Developing a Continuing-Client Strategy

A 14-year-old Afghan mother receives contraceptive pills and family planning education during a visit to her midwife. Midwives are vital to the health of mothers in Afghanistan as women are typically not allowed to visit male health care workers. This young mother believes her husband will be supportive of contraceptive pills once she has explained to him the benefits of family planning. (Photo: ©2005 Emily J. Phillips, Courtesy of Photoshare)

Life-stage perspective offers insights. From a life-stage perspective, clients who want to switch contraceptive methods are not just discontinuers of one method or new users of another one but continuing users whose family planning needs have changed. People's family planning needs last for a reproductive lifetime, and often change as their reproductive intentions change.

New strategy refocuses program goals. In a continuing-client strategy, programs realign goals and activities to provide a continuum of care. This new focus can help programs serve all clients better and more efficiently—reducing discontinuation rates, preventing unintended pregnancies, and lowering levels of unmet need for family planning.

Good-quality services encourage continuation. Programs can support continuing clients, while attracting new clients as well, by providing good-quality services. A continuing-client strategy includes:

• Offering a range of methods. When clients have access to a range of family planning

• methods, they are more likely to find a suitable method and less likely to discontinue contraceptive use.
• Helping clients deal with contraceptive side effects. Clients who are prepared to manage side effects are more likely to continue use even if side effects occur.
• Providing follow-up and outreach. When providers invite clients to return for counseling and services and also reach out to clients in their communities, they build the basis for a sustained relationship.
• Streamlining client flow. Improving client flow in clinics removes obstacles such as long waits and encourages clients to return for services.
• Counseling for continued use. Trained providers treat clients with respect, listen to them, and counsel them based on their individual circumstances.