iContraception^®: a software tool to assist professionals in choosing contraceptive methods according to WHO medical eligibility criteria

Abstract

ObjectiveTo design software to assist health care providers with contraceptive counselling.MethodsThe Model-View-Controller software architecture pattern was used. Decision logic was incorporated to automatically compute the safety category of each contraceptive option. Decisions are made according to the specific characteristics or known medical conditions of each potential contraception user. The software is an app designed for the iOS and Android platforms and is available in four languages. iContraception®facilitates presentation of visual data on medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive treatments.ResultsThe use of this software was evaluated by a sample of 54 health care providers. The general satisfaction with the use of the app was over 8 on a 0–10 visual analogue scale in 96.3% of cases.ConclusionsiContraception provides easy access to medical eligibility criteria of contraceptive options and may help with contraceptive counselling.

Effectiveness of mHealth Interventions for Improving Contraceptive Use in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

“…15 As a platform, mHealth has been used to offer educational information about sexual and reproductive health, as well as the locations of family planning service providers. 16 Additionally, mHealth affords individuals with fewer logistical barriers because they can quickly, conveniently, and confidentially seek information about family planning and related resources instead of having to go to a clinic or see a health care provider to obtain this same information. 17 Several interventions have been implemented to assess whether mHealth technologies could be used to help reduce unmet contraceptive needs in LMICs by attempting to increase the uptake of modern contraceptive methods.…”

Mobile application for information on reversible contraception: a randomized controlled trial

“…5 These applications offer to help women track menstrual cycles (identify the fertile days of the menstrual cycles) 6 ; remind women about birth control pills, patch, or ring usage; and offer information about general sexual and reproductive health topics and/or locations of family planning centers. 6,7 The primary objective of our study was to design a comprehensive and medically accurate contraception counseling application and evaluate the effects of this contraception counseling application on the contraceptive methods that patients selected and their knowledge of that method.…”