PIP: The declaration of the International Planned Parenthood Federation International Medical Advisory Panel is presented. Contraception enables individuals to regulate their fertility according to their needs. Unwanted pregnancy has serious negative effects, in particular on the welfare of women and children. Both the effectiveness of contraceptives and the preferences of the users have to be considered in the promotion of contraceptives (for example, an emergency created by the rupture of a condom) and the necessity of providing safe abortion. Contraceptive failure has been traditionally attributed to failure of the method or to failure of the user. Consistent and correct use is required for effectiveness of barrier methods, oral contraceptives, and periodic abstinence, which all depend on the degree of failure or no failure at all. Contraceptives that depend less on persistent and correct use include injectables, Norplant, IUDs, and sterilization. Some of the factors that influence effectiveness consist of the users, services, and initiators of programs. The motivation of users about correct use is vital and this depends on the age of user, contraceptive use before the first pregnancy, or first time use of contraception. Information is also needed about correct use (when to take sequential contraceptives, the effect of taking other medications with the pill, or when another contraceptive injection is needed). Continuous assistance should be available for correct use and switching to another method should also be an option. The generator of the program must guarantee that there is a sufficient supply of contraceptives and that their quality is up to standards, that none of them has expired dates. A proper logistics system should keep sufficient stocks of contraceptives for distribution.