Innovative names for empowering reproductive health

FIGO celebrates World Contraception Day 2023 announcing the winners of the Contraception Reimagined Challenge 

Led by FIGO's Committee on Contraception, the Contraception Reimagined Challenge invited visionary minds from FIGO's membership societies to reimagine the language used in conversations about contraception.  

After careful consideration of all the submissions received, the selection committee are delighted to announce that the winning entries are:  

Planception by Odriy Precious Mukombwe, Zimbabwe Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 

Family planning is the most common terminology used in our community. This term stigmatises teenagers who want to start using contraception, and also those who use contraceptives for other reasons beyond family planning. This is why we find an increase in teenage pregnancies and no decline in mortalities due to unsafe abortion practices. This terminology also poses a challenge for unmarried or divorced women. Planception combines the traditional uses of contraception (family planning) while embracing other social status and age groups. This name especially addresses safe abortion care, counselling  and several reasons for starting any method of contraception. At any age group, in any social circumstance and whatever religion women are thus empowered to PLAN when they want to CONCEIVE (PLANCEPTION).

Enkrateia (eng-krat'-i-ah) by Mikaela Koch, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 

Enkrateia (eng-krat'-i-ah) is Greek for ‘in power,’ defined as a state of power over something or a state where one holds power over oneself, one’s passions and instincts.  

Contraception is complex and broad, there are many forms, utilities, necessities, myths, beliefs, and historical influences that affect the administration, uptake and impact of contraception. 

And yet, contraception is also very simple, it’s choice, control and agency. Contraception is the power to decide if and when and how to start a family, the power to control bleeding and pain, to address Polycystic ovary syndrome and to prevent Sexual Transmitted Infections. Contraception is the power to go to school, to participate in the workforce, to shape your present and your future. 

In thinking about what word to choose, I thought not just about what contraception gives to an individual, but rather what happens in its absence. Without contraception individuals are at the mercy of nature with little to no control over their paths, their choices and their bodily autonomy. They lack appropriate tools to address discomfort, pain, and illness and have limitations on their ability to take advantage of opportunities. 

Contraception is, at its core, fundamentally, about control over oneself, to be in Enkrateia. 

Choice-aid by Liesl de Waard, South African Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 

The name Choice-aid empowers women to have a choice about their menstrual cycle, reproductive health and risk factors. The term gives full power to the women and it has a positive association - choice and aid - rather than the current "contraception", which is negatively nuanced. 

Thank you to all participants who engaged in this enlightening exploration of how the term 'contraception' can be viewed from a fresh perspective.