Practical Implementation Approaches for Contraceptive Continuation Among Adolescents

While many adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs have traditionally focused on uptake – supporting young people to start using a method, continuation ensures that those who wish to avoid pregnancy can do so reliably, without unintended gaps. Evidence from the Adolescents 360 (A360) project shows that without deliberate strategies to support continuation, early discontinuation can undermine the benefits of contraceptive use. For adolescents, continuation can be more challenging than for older users, as their contraceptive needs may fluctuate with changing relationships, living situations, or access to services. They are also more vulnerable to discontinuation due to side-effects, misinformation, or lack of support from partners, families, or health providers.

To achieve impact, A360 in its second investment phased shifted its focus to intentionally integrate strategies to support contraceptive continuation alongside uptake with the aim of supporting
adolescents to sustain use of modern contraception, inclusive of method switching, while still in need of contraception. This brief draws on the experiences and lessons from the A360 project to outline practical approaches that improve contraceptive continuation among adolescents.