When used consistently and correctly, oral contraceptives (OCs) are among the most effective methods for preventing unwanted pregnancies. OCs are safe for most women of reproductive age and are used by more than 100 million women worldwide. Many women like OCs because they are controlled by the woman, they can be stopped any time without a provider’s help, and they do not interfere with sex. In addition, community health workers can provide OCs, making them accessible to women who do not have access to a health facility.

The Oral Contraceptives Toolkit is designed to meet the changing needs of health policy makers, program managers, and service providers. The Toolkit is updated regularly and houses state-of-the art scientific evidence, programmatic guidance, and implementation tools for providing combined oral contraceptives (COCs), which contain both estrogen and progestin, and progestin-only pills (POPs).

Please visit K4Health's Emergency Contraception Toolkit for information on emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs).

Browse the topics by clicking on the thematic navigation menu on the right. Many items in the toolkit can be adapted for use in specific country contexts and unique program circumstances.