More About OCP & ECP: BRAC Launched a Study on Self-care Use of Contraceptive Pills
The BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health (BRAC JPGSPH) of BRAC University yesterday launched a major implementation research study on self-care interventions for sexual and reproductive health and rights at a hotel in the capital.
The 18-month study will examine how oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) can be strengthened as self-care interventions to improve access, utilisation, and health outcomes, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations.
Led by BRAC JPGSPH, the study is supported by the UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP).
The study aims to identify context-specific factors that enable or hinder access to OCPs and ECPs among vulnerable groups. Manjur Hossain, assistant director at the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP), presented the current situation of contraceptive use in the country.
He said only 1.08 percent of married women aged 15–49 use ECPs, while 79 percent of women who recently gave birth were unaware of them. He added that although the contraceptive prevalence rate rose to 65.9 percent in 2022, it declined to 58.2 percent in 2025.
DGFP Director General Ashrafi Ahmad said despite limited government funding, people continue to access OCPs and ECPs. She stressed the importance of understanding access pathways to better support self-care practices.
She also noted that despite social taboos, young girls and unmarried individuals are accessing contraceptives, highlighting the need to break stigma and address biases. Ashrafi said the study could generate important evidence to help shift public perception and strengthen family planning services.
WHO Deputy Representative to Bangladesh Rajesh Narwal emphasised the importance of the research, noting a gap between policy and implementation that the study could help bridge.