The standard days method of family planning: a response to Cairo.

International Family Planning Perspectives As a result of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, reproductive health policy has expanded to include a more comprehensive view of health and development. No longer merely a response to concerns about the world’s expanding population, reproductive health policy now addresses issues that reflect the needs of individuals, such as satisfying unmet need for contraception, promoting informed choice, involving men in reproductive health, securing contraceptive supplies and ensuring accessibility of services. As policy issues have expanded in response to the ICPD, so too has the range of contraceptive methods offered by national programs. However, modifying family planning policy to include more methods does not necessarily translate into greater accessibility at the clinic level or into increased uptake by clients. The successful introduction of new methods also depends on a favorable policy environment. Therefore, all groups that are involved in policy formulation need to understand how the introduction of a new method addresses their concerns. This article examines how the Standard Days Method—a new family planning method based on fertility awareness that is currently being introduced into programs worldwide—addresses ICPD policy issues, while responding to the family planning needs of people around the world.