Education and training of health care workers for contraceptive service delivery in 21 countries across Europe

•Midwifes/nurses are involved in contraceptive care in six out of 21 countries.•Education of nurses/midwifes for contraceptive care is satisfactory only in Sweden.•International training programmes are being underutilized in half of the countries.•Greater engagement of midwifes/nurses in contraceptive care is needed.•Education of midwifes/nurses in this field should be improved and harmonised. In order to provide women with an informed choice of contraception, responsible health professionals need to be well educated and trained for providing consultation in that area. The objective of the study was to better understand the actual situation regarding education and training of health care providers (HCPs) for contraceptive service delivery. A specially designed questionnaire was sent to 74 individuals who were either former or current country representatives in the Board, or members of the Expert groups of the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health (ESC). Data were obtained from 27 respondents from 21 countries. Contraceptive services are delivered by different medical professionals and organisational units. Gynaecologists are involved in comprehensive contraceptive care in the majority of countries, general practitioners (GPs) provide hormonal contraception in nine, and midwifes/nurses in six countries. Undergraduate and postgraduate education and training of HCPs pertinent for contraceptive care is at a satisfactory level in less than half of the investigated countries. International educational and training programmes are being underutilized in around half of the countries. Different models of contraceptive care exist across Europe. Education of relevant HCPs need to be improved and harmonized in the majority of investigated countries.