Using Mobile Phones to Increase Continuation Rates of DMPA

To address high discontinuation rates of DMPA, a three-month injectable contraceptive, the SHOPS project established an outbound call service to support users in India. This “careline” called users to reassure them of any side effects and to remind them about when their next dose is due. The service improved the DMPA continuation rate from 32 percent among women who received no reminder calls to 96 percent among women who received three reminder calls. Leadership, a counseling algorithm, and training were key in ensuring the quality of call center operations. This presentation was given at USAID by Ram Ganesan in January 2014.