WHO expands safe options for contraception

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued new guidelines recommending a broader range of safe and effective contraceptive options, spanning emergency contraception, longer-lasting implants, and future methods for men, according to a press release published on 23 September 2026 in Geneva. The updated recommendations aim to help people choose contraception that best meets their needs. WHO emphasized that expanded choice supports informed decisions about whether to use contraception, which method to select, and when to change or stop it. An estimated 164 million women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy are not using contraception. The publication seeks to guide countries in broadening access to evidence-based methods.

The new document, titled “WHO guidelines on expanding contraceptive options,” reflects the best available evidence on existing and emerging methods. It highlights the persistent gap between demand and access to family planning worldwide. WHO stressed that contraception is not one-size-fits-all and must reflect diverse needs. The guidelines are intended to support national policies and health programs. They also identify methods that still lack sufficient evidence for wide adoption.

WHO recommends that combined oral contraceptive pills can be taken for extended periods of up to six months or continuously for up to one year, as alternatives to cyclical use. Contraceptive implants are supported for use for up to five years, potentially reducing replacement procedures, clinic visits, and associated costs. Mifepristone is recommended as an additional emergency contraception option, taken as soon as possible and within five days of unprotected sex. Evidence shows that mifepristone at doses of 10–50 mg is likely to be as safe and effective as other emergency contraceptive methods. WHO also called for further research on ormeloxifene and advised against adding quinestrol-containing pills to national programs due to limited evidence and reports of serious adverse events.

“Choice is a gender equality issue,” said Pascale Allotey, Director of WHO’s Department of Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing. “Contraception isn’t one-size-fits-all. Men and women both need a range of options that reflect what science and innovation can now offer, weighed against convenience, invasiveness, behaviour, reliability and accessibility. Real choice means the confidence and control to choose a method, change it, or stop it.”

WHO research found that more than 75% of couples surveyed said they 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 for contraception.

Today, men have relatively few methods under their control, principally condoms, withdrawal, and vasectomy, yet around 30% of couples rely on a male method. To advance new products, WHO has developed its first Target Product Profile for male contraceptive methods, outlining characteristics such as safety, effectiveness, acceptability, and affordability. Several hormonal and non-hormonal male methods are being researched, with promising candidates in advanced clinical trials. New reversible male contraceptives may reach the market within the next 5–10 years. WHO aims to support countries in updating policies and plans to strengthen family planning backed by the best available science.