Every woman and girl has the right to high quality, voluntary, family planning, regardless of her HIV status. Linking family planning and HIV services is crucial for achieving FP2020 and Sustainable Development Goals and for realizing the global dream of an AIDS-free generation.
Women of reproductive age are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. Many women, especially young women and adolescent girls, are simultaneously at risk for both unintended pregnancy and HIV infection. Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care that includes family planning and HIV and STI prevention and treatment services is essential to provide women and their families with the protection they need.
The integration of family planning (FP) and HIV (FP/HIV) services means providing both services together—ideally in one place, by the same provider, on the same day—in order to deliver more comprehensive care to clients. Integrated FP/HIV services can help ensure that women living with HIV, adolescents and young women at risk of HIV, key populations, and male partners can access the information and services they need to maintain their health and achieve their reproductive intentions. Evidence shows that FP/ HIV integration can help reduce barriers, improve access and uptake of both services, as well as reduce stigma and discrimination.
For women living with HIV who wish to have a child, integrated services can help ensure safe conception, healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy, and prevention of vertical transmission of HIV. These services have been successfully put into practice for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in maternal and child health clinics. For those who do not wish to become pregnant, contraception is an evidence-based, costeffective way to prevent unintended pregnancy and reduce new pediatric HIV infections.
Multilayered prevention can—and should—encompass both FP and HIV services and products, including emergency contraception and multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs). Integrating HIV prevention—most recently the addition of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention (PrEP)—and FP services has been slow, but supportive policies permitting task-shifting and expanding HIV testing and PrEP training to FP providers can reduce barriers to integrated service delivery and potentially improve uptake of services. FP services can be integrated at most service delivery points along the HIV continuum of care, including HIV counseling and testing, prevention of vertical transmission, and care and treatment services.
