At a glance
This page describes the approach used by CDC for keeping the 2024 U.S. Selected Practice Recommendations for Contraceptive Use (U.S. SPR) up to date. The U.S. SPR provides recommendations for health care providers that address a selected group of common, yet sometimes complex, issues regarding initiation and use of specific contraceptive methods.
Keeping guidance up to date
As with any evidence-based guidance document, a key challenge is keeping the recommendations up to date as new scientific evidence becomes available. Working with WHO, CDC uses the CIRE system to ensure that WHO and CDC guidance is based on the best available evidence and that a mechanism is in place to update guidance when new evidence becomes available.[15] CDC will continue to work with WHO to identify and assess all new relevant evidence and determine whether changes in the recommendations are warranted. CDC will completely review U.S. SPR periodically. Updates to the guidance will be published in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and posted on the CDC website (https://www.cdc.gov/contraception/hcp/contraceptive-guidance).
As part of the process to update these recommendations, CDC identifies gaps in the evidence for the recommendations considered. Evidence might be limited on interventions for addressing issues with contraceptive method use. Generalizability of the published evidence to all persons seeking contraceptive services presents a challenge because of biases about who might be included in studies on contraceptive safety. New, high-quality research on contraception that addresses priority research gaps inclusive of diverse populations can further strengthen these recommendations and improve clinical practice.