At a glance
This page provides a brief overview of the 2016 US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (US MEC), the 2016 US Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (US SPR), and where the latest guidance documents can be found.
CDC Contraceptive Guidance for Health Care Providers
The 2016 U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (U.S. MEC)
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The 2016 US Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use (US MEC) gives recommendations for the use of specific contraceptive methods by women and men who have certain characteristics or medical conditions. The recommendations in this report are intended to assist health care providers when they counsel women, men, and couples about contraceptive method choice.
Recommendations about the use of hormonal contraceptive methods (including depot medroxyprogesterone acetate) and intrauterine devices among women at high risk for HIV were updated in April 2020. These were published in the MMWR.
The 2016 U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (U.S. SPR)
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The 2016 US Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (US SPR) addresses some common issues experienced when starting and using certain contraceptive methods. The recommendations in this report are intended to serve as a source of clinical guidance for health care providers and provide evidence-based guidance to reduce medical barriers to contraception access and use.
CDC added a new recommendation on the self-administration of subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) in May 2021. This was published in the MMWR.
Quality Family Planning
Providing Quality Family Planning Services (QFP) recommends how to provide family planning services so that people can achieve their desired number and spacing of children, increase the chances that a baby will be born healthy, and improve their health even if they choose to not have children.