Checklist for Screening Clients Who Want to Initiate DMPA (or NET-EN)

Family Health International, 2008

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Research findings have established that depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) and norethisterone enantate (NET-EN) are safe and effective for use by most women, including those who are at risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and those living with or at risk of HIV infection. Use of these injectable contraceptives is not usually recommended for women with certain medical conditions, such as breast cancer or most types of liver tumors. For this reason, women who request DMPA must be screened for these conditions in order to determine if they are candidates for the method.

Family Health International (FHI) followed the recommendations of the Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (WHO, 2004; updated 2008) to develop a simple checklist (PDF, 145 KB) for use by both clinical and non-clinical health care providers, including community health workers, to help them screen clients who have made an informed decision to use DMPA. The DMPA Checklist consists of 14 questions designed to identify medical conditions that would prevent safe DMPA use or require further screening and assess whether a client may be pregnant. It also provides guidance and directions based on clients' responses.

The DMPA Checklist is also available in French and Spanish. To access country-adapted DMPA Checklists, click on the following links:

• Kenya Screening Checklists for Family Planning Services
• Uganda Screening Checklists for Family Planning Services

Training and Reference Guide

Accompanying the DMPA Checklist is a training and reference guide designed for program managers, administrators, trainers, and service providers interested in learning how to use the checklist to screen women who want to initiate the use of DMPA (or NET-EN). Designed to serve as both a training and reference tool, the guide has two parts: a training module and a collection of essential, up-to-date reference materials on DMPA.

Job Aids for DMPA and NET-EN Reinjection

FHI and IntraHealth International have field-tested and co-branded several job aids designed to help health care providers serve women who return for reinjections of DMPA and NET-EN.

Select printed copies of these materials are available. Click here to make an inquiry.