Calendar method
This method uses records of previous menstrual cycles to predict the fertile period. Also known as the rhythm method.
CBCT
Community-based clinical trial. A clinical trial conducted primarily through primary-care physicians rather than academic research facilities.
CBD
Community-based distribution. An approach to delivering family planning and sexual and reproductive health services which does not require a clinic setting. Individuals who live in and are members of the community are trained to provide health education, advice and supplies, and to make referrals. A CBD worker educates people in their own community, motivates them, distributes contraceptives, refers clients to health facilities, and possibly provides other sexual and reproductive health services.
CBR
Crude birth rate. The number of live births per 1,000 population in a given year.
Child mortality rate
The number of deaths of children aged 1-4 years per 1,000 children in that age group over a period of a year. This measure excludes deaths of infants (i.e. children aged less than one year) so an alternative indicator, the under-five mortality rate, is sometimes used which includes infant deaths.
Childbearing years
Reproductive age. The span of ages at which individuals are capable of becoming parents. The phrase can be applied to men and women but most frequently refers to women. 'Couples in reproductive ages' nearly always means couples where the woman is of childbearing age. The age range 15-49 years is most often taken, but occasionally 15-44 is used, including in the United States.
Client flow analysis
The process of determining the efficiency of service delivery operations in a health facility. It is based on observations made of the movement of clients through the health facility and tracks, in particular, the amount of time a client spends waiting to be seen by a provider and the amount of contact time a client has with each of the clinic's service providers. Also known as patient flow analysis.
Client profile
A representation in numbers and/or percentages of the main characteristics of a programme's clients. A client profile allows managers to gain a better understanding of the types of clients the programme serves and, in some cases, the high-priority needs of those clients, so that the programme can better serve its clients and potentially attract new clients who have similar needs.
Client satisfaction
The benefits or the value of the services (as perceived by the clients) provided by a programme or clinic, often measured in terms of the quality of interaction with providers, the range of contraceptive choice, and the efficiency and responsiveness to individual client needs.
Clinical trial
A scientifically designed and executed investigation of the effects of an intervention (drug, vaccine, biologic or behavioural) administered to people.
Clitoridectomy
Female genital cutting. A traditional practice that involves cutting away parts of the female external genitalia, or other injury to the female genitals, for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons, rendering intercourse and childbirth painful and potentially hazardous. It is usually carried out by traditional practitioners under unhygienic conditions. Also referred to as female genital mutilation or female circumcision.
The World Health Organization has classified female genital cutting into four main groupings:
Type I clitoridectomy involves the removal of the prepuce (clitoral hood), sometimes together with part or all of the clitoris. This is what is commonly referred to as 'Sunna circumcision'.
Type II involves excision, where both the clitoris and part or all of the labia minora (inner vaginal lips) are removed.
Type III (infibulation) is where the clitoris is removed, some or all of the labia minora are amputated and incisions are made on the labia majora (outer lips) to create a raw surface. These raw surfaces are either stitched together and/or kept in contact until they seal as a 'hood of skin' covering the urethra and most of the vaginal opening. A small opening is created to allow the flow of urine and menstrual blood.
Type IV is an unclassified category that includes other operations on the external genitalia including introcision, piercing or incising the clitoris and/or labia, cauterization, scraping and/or cutting of the vagina, introduction of corrosive substances and herbs into the vagina and similar practices.
COC
Combined oral contraceptive. See Hormonal Contraception
Coitus interruptus
'Withdrawal method'. Also known as coitus interruptus. Not a proper method of contraception.
Combined oral contraceptive
Hormonal contraception. Systemic methods of contraception based on either a progestagen combined with an oestrogen or a progestagen alone. The methods of delivery include pills (oral contraceptives), injectables and implants. All are reversible.
Pills (two types):
Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) contain synthetic oestrogen and progestagen. They can be monophasic, i.e. a fixed concentration of hormones throughout 21 days of the 28-day menstrual cycle, or multiphasic, with two (biphasic) or three (triphasic) variations of concentration throughout the cycle.
Progestagen-only pills (POPs) contain only a progestagen, in a smaller dose than in COCs.
Injectables are longer lasting than oral contraceptives. The first were composed of progestagen only, the most common being depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, or DMPA, which lasts three months, and norethisterone oenanthate, or NET-EN, which lasts two months. The newer monthly injectables contain both oestrogen and progestagen.
Subdermal implants are even longer acting (approximately five years) and contain low doses of progestagen. Six thin silicone rubber capsules are inserted subdermally in the woman's arm by a minor surgical procedure under local anaesthesia. The implants may be removed at any time.
Community-based clinical trial
A clinical trial conducted mainly through primary-care physicians rather than academic research facilities.
Community-based distribution
An approach to delivering family planning and sexual and reproductive health services which does not require a clinic setting. Individuals who live in and are members of the community are trained to provide health education, advice and supplies, and to make referrals. A CBD worker educates people in their own community, motivates them, distributes contraceptives, refers clients to health facilities, and possibly provides other sexual and reproductive health services.
Community-based services
Sexual and reproductive health information and services provided to women, men and young people where they live using specially trained members of the community (community-based volunteers), who provide selected contraceptive methods, sexual and reproductive health information and refer clients to clinics when appropriate.
Comprehensive sexuality education
Education about all matters relating to sexuality and its expression. Comprehensive sexuality education covers the same topics as sex education but also includes issues such as relationships, attitudes towards sexuality, sexual roles, gender relations and the social pressures to be sexually active, and it provides information about sexual and reproductive health services. It may also include training in communication and decision-making skills.
Continuation rate
The number of users who continue to use any method of contraception, measured among a designated population (community, district, programme area), covering a specific period of time (month, quarter, or year). A continuation rate can also be measured for one specific method.
Contraceptive effectiveness
The extent to which a contraceptive method reduces the chance of conception.
Theoretical effectiveness, or perfect use, refers to the efficacy of the method in laboratory conditions.
Use effectiveness, or typical use is a measure of practical protection, taking into account failure to use the method correctly.
The Pearl Index relates the number of contraceptive failures (unintended pregnancies) to the number of months of exposure to risk, and is expressed per 100 woman-years. A more sophisticated approach is to use life-table analyses.
Contraceptive prevalence rate
The percentage of all women of reproductive age or married women of reproductive age, typically aged 15-49, who are using a method of contraception.
Couple-years of protection
A measure representing the total number of years of contraceptive protection provided by a method, for one couple, for one year.
CPR
The percentage of all women of reproductive age or married women of reproductive age, typically aged 15-49, who are using a method of contraception.
Crude birth rate
The number of live births per 1,000 population in a given year.
CYP
Couple-years of protection. A measure representing the total number of years of contraceptive protection provided by a method, for one couple, for one year.