What is it?
Couple-Years of Protection (CYP) is the estimated protection provided by family planning (FP) methods during a one-year period, based upon the volume of all contraceptives sold or distributed free of charge to clients during that period. This includes permanent methods, such as sterilization, and the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM).
How is CYP calculated?
CYP is calculated by multiplying the quantity of each method distributed to clients by a conversion factor to yield an estimate of the duration of contraceptive protection provided per unit of that method. The CYP for each method is then summed for all methods to obtain a total CYP figure. CYP conversion factors are based on how a method is used, failure rates, wastage, and how many units of the method are typically needed to provide one year of contraceptive protection for a couple. The calculation takes into account that some methods, like condoms and oral contraceptives, for example, may be used incorrectly and then discarded, or that IUDs and implants may be removed before their life span is realized.
Why does USAID use CYP as an indicator to measure program performance?
CYP is easy to calculate from data that programs routinely collect; these data can come from a variety of sources and are relatively easy to track. The term "CYP" reflects distribution and is a way to estimate coverage and not actual use or impact. The CYP calculation provides an immediate indication of the volume of program activity. CYP can also allow programs to compare the contraceptive coverage provided by different family planning methods.
What are the CYP conversion factors? (Updated January 2022)
Method | CYP Per Unit |
|---|---|
Copper-T 380-A IUD | 4.6 CYP per IUD inserted |
Hormonal IUD (e.g. LNG-IUS) | 4.8 per IUD inserted |
3 year implant (e.g. Implanon, ImplanonNXT, Levoplant) | 2.5 CYP per implant |
5 year implant (e.g. Jadelle) | 3.8 CYP per implant |
Emergency Contraception | 0.05 CYP per dose (20 doses per CYP) |
Fertility Awareness Methods | 1.5 CYP per trained adopter |
Standard Days Method | 1.5 CYP per trained adopter |
Lactational Amenorrhea Method (LAM) | .25 CYP per user (4 active users per CYP) |
Sterilization* | |
Combined Oral Contraceptives (COC) (blister packs of 28 pills) | 0.0667 CYP per pack (15 cycles per CYP) |
Progestin-only Pills (POP) (blister packs of 35 pills) | 0.0833 CYP per pack (12 cycles per CYP) |
Condoms (Male and Female) | 0.00833 CYP per unit (120 units per CYP) |
Diaphragm | 1 CYP per diaphragm |
Vaginal Foaming Tablets | 0.00833 CYP per unit (120 units per CYP) |
Depo Provera (DMPA) Injectable | 0.25 CYP per dose (4 doses per CYP) |
Noristerat (NET-En) Injectable | 0.167 CYP per dose (6 doses per CYP) |
Cyclofem Monthly Injectable | 0.077 CYP per dose (13 doses per CYP) |
Monthly Vaginal Ring/Patch | 0.067 CYP per cycle (15 units per CYP) |
*The CYP conversion factor for sterilization varies because it depends on when the sterilization is performed in the reproductive life of the individual. For more specific data on CYPs and sterilization, consult with national DHS and CDC reproductive health survey records which may provide a historical calculation based on a specific country’s context.
Further Reading
- Updated Couple Years of Protection: Literature Review, Guidance for Updating Existing Methods, and Adding New Methods
- Family Planning and Reproductive Health Indicators Database
- Empirically Based Conversion Factors for Calculating Couple-Years of Protection, John Stover, Jane T. Bertrand and James D. Shelton, Evaluation Review, Volume 24, No. 1, February 2000, 3-46 (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0193841x0002400101)