's long-standing condom social marketing program in the DRC is re-introducing family planning in a health system devastated by 10 years of civil unrest. In 2003, PSI introduced the Confiance line of contraceptives that now includes oral and injectable contraceptives as well as the Standard Days Method using CycleBeads®. The three-city pilot project expanded to an additional five cities in 2004.