Model Minilap Training Program to Go International: By expanding training efforts, a successful female sterilization program in the Dominican Republic is being shared around the world.

Two New Publications Address Quality Improvement: A new AVSC Working Paper and a publication from the Population Council address quality improvement approaches developed by AVSC.

Study Shows Many U.S. Doctors Now Use NSV: An article in the journal Urology discusses the use of this popular male sterilization method in the 10 years since its introduction in the U.S.

Incorporating a Multidimensional Approach to Family Planning: A pair of articles address counseling in STI services and an understanding of reproductive health needs, encompassing the broader approach to family planning service delivery mandated at the Cairo conference.

A Loss to the AVSC Community: AVSC regrets the loss of Dr. Helen Winthrop Edey, a longtime AVSC Board member and champion in the field of family planning.

New Members for AVSC's Board: AVSC welcomes four accomplished colleagues to its Board of Directors.

Reaching Out to New Clients in Ghana: Clients are speaking publicly about sterilization to help educate their communities.

Meeting the Needs of Adolescents: Special considerations to take into account when designing and implementing reproductive health services aimed at young people.

Dr. Vanessa E. Cullins: Leading AVSC's Technical Services Program: AVSC's new medical director brings clinical, public health, and management expertise to this important position.

A Boost for Maternal Health in Indonesia: New client information, education, and communication materials are being developed to improve health and well-being in Kyrgyzstan.

Maintaining a Focus on Informed Choice: A look at some of the key issues involved in assuring informed choice.

Voices of Mongolia: Experts journey to this sparsely populated country to assess the quality and availability of reproductive health care services.

Improving STI Services Worldwide: AVSC expands its activities aimed at prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of what has been called a "silent epidemic".

Infection Prevention Training: Lessons from India: Local facilitators and clinic staff in India assist in the development of a new AVSC curriculum.

Why Bolivians Are Talking about Gender Roles: A recent workshop for health care program managers focused on the relationships between gender issues and men's participation in health care and family planning.

Introducing More Contraceptive Methods in Jordan: Efforts are under way to increase the choice, knowledge, availability, and use of contraceptive methods in Jordan.

High-Tech Solutions in Low-Tech Settings: A look at how computer and Internet technology promise to improve access to education, health care, and information even in low-resource settings, as well as how AVSC is using this technology to increase the effectiveness of our work.

Expanding the Provider Pool to Increase Access to Services: Midlevel providers are helping to make vasectomy and other services more available to low-income and underserved men in the U.S.

Cairo Agenda Lives On: AVSC and other nongovernmental organizations work to promote the issues raised by the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development as its five-year anniversary approaches.

How Couples Choose Vasectomy: A recent six-country study cites concerns about woman's health and children's well-being.

Increasing Access to Contraception: A project in Bangladesh helped raise use of and satisfaction with contraceptive services.

Promoting Informed Choice: AVSC undertakes counseling, training, and research efforts to improve the client experience.

Quality Improvement: AVSC's Vietnam Program: A quality-improvement initiative forms the basis of AVSC's current activities in Vietnam.

Stepping Up Supervision in Tanzania: A new supervisory approach helps meet service providers' needs.

No-Scalpel Vasectomy Curriculum Now Available: Announcing the publication of No-Scalpel Vasectomy: A Training Course for Vasectomy Providers and Assistants and the second edition of No-Scalpel Vasectomy: An Illustrated Guide for Surgeons.

Family Planning Week in Ukraine: This first-time event included over 600 events across the country.

Shifts Seen in Counseling Techniques: Health care workers are changing the way they communicate about family planning with the women and men they serve.

Mombasa Hosts Workshop on Men As Partners: Participants from 16 countries developed strategies for involving men in reproductive health care.

New Laws Limit Access to Family Planning in Colombia: Changes in health care coverage and provision have caused AVSC to redesign its country strategy.

Men As Partners: A number of activities are under way around the globe.

AVSC and Quality of Care: Talking with Lynn Bakamjian, AVSC's director of country programs.

Improving Maternity Care: AVSC adopts COPE for maternity services.

U.S. Support for International Family Planning Assistance: Highlights of this year's Congressional and public support for family planning activities.

Ectopic Pregnancy Risk: New research shows a possible risk following sterilization in women.

Norplant Implants: A study in Kenya addresses concerns about removing the contraceptives.

Emergency Contraception: An FDA announcement broadens the method's availability in the U.S.

Low-Tech Innovation Helps Provide Safer Services: For health care workers in rural areas, adequately sterilizing instruments is a serious concern.

Helping AVSC Grow: Talking with Terrence W. Jezowski, AVSC's newly appointed chief operating officer.

Cervical Cancer Screening: A project in South Africa is working to help prevent cervical cancer.

Men As Partners: Case studies on four continents examine services for men.

Study Results Translate to Better Services: A recent Colombian study helps providers respond to their clients needs.

Contraceptive Use Increases in Russia: In a time of sweeping political and social change in Russia, AVSC International has worked with reproductive health care providers to improve the quality of services and to expand access to an array of contraceptive methods.

Men and Reproductive Health: A report on the Men As Partners (MAP) program, a three-year global initiative to constructively involve men in family planning and reproductive health.

Congress Again Attacks International Family Planning: The spending bill passed by Congress for fiscal year 1997 continues the onerous restrictions for international family planning programs applied in 1996.

New Directions, New Faces at AVSC International: Rachael N. Pine, a nationally and internationally known expert in reproductive rights, has joined AVSC as director of public affairs. Terrence W. Jezowski has been named chief operating officer of the organization.

Advertising Increases Demand for Vasectomy: Innovative advertising strategies can help increase demand for vasectomy in communities generally considered to be uninterested in the procedure, according to a recent evaluation.

Choosing Vasectomy: U.S. Clients Discuss Their Decisions: The United States was one of six countries AVSC selected as part of a global study on the way clients and their partners choose vasectomy as their method of contraception.

Preventing Cervical Cancer: Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the developing world, even though the disease is often easily treated when diagnosed at an early stage.

Reproductive Health Services Increase in Bolivia: Since 1989, Bolivia has been moving toward firm support of accessible, high-quality reproductive health services.

Postabortion Contraceptive Services Scarce in Turkey: In Turkey, clients often do not receive family planning information, counseling, or services after they have had an abortion—even when it's clear that they wish to begin using a contraceptive method.

U.S. Funding Cuts Challenge Kenya's Growing Programs: Funding cuts will reverberate throughout the institutions in Kenya where AVSC supports services.

Navajo Nation Expands Family Planning Services: A recent AVSC training program has the potential to profoundly affect sterilization services on the Navajo Nation reservation in the four-corners area of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.

Counseling Training through Videoconferencing: Videoconferencing is an exciting way to make training activites more accessible to more people.

Orienting Egyptian Service Providers to the Needs of High-Risk Women: AVSC has been working with three university hospitals in Egypt to pilot-test the "Safe Reproductive Health Program," a program designed to increase contraceptive access and options for Egyptian women.