Age should not restrict access to a contraceptive method. Concerning age, the advantages of using a contraceptive method generally outweigh the theoretical or proven risks associated with method use at younger or older ages. Eligibility criteria for women with vaginal bleeding differ for women with irregular menstrual bleeding and women with unexplained vaginal bleeding. For many specific medical conditions, such as thyroid disease and epilepsy, there are no restrictions on the use of any of the methods discussed. As long as the client's history is taken correctly, clinical and laboratory diagnostic and screening tests generally are not considered mandatory for safe use of contraceptive methods.
Informed choice is at the foundation of the revised eligibility criteria for contraceptive methods.
The eligibility criteria will be revised periodically to update the recommendations as new information becomes available. Most of the review findings resulted in eliminating unnecessary prescribing criteria. In a few cases, however, eligibility criteria were added or strengthened to ensure adequate client safety during method use. In this scenario field workers generally could provide a method to a woman with Category A and B conditions, but not provide the method to women with Category C or D conditions.