Advocacy & Policy

Up-to-date family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) policies and guidelines can help policy makers, program managers, and health care providers provide counseling and contraceptives safely and effectively. The following includes the most recent guidance from international and national documents (some with LAM-specific sections) that can help stakeholders to review, update, and disseminate LAM-related national policies and guidelines.

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Repositioning the Lactational Amenorrhea Method: Benefits for Women, Children and Programs
2010 | Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University and Jhpiego | 2
English |
French |
Spanish
This two-page advocacy brief describes the benefits of LAM and sets forth the strategy for repositioning LAM, which includes: emphasizing timely transition to other family planning methods, simplifying LAM services, and broadening the program context for offering LAM, beyond family planning programs.This brief was developed by the Interagency LAM Working Group.
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Consensus Statement on Rationale for Operationalizing LAM Criteria
2009 | LAM Working Group
    English |
    French |
    Spanish
    This two-page statement outlines the simplified criteria for LAM as well as the operational definitions for each criterion. These messages are given in the context of promoting LAM as a gateway family planning method to ensure continuous protection for the woman during the postpartum period. This statement was developed by the Interagency LAM Working Group.
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    Breastfeeding and Family Planning: Mutual goals, Vital Decisions
    1995 | Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University
    Advocacy tool encouraging a multi-sector approach to LAM integration
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    Global Guidance Documents

      Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use
      2009 | World Health Organization | 91 p
      One of the World Heath Organization’s Four Cornerstones of Family Planning Guidance, this document includes LAM as an effective method of family planning. The document reviews the medical eligibility criteria for use of contraception, offering guidance on the safety of use of different methods for women and men with specific characteristics or known medical conditions. The recommendations are based on systematic reviews of available clinical and epidemiological research.
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      Family planning: a global handbook for providers
      2007 | Health Communication Partnership at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health/Center for Communication Programs | 257-266
      WHO webpage
      One of the World Heath Organization’s Four Cornerstones of Family Planning Guidance, this handbook includes LAM as an effective method of family planning. The handbook is an essential resource for health-care professionals providing contraceptive methods. Experts from around the world have contributed to the development of the handbook, and many major international organizations and professional organizations working in family planning have endorsed and adopted this guidance.
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      Decision-making tool for family planning clients and providers
      2005 | World Health Organization
      WHO webpage
      This is a multipurpose decision-making aid for clients: a decision-making aid for clients, a job-aid and reference manual for providers; a training resource. Its format allows easy interaction with clients – one page faces the client (with simple information on key issues for the client to consider) and a corresponding page faces the provider (with key points and detailed reference information). Health-care providers can use it step-by-step to help clients make informed choices that suit their needs.
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    PowerPoint Presentations