Family planning: the unfinished agenda

Barriers to accessing post-pregnancy contraception in Brazil: The impact of COVID-19

The aim of our article is to discuss barriers associated with post-pregnancy contraception in Brazil during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Socioeconomic differences in gaining access to long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods became greater during the COVID-19 pandemic. The inadequate distribution of existing resources and the reduced capacity for elective care meant that healthcare providers in family planning had to be reallocated to respond to COVID-19 emergencies. In Brazil, 74% of the population depends on the national health service (Sistema Unico de Saúde) including for the provision of free contraception. However, the only LARC method available at the public service is the copper-intrauterine device (IUD); implants and hormonal-IUDs are not available, except at some teaching hospitals. Contraceptive sales remained unmodified during the pandemic, which shows that the majority of the population used less effective or no contraceptive methods during this time. However, sales of implants and the hormonal-IUD increased significantly, indicating the inequity of the low-income portion of the society as only the wealthy can afford these. On the other hand, there was an increase in sales of emergency contraception. The uptake of postpartum IUDs and contraceptive implants at the selected teaching hospitals in which they were available was high during the COVID-19 pandemic as they were the only methods immediately available. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic increased both inequality and social differences in gaining access to contraceptives. Postpartum and immediate post abortion methods were also good strategies during the pandemic and were well accepted by the population. However, they were not offered by most services.

Investigating the relationship between spousal violence against women and total fertility rate in Afghanistan

BACKGROUND

spousal violence against women (SVAW) is a common form of violence that occurs within the family context, with spouses being the main perpetrators. Afghanistan has one of the highest rates of SVAW in the world, and its impact on reproductive health and fertility is not well understood. This study aims to investigate the extent to which SVAW influences the total fertility rate (TFR) of Afghan women.

METHODS

In this study, a regression model of discrete-time survival models was used to calculate the total fertility rate (TFR), parity progression ratio (PPRs), and average closed birth intervals (CBI) between two children. The method used in this study has its roots in the works of Griffin Finney (1983) and was further developed by Redford et al. (2010). The study population utilized the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey, and sample weights were used to ensure accurate estimates for the population of Afghanistan as a whole.

RESULTS

The study found that women in Afghanistan who have experienced SV are more likely to progress to the next parity, start childbearing faster, and continue to do so. Women who have not experienced SV tend to progress to higher parities at a slower pace during their initial reproductive years. The study also suggests that women with spousal violence (SV) experience may have slightly higher fertility rates and shorter birth intervals for certain birth orders, although the differences between the two groups are generally small. Specifically, the total fertility rate (TFR) for women who experienced SV was 6.9, while the TFR for women who did not experience SV was 6.2.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide valuable information for policymakers and public health professionals in developing effective policies and programs to address SVAW and improve maternal and child health outcomes in Afghanistan.

Individual and community level factors associated with modern contraceptive utilization among women in Ethiopia: Multilevel modeling analysis

BACKGROUND

Modern contraceptive utilization is the most effective intervention to tackle unintended pregnancy and thereby reduce abortion and improve maternal, child, and newborn health. However, multilevel factors related to low modern contraceptive utilization and the robust analysis required for decision-making were scarce in Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the individual and community-level predictors of modern contraceptive utilization among reproductive-age women in Ethiopia.

METHODS

We utilized data from a cross-sectional 2019 Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia survey. The survey employed a stratified two-stage cluster sampling method to select households for inclusion. In Stata version 16.0, the data underwent cleaning, aggregation, and survey weighting, following which a descriptive analysis was performed utilizing the "svy" command. Subsequently, the primary analysis was executed using R software version 4.1.3. We fitted a two-level mixed effects logistic regression model on 6,117 reproductive-age women nested within 265 enumeration areas (clusters). The fixed effect models were fitted. The measures of variation were explained by intra-cluster correlation, median odds ratio, and proportional change in variance. The shrinkage factor was calculated to estimate the effects of cluster variables using the Interval odds ratio and proportion opposed odds ratio. Finally, the independent variables with a significance level of (P<0.05) and their corresponding Adjusted Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were described for the explanatory factors in the final model.

RESULTS

In Ethiopia, the prevalence of modern contraceptive utilization was only 37.% (34.3 to 39.8). Women who attained primary, secondary, and above secondary levels of education were more likely to report modern contraceptive utilization with AOR of 1.47, 1.73, and 1.58, respectively. Divorced/widowed women were less likely to report modern contraceptive utilization (AOR:0.18, 95% CI 0.13,0.23) compared to never-married women. Discussions between women and healthcare providers at the health facility about family planning were positively associated with modern contraceptive utilization (AOR:1.84, 95% CI: 1.52, 2.23). Community-level factors have a significant influence on modern contraceptive utilization, which is attributed to 21.9% of the total variance in the odds of using modern contraceptives (ICC = 0.219). Clusters with a higher proportion of agrarian (AOR: 2.27, 95% CI 1.5, 3.44), clusters with higher literacy (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI 1.09, 1.94), clusters with empowered women and girls about FP (AOR: 1.47, 95% CI 1.11, 1.93) and clusters with high supportive attitudes and norms toward FP (AOR: 1.37, 95% CI 1.04, 1.81) had better modern contraceptive utilization than their counterparts.

CONCLUSION

In Ethiopia, understanding the factors related to modern contraceptive use among women of reproductive age requires consideration of both individual and community characteristics. Hence, to enhance family planning intervention programs, it is essential to focus on the empowerment of women and girls, foster supportive attitudes towards family planning within communities, collaborate with education authorities to enhance overall community literacy, pay special attention to pastoralist communities, and ensure that reproductive-age women as a whole are targeted rather than solely focusing on married women.

Association between knowledge and use of contraceptive among women of reproductive age in sub-Saharan Africa

Background and Aims

The use of contraceptives has been considered relevant in reducing unintended pregnancies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, despite evidence of knowledge of contraceptives, their use remains low in SSA. This study examined the association between knowledge of contraceptive methods and the use of contraceptives in SSA.

Methods

Data for the study were extracted from the Demographic and Health Surveys of 21 countries in SSA spanning from 2015 to 2021. A weighted sample of 200,498 sexually active women of reproductive age were included in the final analysis. We presented the results on the utilization of contraceptives using percentages with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). We examined the association between knowledge of contraceptive methods and the use of contraceptives using multilevel binary logistic regression analysis.

Results

Overall, 24.32% (95% CI: 24.15-24.50) of women in SSA used contraceptives. Chad had the lowest prevalence of contraceptive use (5.07%) while Zimbabwe had the highest prevalence (66.81%). The odds of using any method of contraception were significantly higher for women with medium [Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.89; 95% CI = 1.80-1.98] and high [AOR = 2.22; 95% CI = 2.10-2.33] knowledge of contraceptive methods compared to those with low knowledge, after adjusting for all covariates.

Conclusion

Our study has shown that the use of contraceptives among women in SSA is low. Women's knowledge of any contraception method increases their likelihood of using contraceptives in SSA. To improve contraceptive use in SSA, targeted interventions and programmes should increase awareness creation and sensitization, which can improve women's knowledge on methods of contraception. Also, programmes implemented to address the low uptake of contraceptives should consider the factors identified in this study. In addition, specific subregional strategies could be implemented to narrow the subregional disparities.

Factors associated with the absence of postpartum consultations in a high-risk population

Objective

To assess the rate of missed postpartum appointments at a referral center for high-risk pregnancy and compare puerperal women who did and did not attend these appointments to identify related factors.

Methods

This was a retrospective cross-sectional study with all women scheduled for postpartum consultations at a high-risk obstetrics service in 2018. The variables selected to compare women were personal, obstetric, and perinatal. The variables of interest were obtained from the hospital's electronic medical records. Statistical analyses were performed using the Chi-square, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney tests. For the variable of the interbirth interval, a receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to best discriminate whether or not patients attended the postpartum consultation. The significance level for the statistical tests was 5%.

Results

A total of 1,629 women scheduled for postpartum consultations in 2018 were included. The rate of missing the postpartum consultation was 34.8%. A shorter interbirth interval (p = 0.039), previous use of psychoactive substances (p = 0.027), current or former smoking (p = 0.003), and multiparity (p < 0.001) were associated with non-attendance.

Conclusion

This study showed a high rate of postpartum appointment non-attendance. This is particularly relevant because it was demonstrated in a high-risk obstetric service linked to clinical severity or social vulnerability cases. This highlights the need for new approaches to puerperal women before hospital discharge and new tools to increase adherence to postpartum consultations, especially for multiparous women.

An empirical analysis of the demand for family planning satisfied by modern methods among married or in-union women in Nigeria: Application of multilevel binomial logistic modelling technique

BACKGROUND

Given the health and economic benefits of family planning (FP), Nigeria's very low demand for FP satisfied by modern methods (mDFPS) of less than 50% is therefore a major public health concern, especially considering the global target aimed at achieving an mDFPS of at least 75% by year 2030 for all countries. In view of this, together with recognising the possible contextual nature of health outcomes, this study aimed to empirically analyse the mDFPS among married or in-union women of reproductive age (WRA) in Nigeria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A multilevel binomial logistic model with two levels of analysis was used: individual and community levels. Secondary cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, and analyses were performed using Stata 15.0. The analytical sample size was 9,122 WRA nested in a total of 1,072 communities.

RESULTS

The mDFPS was approximately 31.0%. The median odds ratio (MOR) estimated from the final multilevel model was 2.245, which was greater than the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for most of the individual-level variables, suggesting that the unexplained/residual between-community variation in terms of the odds of women having their mDFPS was more relevant than the regression effect of most of the individual-level variables. This was with the exception of the regression effects of the following individual-level variables: women's husbands that had higher education level in comparison to their counterparts who had husbands with no formal education (aOR = 2.539; 95% CI = 1.896 to 3.399; p<0.001); and women from the Yoruba ethnic group in comparison to their counterparts from the Hausa/Fulani/Kanuri ethnic group (aOR = 2.484; 95% CI = 1.654 to 3.731; p value<0.001). However, other individual-level variables with positive statistically significant regression effects on mDFPS were: women who mentioned that money for accessing health care was not a problem; women's empowerment in relation to the visitation of family and relatives; and women being exposed to FP messages through various media sources, all in comparison to their respective counterparts. On the other hand, at the community level, women in communities where a high percentage of them had at least a secondary education had statistically significant greater odds of having mDFPS than women in communities with lower education levels (aOR = 1.584; 95% CI = 1.259 to 1.991; p<0.001). We found similar findings regarding women residing in communities with exposure to FP messages through various media sources. However, using the 80% interval ORs (80% IORs) as a supplemental statistical measure for further understanding the regression effects of community-level variables showed that all of the 80% IORs had a value of '1', signifying considerable uncertainty in the regression effects of all community-level variables due to the substantial residual variation existing between communities.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that to achieve the dire increase in mDFPS in Nigeria, policy interventions aimed at improving the education level of both females and males, especially beyond the secondary school level, should be implemented. Additionally, all of the various media sources should be extensively utilised, both at the individual and the community level, by the Nigerian government to spread information on the importance of women having their mDFPS.

Effect of postpartum family planning intervention and associated factors during child immunization in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Introduction

World Health Organization (WHO) recommends postpartum family planning (PPFP) as a critical component of health care that has the potential to save millions of maternal and infant lives in low- and middle-income countries.

Methods

participants in our randomized, controlled trial were mothers coming for vaccination of their child in three selected health centers in Addis Ababa during the first 10 weeks postpartum. Eligible mothers were randomly assigned to intervention (pamphlet-supported counseling about the benefits of family planning) and non-intervention (routine care) arms. Data were collected when mothers came with their infants for a routine measles vaccination at nine months of life. Family planning (FP) use was compared between the groups using logistic regression, and bivariate and multivariate analyses. The study also used Kaplan Meier and Cox regressions to compare the median time of PPFP use and its correlation using SPSS version 26. The research was undertaken from December 2019 to June 2021.

Results

a total of 347 women (177 control, 170 intervention) enrolled in the study. Fifty-eight percent were 24-30 years old. Young age, knowledge about FP, previous use of an FP method, and being married were found to be independent predictors for PPFP use. When comparing intervention and non-intervention groups, there was no significant effect on contraceptive use (adjusted OR 0.633 [95% CI 0.385-1.040]).

Conclusion

pamphlet-supported counseling of mothers in the first 10 weeks postpartum did not increase PPFP at nine months postpartum. Successful interventions will likely require holistic strategies, especially in resource-limited settings. The trial had been registered with clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04521517) on September 24, 2019.

Fertility education: recommendations for developing and implementing tools to improve fertility literacy†

Many recent societal trends have led to the need for fertility education, including the age at which individuals become parents, the development of new reproductive technologies, and family diversity. Fertility awareness has emerged as a concept very recently and is increasingly gaining recognition. However, fertility education is often neglected as there is no consensus on the appropriate content, target populations, or on who should provide it. This article attempts to provide an overview of the use of interventions to improve fertility education. We emphasize the importance of delivering evidence-based information on fertility and reproductive health through various methods while providing guidelines for their standardization and systematization. Recommendations are provided to aid the development and implementation of fertility education tools, including: the establishment of a comprehensive understanding of the target populations; the incorporation of theories of behavioural change; the inclusion of the users' perspectives and the use of participatory research; and the use of specific guidelines for increasing engagement. By following these recommendations, it is expected that fertility education resources can contribute to improving fertility literacy, empowering individuals and couples to make informed reproductive decisions, and ultimately reducing the incidence of infertility and need for fertility treatment.

Modern contraceptive utilization and its associated factors in East Africa: Findings from multi-country demographic and health surveys

BACKGROUND

The use of modern contraceptives has been low in most Sub-Saharan African countries despite high population growth and a sluggish economy. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and determinants of modern contraceptive use among married reproductive-age women in East Africa.

METHODS

For this study, the Demographic and health survey (DHS) data from nine countries in East Africa were analyzed, yielding a weighted sample of 32,925 married women. A multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model was used to identify characteristics associated with the utilization of modern contraceptives at a p-value less than 0.05. For model comparison, we used the Akaike and Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC and BIC). For assessing variation (random effects), we used community-level variance with standard deviation and intra-cluster correlation coefficient (ICC).

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of modern contraceptive use was 45.68%, 95% CI (45.15, 46.21). Women's age, maternal education level, husband education level, media exposure, wealth status, occupation, religion, the total number of children ever born, distance to health facilities, history of termination of pregnancy, couple's desire for children, women's participation in decision making, living country and place of residence were significantly associated with modern contraceptive use in Eastern Africa.

CONCLUSIONS

Conferring to this study, utilization of modern contraceptives is low in East Africa. Interventions to improve the use of modern contraceptives should encompass disseminating awareness through mass media, enrolment of males in family planning, giving maternal education, building health facilities in remote areas, and encouraging family planning programs in rural areas.

Effective strategies for increasing the uptake of modern methods of family planning in South Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Family planning (FP) interventions have improved the use of modern contraceptives, yet a high unmet need for contraception still exists in South Asia. This systematic review of existing research was conducted to identify effective FP interventions that led to an increase in the uptake of modern methods of contraception in South Asia.

METHODS

Five electronic databases were searched for relevant studies published between January 1st, 2000 and May 4, 2023. Experimental studies that reported data on the impact of FP interventions on modern contraceptive use among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) in the South Asian region were included. A random-effects Inverse Variance weighted model was employed to pool the adjusted odds ratio (OR) on modern contraceptive use and unmet need for contraception. In addition, we computed subgroup meta-estimates based on intervention type and the urban-rural divide.

RESULTS

Among 643 studies identified, 21 met the inclusion criteria. The overall pooled odds ratio for modern contraceptive use was significantly higher (OR 1.51; 95% CI 1.35-1.70; heterogeneity; I2 = 81%) for FP interventions with a significant reduction in unmet need for contraception (OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.78-0.94, I2 = 50%). The subgroup analysis revealed demand-generation (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.32-1.96), health system integrated (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.07-2.20), and franchised FP clinic interventions (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.21-1.44) had promoted the modern contraceptive uptake. Further, FP interventions implemented in urban settings showed a higher increase in modern contraceptive use (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.44-2.07) compared to rural settings (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.28-1.66). Given the considerable heterogeneity observed across studies and the low degree of certainty indicated by the GRADE summary for the primary outcome, caution is advised when interpreting the results.

CONCLUSION

The review collated experimentally evaluated FP interventions that increased modern contraception use and reduced the unmet need in South Asia. The demand generation interventions were the most effective in increasing the uptake of modern contraceptive methods. Furthermore, the urban environment provides a conducive environment for interventions to improve contraceptive usage. However, further studies should assess which aspects were most effective on attitudes towards contraception, selection of more effective methods, and contraceptive behaviors.

Factors associated with postpartum family planning use in Rwanda

BACKGROUND

Resumption and initiation of contraceptive methods after delivery are of critical importance in ensuring the well-being of the mother and the newborn. However, evidence related with postpartum family planning in Rwanda is scanty. This study employed survival analysis techniques to study the time to resumption or initiation of contraceptive methods after childbirth in Rwandan women and the associated factors.

METHODS

Data were collected from the 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS). Descriptive statistics were obtained after adjusting for study design. Initial analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, followed by univariate and multivariable Cox Hazard proportional models to study factors associated with the initiation of contraceptive use after delivery. Cox Model assumptions were tested using scaled Schoenfeld Residuals.

RESULTS

5682 women who delivered in the five years preceding the survey were included in this research. The percentage of women who used modern contraceptives was 32%, 55%, 67%, and 79% at one month, six months, one year and two years respectively. Delivery by cesarean section, access to health insurance, and an increase in the number of children under five years of age were associated with increased chances of utilizing modern contraceptives after delivery. An increase in women's age and in the ideal number of children and women with a history of terminated pregnancy were associated with reduced chances of using postpartum family planning. The influence of religion was highlighted, with Catholic women associated with high contraceptive use.

CONCLUSION

There is a need to strengthen postpartum family planning in Rwanda. Policy makers and clinicians should provide additional customized interventions for women with factors associated with low use.

Intention to Use Postpartum Contraceptive and Its Determinants in Sub-Saharan Africa: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

The postpartum period is a critical moment for the delivery of family planning services. However, the utilization of family planning among women in sub-Saharan Africa is not optimal. Therefore, the current study aims to assess the intention to use postpartum contraception and its related determinants in the sub-Saharan African setting.

Methods

This study utilized a comprehensive search strategy that involved searching several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and online research institutional repository homes. Data extraction was performed using Microsoft Excel, and statistical analysis was conducted using STATA software (version 14). To assess publication bias, a forest plot, Begg's rank test, and Egger's regression test were employed. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic, and an overall estimated analysis was conducted. In addition, sensitivity analysis was performed to examine the impact of each study on the overall estimate. Meta-regression analysis was conducted to identify potential sources of heterogeneity. Finally, the pooled odds ratio (OR) for associated factors was calculated.

Result

After reviewing 1,321 articles, 14 studies were deemed eligible for inclusion in this meta-analysis. The final analysis comprised a total of 39,936 study participants. The overall intention to use postpartum contraception in sub-Saharan Africa was found to be 62.21% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 55.532-68.875). In subgroup analysis, the highest prevalence of intention was observed in Ethiopia (66.71%; 95% CI: 50.36-83.05), while the lowest prevalence was reported in Ghana (59.39%; 95% CI: 50.22-68.57). The intention to use contraception was found to be 67.22% (95% CI: 62.37-72.07) and 54.53% (95% CI: 46.61-62.45) for institutional and community-based studies, respectively. Maternal educational status (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.09-1.38) and husbands' approval of contraceptive use (OR = 2.395; 95% CI: 1.256-4.567) were identified as predictors of intention to use postpartum contraception.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the results of our study show a comparatively low intention toward the use of postpartum contraception, in contrast to findings reported in other countries. As such, we recommend that stakeholders prioritize maternal education and encourage male partner involvement in family planning decisions.

Does Abortion Liberalisation Accelerate Fertility Decline? A Worldwide Time-Series Analysis

Since WWII, the two most important global trends in family planning have been fertility decline and abortion liberalisation. But are they related? Specifically: Does abortion liberalisation affect changes in fertility rates? The demographic literature has yet to answer this important question and instead offers two opposing predictions. Some studies argue that liberalisation of this medical procedure reduces fertility rates. By contrast, others note that such legal reforms may merely have an average, negligible effect on fertility levels. We adjudicate between the two approaches by conducting, in our view, the most comprehensive global, quantitative analysis of the relationship between those legal reforms and changing fertility rates. The analysis relies on two-way fixed models and three different indicators of abortion policy liberalism created by independent research teams to estimate the relationship between abortion liberalisation and total fertility changes. The data cover 185 independent states between 1970 and 2019. Fertility rates are significantly related to average public education levels and alternative contraceptive use. Using multiple model specifications, however, abortion reforms do not have a robust association with the outcome. Replication materials for this article can be found at https://figshare.com/s/5336a4422f47c8c39228 .

Does bribery increase maternal mortality? Evidence from 135 Sub-Saharan African regions

About 295,000 women died globally during and following pregnancy and childbirth in 2017. Two-thirds of these deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. By linking individual and regional data from 135 regions in 17 Sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2002-2018 this study explores how bribery affects maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our results show that the percentage of people who had first-hand experience in bribery is significantly and positively associated with pregnancy related deaths. We find that a 10 p.p. increase in the prevalence of bribery is associated with up to 41 [95% CI: 10-73] additional deaths for every 1,000 pregnancy-related deaths. However, the healthcare system quality appears to be an important moderator. To reduce maternal mortality, policy makers should not only increase investments in healthcare, they need also to implement measures to combat corruption.

The effect of integration of family planning education with infant vaccination visits on the uptake of postpartum family planning in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Integration of maternal and child health services can improve service utilisation. An operations research was conducted in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. A pilot study was conducted at three family planning (FP) and vaccination sites. A formative assessment was carried out using client records and key-informant interviews. Pre- and post-integration questionnaires were administered to 715 women attending the infant vaccination clinics. Themes were developed from the qualitative data and some verbatim quotes were reported. The quantitative data were analysed using Stata, version 17. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to compare associations between categorical independent and outcome variables where applicable, with level of significance set at <0.05 and 95% confidence interval.The health care workers were willing to integrate the two services but inadequate training and time constraint were key barriers. Significant increases in the knowledge of contraception (25.7% vs 34.7%, p = 0.001), intention to use contraception (31.2% vs 38.2%, p = 0.001), and number of new acceptors of FP (487 vs 664, p = 0.001), were recorded post-integration, even though it was difficult to determine whether the observed increase in new FP acceptors was due to increased patronage from the study participants and not from other clients who were not part of the study. Integration of FP education and infant vaccination services is a feasible and acceptable strategy for increasing contraceptive use among postpartum women, as vaccination clinic staff were willing to take on FP education along with their current duties.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Few studies have reported on the outcomes related to FP and vaccination integration.What the results of this study add? A simple model of FP education and infant vaccination services integration is a feasible and acceptable strategy for increasing contraceptive use among postpartum women. However, inadequate training and time constraint were major concerns for healthcare providers.Implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Targeted family planning education and referral should be encouraged during infant vaccination visits. There is a need for further research to determine the providers' skills necessary for integration and whether integration poses a risk to either service.

Geographic weighted regression analysis of hot spots of modern contraceptive utilization and its associated factors in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Utilization of modern contraceptives is a common healthcare challenge in Ethiopia. Prevalence of modern contraception utilization is varying across different regions. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate Geographic weighted regression analysis of hotspots of modern contraceptive utilization and its associated factors in Ethiopia, using Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey 2016 data.

METHODS

Based on the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey data, a total weighted sample of 8,673 women was included in this study. For the Geographic Weighted Regression analysis, Arc-GIS version 10.7 and SaTScan version 9.6, statistical software was used. Spatial regression was done to identify factors associated with the hotspots of modern contraceptive utilization and model comparison was carried out using adjusted R2 and AICc. Variables with a p-value < 0.25 in the bi-variable analysis were considered for the multivariable analysis. Multilevel robust Poisson regression analysis was fitted for associated factors since the prevalence of modern contraceptive was >10%. In the multilevel robust Poisson regression analysis, the adjusted prevalence ratio with the 95% confidence interval was reported to declare the statistical significance and strength of association.

RESULT

The prevalence of modern contraceptive utilization in Ethiopia was 37.25% (95% CI: 36.23%, 38.27%). Most of the hotspot areas were located in Oromia and Amhara regions, followed by the SNNPR region and Addis Ababa City administration. Single Women, poor Women, and more fertility preference were significant predictors of hotspots areas of modern contraceptive utilization. In the multivariable multilevel robust Poisson regression analysis, Women aged 25-34 years (APR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79, 0.98), 35-49 years (APR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.61, 0.83), married marital status (APR = 2.59, 95% CI: 2.18, 3.08), Others religions (APR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.89), number of children 1-4 (APR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.37), no more fertility preference (APR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.32), Afar, Somali, Harari, and Dire Dawa: (APR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.27, 0.67), (APR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.12), (APR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.98), and (APR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.98), respectively. Amhara region (APR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.57), rural residence (APR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.95) High community wealth index (APR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.67, 0.91) were significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilization.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

There were significant spatial variations of factors affecting modern contraceptive use across regions in Ethiopia. Therefore, public health interventions targeting areas with low modern contraceptive utilization will help to increase modern contraception use considering significant factors at individual and community levels.The detailed map of modern contraceptive use cold spots among reproductive age group and its predictors could assist program planners and decision-makers to design targeted public health interventions.Government of Ethiopia must develop more geographic targeted strategies for improving socioeconomic status of women and availability & accessibility of health facilities in rural areas of the countries.

Trend, geographical distribution, and determinants of modern contraceptive use among married reproductive-age women, based on the 2000, 2005, 2011, and 2016 Ethiopian demographic and health survey

BACKGROUND

The most common family planning method is modern contraception. It is a cost-effective way to reduce maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality and enable women to make informed choices about their reproductive and sexual health. The trend of modern contraceptive utilization has shown drastic change in Ethiopia, and identifying the major factors contributing to such a drastic change is vital to improving plans and strategies for family planning programs. Therefore, this study analyzed the trend, geographical distribution, and determinants of modern contraceptive use among married reproductive-age women in Ethiopia.

METHOD

This study used secondary data from the EDHS 2000-2016, collected from a population-based cross-sectional study by the Central Statistical Agency, focusing on married reproductive-age women aged 15-49. The study analyzed the modern contraceptive use trends through descriptive analyses conducted in three phases: 2000-2005, 2005-2011, and 2011-2016. The study utilized bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to identify determinant factors, with significant variables declared using a P-value of 0.05 and an adjusted OR with 95% confidence interval. Analysis was conducted using STATA.14 and R. Spatial analysis was done using ArcGIS version 10.8 and SatScan™ version 9.6.

RESULT

A weighted total of 33,478 women are included in the study, with a mean age of 31.4 years (8.6 SD). There was a significant increase in the trend of modern contraceptive use among married women over the study period, from 2000 to 2016, from 7.2% to 2000 to 15.7% in 2005, to 30% in 2011, and to 39.5% in 2016. The maximum increase was seen in the second phase (2005-2011), with a 14.3% increase. Factors like age of respondents, educational status, religion, residence, region, wealth index, number of living children, husbands' desire to have more children, and media exposure were found to be predictors for modern contraceptive utilization.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of modern contraceptive use is below 50%, and there is also evidence of wide geographical variation in modern contraceptive use in Ethiopia. Thus, policymakers, high institutions, and other stakeholders must work collaboratively with the government in order to improve awareness about modern contraceptive use.

Assessing the readiness of health facilities to provide family planning services in low-resource settings: Insights from nationally representative service provision assessment surveys in 10 Countries

BACKGROUND

Many low-income countries continue to have high fertility levels and unmet need for family planning (FP) despite progress in increasing access to modern contraceptive methods and in reducing the total fertility rate (TFR). Health facilities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA) are thought to be unable to adequately deal with the burden of high unmet FP demands due to their weaker health systems. As a result, determining the readiness of health facilities that offer FP services is critical for identifying weaknesses and opportunities for continued development of FP health systems in those regions. Service Provision Assessment (SPA) tools-which break down health systems into measurable, trackable components-are one useful way to assess service readiness and the ability of health institutions to deliver FP services.

METHODS

Using data from nationally representative SPA surveys, we conducted a study that aimed to: (1) evaluate healthcare facilities' readiness to provide FP services; and (2) identify the factors that affect FP service readiness. Using a cross-sectional survey design, we used data from SPA surveys conducted in 10 low-resource SA and SSA countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We analyzed data from public and private health facilities in Afghanistan (84), Bangladesh (1,303), Kenya (567), Malawi (810), Namibia (357), Nepal (899), Rwanda (382), Senegal (334), Tanzania (933), and the DRC (1,061) for a total of 6,730 facilities. We used 17 items/indicators recommended by the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment to measure a health facility's readiness to provide FP services across four domains.

RESULTS

Only 3.6% to 34.1% of the health facilities were reporting at least 75% (12-13 of 17) of the relevant items for FP service provision. Most of the health facilities in the countries under investigation suffered from lack of readiness, meaning that they did not fulfill at least 75% of the standards (12-13 items of 17 items on the availability of trained staff and guidelines, equipment, and commodities components). The factors associated with higher readiness scores varied among the 10 countries analyzed. Regression models showed that increases in the number of FP healthcare providers available at a health facility and infection control measures for FP exams were factors linked to increased readiness scores in all 10 countries. The low readiness of health facilities to provide FP services in the countries studied showed that the health systems in these low-resource settings faced significant problems with providing FP services. Differences in country-specific variability in the characteristics linked with better preparedness ratings could be attributed to data collected across different years in different nations or to country-specific healthcare financing policies.

CONCLUSIONS

To increase a health facility's readiness to offer FP services, country-specific factors must be addressed, in addition to common factors found in all 10 countries. Further research is required to determine the causes of country-level differences in FP tracer item availability to develop targeted and effective country-specific strategies to improve the quality of FP services in the SA and SSA regions and address unmet need for FP.

Contraceptive effects on the cervicovaginal microbiome: Recent evidence including randomized trials

BACKGROUND

Until recently, most data regarding the effects of non-barrier contraceptives on the mucosal microbiome have derived from observational studies, which are potentially biased due to behavioral confounders that may mask their true biological effects.

METHOD OF STUDY

This narrative review summarises recent evidence of the effect of contraceptives on the cervicovaginal microbiome, emphasising data obtained through randomized trials.

RESULTS

Good quality data describe that initiation of long-acting progestin-only contraceptives, including levonorgestrel (LNG)-implant and the injectables depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-IM) and norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) do not alter the mucosal microbial environment. Likewise, no strong evidence exists that the use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) is associated with alterations of the vaginal microbiome or increased risk of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Limited data on the effect of intravaginal rings (IVRs) on the mucosal environment exist and show conflicting effects on the vaginal microbiota. Copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) initiation has been associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV) acquisition, including in a randomized trial. LNG-IUDs may have similar affects but need to be evaluated further.

CONCLUSION

Different synthetic hormones have divergent effects on the microbiome and therefore novel hormonal methods need to be rigorously evaluated. Furthermore, the addition of antiretrovirals into multipurpose technologies may alter the effects of the hormonal component. There is thus a critical need to improve our understanding of the biological effects of contraceptive hormones and delivery methods with different pharmacokinetic and chemical properties on the mucosal microbiome in rigorous trials, to inform the development of novel contraceptives and improve individual family planning guidance.

Utilization of modern temporary contraceptive methods and its predictors among reproductive-aged women in India: insights from NFHS-5 (2019-21)

Evidence from various studies on modern contraceptive methods shows that the utilization varies greatly. The present study aimed to estimate the magnitude and determinants for temporary modern contraceptive utilization among reproductive-aged (15-49 years) women in India. We analysed National Family Health Survey-5 data using the "svyset" command in STATA software. Modern contraception utilization was estimated using the weighted prevalence, and its correlates were assessed by multivariable regression by reporting an adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). QGIS 3.2.1 software was used for spatial analysis of different temporary modern contraceptives. The mean (SD) age of 359,825 respondents was 31.6 (8.5) years with 75.1% (n = 270,311) and 49.2% (n = 177,165) of them being from rural area and having completed education up to secondary school, respectively. The overall utilization of modern temporary contraception was 66.1% [95%CI: 65.90-66.35, n = 237,953]. Multigravida (vs. nulligravida) [aPR = 2.13 (1.98-2.30)], higher education of husband (vs. not educated) [aPR = 1.20 (1.14-1.27)], urban (vs. rural) [aPR = 1.06 (1.03-1.10)], watching television less than once a week (vs. not at all) [aPR = 1.04 (1.01-1.08)], divorced (vs. married) [aPR = 0.65 (0.45-0.94)], and Scheduled Tribe (ST) (vs. unreserved) [aPR = 0.92 (0.88-0.96)] were significant independent determinants. The highest utilization of male condoms, IUCDs, pills and injections were in Himachal Pradesh (86%), Nagaland (64%), Tripura (85%), and Ladakh (20%), respectively. Out of every ten reproductive-aged (15-49 years) women in India, six are using temporary modern contraceptive methods. More intervention strategies should be planned, considering factors like gravida, education, residence, health promotion and caste to attain replacement fertility level.

Use of any contraceptive method among women in rural communities in the eastern region of Ghana: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

In Ghana, there is an increase in contraceptive use for traditional and modern methods in rural areas. This study seeks to examine the prevalence and determinants of current use of any contraceptive method among women of reproductive age in the rural Eastern Region of Ghana.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among women of reproductive age in the rural Eastern region of Ghana. A structured questionnaire was used to interview women in rural Lower Manya and Upper Manya Krobo districts of Eastern region who were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The data were analysed using Stata version 16. A Binary logistic regression was used to examine the determinants of current use of any contraceptive use (traditional and modern methods).

RESULTS

The prevalence of contraceptive use was 27.8%. In the adjusted analysis of binary logistic regression, contraceptive use was significantly lower (aOR = 0.24; 95%CI = 0.10-0.56; p = 0.001) among respondents aged 41-49 years compared to those aged 18-35 years. Contraceptive use was significantly lower among migrants (aOR:0.53; 95%CI:0.28-0.99; p = 0.048) compared with non-migrant.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of any contraceptive use among rural women was low. Government and other stakeholders need to create awareness about contraception in the rural areas of Eastern region of Ghana and that would help increase contraceptive methods utilization. In addition, family planning programs should target migrants to design an intervention to increase contraceptive use in rural areas.

Assessing the sustainability of two independent voucher-based family planning programs in Pakistan: a 24-months post-intervention evaluation

INTRODUCTION

Family planning vouchers have emerged as a promising approach to improve coverage of underserved groups or underutilized services. The current study was designed to measure the residual/longer-term impact of two-independent FP voucher programs on women's practices beyond the program's life program.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey conducted, as part of the two-independent larger mixed-method studies, approximately 24 months after the close-down of Marie Stopes Society and Greenstar Social Marketing family planning voucher intervention programs in Punjab, Pakistan. Following necessary ethics approvals, 338 voucher MSS clients & 324 voucher GSM clients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire at the household level.

RESULTS

Compared with end-line data, a significant decrease in the modern contraceptive uptake in both MSS (90% at endline to current (or post-endline) 52%) and GSM (from 84% to current 56%) intervention sites among the voucher clients was noted. Among MSS voucher clients, the highest decline in use was observed in IUCD (54% at endline versus to current 13%); however no change between the surveys was noted among GSM clients. In both projects, following closure of voucher intervention 34% of the discontinued users in MSS and 29% in GSM sites adopted/switched to a new modern contraceptive again. In the post-intervention survey, wealth-based inequality in GSM data depicts more pro-rich utility for modern methods, indicating pro-rich inequality, in contrast, the post-intervention survey in MSS found mixed results such as pro-poor inequality for any method and modern method use.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence for contraception in two-independent study sites, following closure of voucher intervention remained high than national average. This study provides evidence that family planning vouchers can bring about an enduring positive change in clients' behaviours in using modern contraceptive methods among poor populations among both intervention models. These results are useful to design family planning programs that will sustain when the donor funding terminates.

Understanding ethical challenges of family planning interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review

Background

Improving the design of family planning (FP) interventions is essential to advancing gender equality, maternal health outcomes, and reproductive autonomy for both men and women. While progress has been made towards applying a rights-based approach to FP interventions in sub-Saharan Africa, the ethical implications of FP interventions has been underreported and underexplored. Several ethical challenges persist related to measuring success, choice, and target population.

Methods

We conducted a scoping review to understand if and how FP interventions published between 2000 and 2020 within sub-Saharan Africa address the ethical challenges raised within the literature. We identified a total of 1,652 papers, of which 40 were included in the review.

Results

Our review demonstrated that the majority of family planning interventions in sub-Saharan Africa place a strong emphasis, on measuring success through quantitative indicators such as uptake of modern contraception methods among women, specifically those that are married and visiting healthcare centres. They also tend to bias the provision of family planning by promoting long-acting reversible contraception over other forms of contraception methods potentially undermining individuals' autonomy and choice. The interventions in our review also found most interventions exclusively target women, not recognising the importance of gender norms and social networks on women's choice in using contraception and the need for more equitable FP services.

Conclusion

The results of this review highlight how FP interventions measured success through quantitative indicators that focus on uptake of modern contraception methods among women. Utilising these measures makes it difficult to break away from the legacy of FP as a tool for population control as they limit the ability to incorporate autonomy, choice, and rights. Our results are meant to encourage members of the global family planning community to think critically about the ethical implications of their existing interventions and how they may be improved. More public health and policy research is required to assess the effect of applying the new indicators with the FP community as well as explicitly outlining monitoring and evaluation strategies for new interventions to allow for programme improvement and the dissemination of lessons learned.

The effect of maternal educational status, antenatal care and resumption of menses on postpartum contraceptive use in Ethiopia: systematic review and meta-analysis

The postpartum period is a crucial starting point for the delivery of family planning services. To date, there are numerous primary studies in Ethiopia on postpartum contraceptive use and related factors. However, the results of key variables are inconsistent, making it difficult to use the results to advance the service dimensions of postpartum contraceptive use in the country. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis was required to summarize this inconsistency and compile the best available evidence on the impact of maternal educational status, antenatal care and menstrual resumption on postpartum contraceptive use in Ethiopia. PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, and the repositories of online research institutes were searched. Data were extracted with Microsoft Excel and analyzed with the statistical software STATA (version 14). Data on the study area, design, population, sample size, and observed frequency were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. To obtain the pooled effect size, a meta-analysis was performed using a weighted inverse variance random effects model. Cochran's Q X2 test, and I2 statistics were used to test for heterogeneity, estimate the total quantity, and measure the variability attributed to heterogeneity. A mixed-effects meta-regression analysis was performed to identify possible sources of heterogeneity. To examine publication bias, the Eggers regression test and the Beggs correlation test were used at a p-value threshold of 0.001. Of the 654 articles reviewed, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the final analysis includes 11,263 study participants. In Ethiopia, postpartum contraceptive use correlated significantly with maternal educational status (OR = 3.121:95% CI 2.127-4.115), antenatal care follow-up (OR = 3.286; 95% CI 2.353-4.220), and return of the mother's menses (OR = 3.492; 95% CI 1.843-6.615). A uniform meta-regression was performed based on publication year (p = 0.821), sample size (p = 0.989), and city of residence (p = 0.104), which revealed that none of these factors are significant. The use of postpartum contraceptives was found to be better among mothers who are educated, attended antenatal appointments, and resumed their menstrual cycle. Based on our research, we strongly recommended that antenatal care use and maternal educational accessibility need to improve. For family planning professionals, removing barriers to menstruation resumption should be a key priority.

Social-psychological determinants of hormonal contraceptive use intentions among adolescent girls in the Bono East Region of Ghana

Introduction

The correct and consistent use of hormonal contraceptive (HC) methods by sexually active adolescent girls can prevent pregnancy and avert the health and social consequences of unwanted pregnancy for both the mother and her child. Despite these benefits, research shows that HC use is rather low among adolescent girls globally and especially among those in low and middle-income countries. This study was carried out to assess the social-psychological determinants of HC use intentions among adolescent girls and young women.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,203 young women aged 15-24 years from 70 communities within the Kintampo North Municipality and Kintampo South District in the Bono-East Region of Ghana from April 2021 to September 2021. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the intention to use HC among the entire sample of 1,203 respondents and among two sub-samples of young women based on HC use experience.

Results

Attitude toward personal HC use (β = 0.268; p < 0.001), self-efficacy toward access and use of HC (β = 0.341; p < 0.001), and HC use experience (β = 0.647; p < 0.001) were found to be significant and unique correlates of HC use intention among the entire sample of adolescent girls. Attitude toward personal HC use and self-efficacy toward access and use of HC were also associated with HC use intention in the two sub samples significantly (p's < 0.001). In addition, among participants with no HC experience, being a Christian as opposed to participants that affiliate themselves with Islam, Traditional religion or being non-religious positively predicts future HC use (β = 0.230; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that different groups of adolescent girls need different interventions, focusing on different determinants for the motivation to use HC. Comprehensive sexuality education, informing all adolescent girls about the personal benefits of HC use and enhancing their skills in accessing and using HCs, can support their HC use intentions to promote their reproductive health and general wellbeing.

Unintended pregnancy and its associated factors among women with disabilities in central Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis

BACKGROUND

Unintended pregnancy is one of the most common reproductive health problems. The problem makes women with disabilities doubly burdened by their disabilities. The previous evidences are inconsistent and do not address all women with disabilities. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of unintended pregnancy and its associated risk factors among women with disabilities in Dale and Wonsho districts and Yirgalem city administration central Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted among 355 randomly selected women with disabilities living in the selected districts from June 20 to July 15, 2022. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A multilevel logistic regression analysis model was employed to identify factors associated with an unintended pregnancy. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to report the measures of associations.

RESULTS

In this study, the prevalence of unintended pregnancy among women with disabilities was 65.6% (95% CI: 60.4, 70.6). After adjusting for potential confounding variables, middle economic status (AOR = 2.07; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.20), giving birth (AOR = 2.20; 95% CI: 1.21, 3.99), extremity paralysis types of disability (AOR = 0.26; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.57), living in urban residences (AOR = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.12, 0.40) and alcohol using (AOR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.74) were risk factors with unintended pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Unintended pregnancy among women with disabilities is remarkably high in central Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia. Economic status, giving birth, types of disability, residence, and alcohol use were factors associated with an unintended pregnancy. As a result, economic empowerment, strengthening education and information about unintended pregnancy and its prevention strategies in rural settings are vital.

Understanding feasibility and acceptability of implementation of linking delivery of family planning and infant vaccination care in rural Maharashtra, India: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Linking family planning with infant vaccination care has the potential to increase contraceptive use among postpartum women in rural settings. We explored the multilevel factors that can facilitate or impede uptake of contraception at the time of infant vaccination among postpartum women and couples in rural Maharashtra, India.

METHODS

We conducted 60 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders including: postpartum married women (n = 20), husbands (n = 10), and mothers-in-law (n = 10) of postpartum women, frontline healthcare workers (auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), (n = 10), and community leaders (physician medical officers and village panchayat leaders) (n = 10). We sought to assess the feasibility and acceptability of delivering community-based postpartum family planning care in rural India at the time of infant vaccination. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to design a structured interview guide and codebook. Data were analyzed via directed content analysis.

RESULTS

Three major themes emerged: (1) Social fertility and gender norms including son preference and male control over contraceptive decision-making influence postpartum contraceptive access and choice. (2) Linking contraceptive care and infant vaccination is perceived as potentially feasible and acceptable to implement by families, health workers, and community leaders. The intervention provides care to women and families in a convenient way where they are in their community. (3) Barriers and facilitators to linked infant postpartum contraception and infant vaccination were identified across the five CFIR domains. Key barriers included limited staff and space (inner setting), and contraceptive method targets for clinics and financial incentives for clinicians who provide specific methods (outer setting). Key facilitators included convenience of timing and location for families (intervention characteristics), the opportunity to engage husbands in decision-making when they attend infant vaccination visits (participant characteristics), and programmatic support from governmental and community leaders (process of implementation).

CONCLUSIONS

Linked provision of family planning and infant vaccination care may be feasible and accessible in rural India utilizing strategies identified to reduce barriers and facilitate provision of care. A gender-transformative intervention that addresses gender and social norms has greater potential to impact reproductive autonomy and couples' contraceptive decision-making.

Qualitative document analysis on Iranian contents and trends of population policies: Lessons learned and avenues for future

Population-related policies are among macro-strategic policies considered by all governments in the world. To achieve the desired population structure, it is first necessary to identify the general policy approach over time. This article aims to identify the main requirements of population policies during the last 70 years in Iran. This is a qualitative content analysis study conducted via the analysis of all relevant national policy documents from 1951 to 2022. To retrieve the relevant documents, we searched the official website of eight policymaking bodies in Iran. After identifying the documents, their eligibility was evaluated using Scott's method, and as a result, 40 documents were selected for analysis. Finally, we used a qualitative content analysis to synthesize the data using MAXQDA version 10. The findings showed that the political requirements for population reduction can be classified into four main themes of "Religious, scientific, and legal infrastructure", "Changes in the rules", "Institution building, programming and division of tasks", and "Information and service provision", with 11 sub-themes. Furthermore, the political requirements for an increasing population can be divided into six main themes of "Education & acculturation", "Legal dos, and don'ts", "Financial and non-financial support for families", "Structural and information infrastructure", "Health services", and "Stewardship", with 30 sub-themes. In this study, by an all-round look, and the analysis of policies of the last 70 years of Iran, it was determined how the population policies originate from the political-cultural background of society, and provide the ground for the changes in the cultural-social, political, and economic structures and as a result demographic change. In other words, the main requirements to formulate the population increase and decrease policies in Iran as a country with golden experiences to implement the population policies were shown; which can be helpful as a guide to formulate the population policies in Iran and provide a model for successful policy making in the countries with a similar background to Iran.

A Prospective Multi-centric Study of Acceptance, Insertion and Follow-Up of Postpartum Insertions of IUCD

Purpose of the Study

The unmet need for contraception in the postpartum period is a major challenge in our country. Unintended pregnancies are highest in the first year after birth, and postpartum IUCD insertion is an effective way to counter this problem. This study was planned to build up data for acceptance and follow-up of postpartum IUCD insertions.

Methods

The present study has included data of PPIUCD insertions and follow-up from seven institutions over a period of 6 months. The case recruitment lasted for 3 months, including only those who had PPIUCD insertions in this period, and they were followed up for a period of 6 months. The follow-up of patients was at 6 weeks and 6 months. All issues were addressed including side effects, expulsions, myths surrounding the device, etc., along with routine postnatal care.

Results and Conclusion

There were 5227 deliveries and 1895 insertions. The acceptance rate was 36%, and a follow-up at 6 weeks and 6 months showed up an expulsion rate of approximately 4% and a removal rate of 5%. Overall, at the end of 6 months we have a continuation rate of 90%. This shows that a dedicated approach to postpartum contraception will definitely bring down incidence of unintended pregnancies.

The Acceptance of Postpartum Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices Among Women Who Receive Focused Family Planning Counseling in the Antenatal Period Compared to Those Who Receive Routine Counseling: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and objective Unplanned pregnancies are very common in the postpartum period, and they often lead to negative outcomes such as abortion, low-birth-weight neonates, early delivery, postpartum bleeding, and fetal mortality. In the first 12 months after delivery, closely spaced and unintentional pregnancies can be prevented with postpartum contraception. The postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD) is a method of family planning that may be used during the first few weeks after giving birth, and it is highly successful, reliable, affordable, non-hormonal, immediately reversible, long-acting, and does not interfere with lactation. Urban and educated women are largely aware of IUCD and its benefits, but the proportion of these women who use them is still small. In light of this, this study aimed to assess if providing focused antenatal counseling led to a greater postpartum IUCD acceptance rate when compared to routine counseling. Method We conducted a randomized controlled trial in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of a tertiary care center from January 2021 to December 2022. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 220 women were enrolled and were classified into two groups. Group A comprised 110 women (the focused counseling group) who received focused postpartum family planning (PPFP) counseling, and Group B consisted of the control group involving 110 women who received routine counseling. Results In both groups, the women who inserted IUCD were mostly gravida 2. Additionally, willingness to use IUCD was shown by 68% of women in the focused counseling group and 58% of women in the routine counseling group, and PPIUCD was accepted by 22% of women in the focused counseling group and 9% of women in the routine counseling group. Post-placental insertion was carried out in 18 (75%) cases in the focused counseling group and seven (70%) cases in the routine counseling group. Extended postpartum insertion (insertion within one year of delivery) was carried out in six (25%) cases in the focused counseling group and three (30%) cases in the routine counseling group. The most common reasons for the refusal were a preference for tubal ligation (TL) and a fear of side effects. When the patients were enquired about their contraceptive use over the past year on telephone conversations after one year of delivery, it was observed that 21.81% inserted PPIUCD, 30% used injectable depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), 13.63% had undergone TL, 11.81% used barrier contraception, while 22.72% did not use any contraception in the focussed counseling group. In the routine counseling group, 16.36% of women inserted PPIUCD, 20% used injectable DMPA, 12.72% underwent TL, 18.18% used barrier contraception, and 32.72% did not use any contraception. Conclusion Although PPIUCD is a long-acting reversible contraceptive that is safe and reliable, only a few women choose it as a method of birth control. This may be due to ignorance, misconceptions, and worries/fears about potential difficulties/adverse effects associated with IUCD insertion. The IUCD stigma mostly results from misconceptions about the fear of complications. Hence, we recommend that proper IUCD counseling be provided during antenatal care visits to dispel misunderstandings and concerns regarding potential complications associated with PPIUCD insertion.

Achieving reductions in the unmet need for contraception with postpartum family planning counselling in Ethiopia, 2019-2020: a national longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

An unmet need for contraception is associated with unintended pregnancy and adverse maternal and childhood outcomes. Family planning counselling is linked with reduced unmet need for contraception. However, evidence is lacking in Ethiopia on the impact of integrated family planning counselling on the unmet need for contraception. This study aimed to examine the association between family planning counselling and the unmet need for contraception in Ethiopia.

METHODS

We used community-based prospective cohort study data from a nationally representative survey conducted by Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia between 2019 and 2020. Women who had received three maternal and child health (MCH) services (n = 769) - antenatal care (ANC), facility delivery and child immunisation - were included in this study. The primary exposure variable was family planning counselling provided during the different MCH services. A weighted modified Poisson regression model was used to estimate the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of the unmet need for contraception.

RESULTS

The prevalence of family planning counselling during ANC, prior to discharge, and child immunisation was 22%, 28%, and 28%, respectively. Approximately one-third (34%) of the women had an unmet need for contraception. Family planning counselling prior to discharge from the facility was associated with reductions in the unmet need for contraception (aRR 0.88; 95% CI 0.67, 1.16). The risk of unmet need for contraception was 31% (aRR 0.69; 95% CI 0.48, 0.98) less likely among women who had received family planning counselling during child immunisation services. However, family planning counselling during ANC was associated with an increased unmet need for contraception (aRR 1.24; 95% CI 0.93, 1.64).

CONCLUSION

Strongest evidence was observed for moderate associations between reductions in the unmet need for contraception and family planning counselling during the provision of child immunisation services in Ethiopia.

Integrating postpartum IUD counselling and insertion into routine maternity care in Nepal: Assessing trends over time

To meet the postpartum family planning (PPFP) needs of women in Nepal, an intervention was launched to integrate PPFP counselling and postpartum IUD (PPIUD) insertion into maternity care. Women delivering in study hospitals over a period of 18 months were interviewed at the time of delivery and at 15 months following the end of the study enrollment period to assess if the impact of the intervention observed at the end of the study was maintained. Data were collected prior to the intervention, at the middle month of the intervention roll out, at the end of the enrollment period and 15 months after the end of the enrollment period. We compared PPFP counselling and insertion rates before, during, at the end of and after the intervention study period, using cross-tabulation and chi-square tests. Overall, PPFP counselling rates increased from 11% at the baseline month to 45% at the end of the enrollment in February 2017 and remained the same 15 months later in July 2018. PPIUD uptake, however, rose from a negligible 0.1% at the baseline to 4.3% in February 2017, but declined to 3.4% in July 2018. PPIUD uptake among women who were counselled showed a similar trend, increasing from 1.9% at the baseline to 9.6% in February 2017 and declining to 6.0% in July 2018. The intervention had an appreciable continued impact on PPIUD counselling rates and although PPIUD uptake rose during the intervention, this trend was not observed in the 15 months post-study follow up. The impact of the intervention was greater and persistent in hospitals that had a longer period of exposure to intervention. The results suggest that counselling was well integrated with the maternity care, though uptake of PPIUD dropped after intervention activities such as active monitoring, technical supervision, provision of IUDs and training were withdrawn.

Trial registration: This study has been registered with Clinical Trial.gov. The registration number is NCT 02718222. Details about the study design have been published by Canning et al, 2016.

Influence of contraceptive use and other socio-demographic factors on under-five child mortality in Bangladesh: semi-parametric and parametric approaches

BACKGROUND

The under-five child mortality rate is a widely accepted indicator of the development of a country as well as reflects the country's health care system and quality of life. Although the child mortality rate is decreasing over time in Bangladesh, the rate is still high among South Asian countries. The target of the Sustainable Development Goal-3.2 is to reduce the under-five mortality rate in all countries of the world to 25 or fewer per 1000 live births by 2030. The purpose of this study is to identify the socio-demographic factors which have an influence on under-five child mortality in Bangladesh as well as to examine whether contraceptive use has any effect on under-five mortality in Bangladesh. Finally, a comparison has been made between the results obtained from the Cox proportional Hazard Model and Weibull model to find out which model is more efficient for the study data.

METHODS

For the study, data was extracted from Bangladesh Demographic Health Surveys 2017-2018 (BDHS 2017-2018). The Kaplan-Meier survival function has been used to demonstrate the survival probabilities of under-five children. While multivariate analyses of the Cox Proportional Hazard model and Weibull model are used to estimate the under-five mortality risks for various predictors.

RESULTS

The study results show consistently higher survival probabilities for children of mothers who used modern contraceptives during survival periods. Other significant predictors for under-five child mortality include mother's education level (higher education), mother's age (> 20), wealth index (rich), source of drinking water (tube well), and division (Chittagong, Khulna, Mymensingh). Weibull model has given more efficient results than the Cox Proportional Hazard model except for one covariate (water source).

CONCLUSION

Contraceptives use significantly improves the survival chances of children under-five age. This underscores the importance of contraceptive use in the pursuit of a sustainable reduction in under-five mortality in Bangladesh. It also intensifies the need to address the present level of contraceptive use in the country. This may not be due to the use of contraceptives in itself but may be due to the substantial biological and socioeconomic benefits that are concomitant with contraceptive use which may promote both maternal and child health. So, Extra effort should be given by the policymakers to ensure the use of modern contraceptive methods to improve the under-five survival in Bangladesh.

Interventions to support contraceptive choice and use: a global systematic map of systematic reviews

BACKGROUND

To review the highest level of available evidence, a systematic map identified systematic reviews that evaluated the effectiveness of interventions to improve contraception choice and increase contraception use.

METHODS

Systematic reviews published since 2000 were identified from searches of nine databases. Data were extracted using a coding tool developed for this systematic map. Methodological quality of included reviews was assessed using AMSTAR 2 criteria.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

Fifty systematic reviews reported evaluations of interventions for contraception choice and use addressing three domains (individual, couples, community); Meta-analyses in 11 of the reviews mostly addressed interventions for individuals. We identified 26 reviews covering High Income Countries, 12 reviews covering Low Middle-Income Countries and the rest a mix of both. Most reviews (15) focussed on psychosocial interventions, followed by incentives (6) and m-health interventions (6). The strongest evidence from meta-analyses is for the effectiveness of motivational interviewing, contraceptive counselling, psychosocial interventions, school-based education, and interventions promoting contraceptive access, demand-generation interventions (community and facility based, financial mechanisms and mass media), and mobile phone message interventions. Even in resource constrained settings, community-based interventions can increase contraceptive use. There are gaps in the evidence on interventions for contraception choice and use, and limitations in study designs and lack of representativeness. Most approaches focus on individual women rather than couples or wider socio-cultural influences on contraception and fertility. This review identifies interventions which work to increase contraception choice and use, and these could be implemented in school, healthcare or community settings.

Modern contraceptive utilisation and its associated factors among reproductive age women in high fertility regions of Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis of Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey

OBJECTIVE

This study is aimed to assess the magnitude of modern contraceptives utilisation and associated factors among reproductive age women in high fertility regions of Ethiopia.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

High fertility regions of Ethiopian.

PARTICIPANTS

A total weighted sample of 3822 married reproductive age women.

METHODS

In this study, data were obtained from the recent Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys. A total weighted sample of 3822 women of reproductive age was included. A multilevel mixed-effect binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify the significant associated factors of modern contraceptive utilisation. Statistical significance was determined using adjusted OR (AOR) with 95% CI.

RESULTS

The overall modern contraceptive utilisation was 29.75% (95% CI 28.2% to 31.2%). Among the factors associated with utilisation were women's age 25-34 years (AOR 1.3; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.66) and ≥35 (AOR 1.71; 95% CI 1.37 to 2.70), husband's occupation (AOR 1.49; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.99), number of alive children: 1-4 (AOR 2.20; 95% CI 1.47 to 3.30), 5-8 (AOR 1.74; 95% CI 1.09 to 2.77), husband's desired number of children (AOR 0.77; 95% CI 0.61 to 0 .96), residency (AOR 2.37; 95% CI 1.20 to 4.67), community media exposure (AOR 1.77; 95% CI 1.01 to 3.08), region (AOR 0.13; 95% CI 0.03 to 0.52) and religion (AOR 0.49; 95% CI 0.36 to 0.66) were significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilisation.

CONCLUSION

Modern contraceptives utilisation in high fertility regions of Ethiopia was low. Women age, husband occupation, number of living children, husband's desired number of children, residency, community media exposure, region and religion were significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilisation. Therefore, to improve the utilisation of modern contraceptives, public health policy makers should consider creating awareness through mass media, male involvement in family planning, as well as family planning programmes, should be encouraged in rural areas.

Trends and Drivers of Unmet Need for Family Planning in Currently Married Tanzanian Women between 1999 and 2016

The current study investigated the trends and factors associated with the unmet need for family planning (FP) for limiting and spacing births among married Tanzanian women between 1999 and 2016. The study used Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) data for the years 1999 (N = 2653), 2004-2005 (N = 2950), 2010 (N = 6412), and 2015-2016 (N = 8210). Trends in the unmet need for FP were estimated over the study period. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between community-level, predisposing, enabling, and need factors with the unmet need for FP in Tanzania. The results showed no significant change in percentage of married women with an unmet need for birth spacing between 1999 and 2016. The proportion of married women with an unmet need for limiting births decreased from 9.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.9%, 10.6%) in 1999 to 6.6% (95% CI: 5.9%, 7.3%) in 2016. Residing in a rural area, parity between 1-4 and 5+, visiting a health facility for any health services within twelve months, and planning to have more children (after two years and/or undecided) were factors positively associated with the unmet need for FP-spacing. Women with parity of 5+ were more likely to experience an unmet need for FP-limiting. Women's age between 25-34 and 35-49 years, women's employment status, watching television, women's autonomy of not being involved in household decisions, and planning to have more children were factors associated with lower odds of having an unmet need for FP-spacing. Women's age between 25-34 years, watching television, autonomy, and planning to have more children were factors with lower odds of having an unmet need for FP-limiting. Improving FP uptake among married Tanzanian women can reduce the unmet need for FP. Therefore, reducing unmet needs for FP is attainable if government policies and interventions can target women residing in rural areas and other modifiable risk factors, such as parity, health facility visits, planning to having more children, employment, watching television, and women's autonomy.

Learning from success cases: ecological analysis of pathways to universal access to reproductive health care in low- and middle-income countries

Background  Universal access to family planning services is a well-recognized human right and several countries and organizations are committed to this goal. Our objective was to identify countries who improved family planning coverage in the last 40 years and investigate which contexts enabled those advances.  Methods  Analyses were based on data from publicly available national health surveys carried out since 1986 in Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Brazil, and Ecuador, selected based on previous evidence. We estimated demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods (mDFPS) for each country and explored inequalities in terms of wealth, women's education, and women's age. We also explored contextual differences in terms of women's empowerment, percentage of population living in extreme poverty, and share of each type of contraceptive. To better understand political and sociocultural contexts, country case studies were included, based on literature review.  Results  Patterns of mDFPS increase were distinct in the selected countries. Current level of mDFPS coverage ranged between 94% in Brazil and 38% in Afghanistan. All countries experienced important reduction in both gender inequality and extreme poverty. According to the share of each type of contraceptive, most countries presented higher use of short-acting reversible methods. Exceptions were Ecuador, where the most used method is sterilization, and Egypt, which presented higher use of long-acting reversible methods. In the first years analyzed, all countries presented huge gaps in coverage according to wealth, women's education and women's age. All countries managed to increase coverage over recent years, especially among women from the more vulnerable groups.  Conclusions  Family planning coverage increased along with reductions in poverty and gender inequality, with substantial increases in coverage among the most vulnerable in recent years. Policies involving primary health care services, provision of various methods, and high quality training of health providers are crucial to increase coverage.

Learning from success cases: ecological analysis of pathways to universal access to family planning care in low- and middle-income countries

Background  Universal access to family planning services is a well-recognized human right and several countries and organizations are committed to this goal. Our objective was to identify countries who improved family planning coverage in the last 40 years and investigate which contexts enabled those advances.  Methods  Analyses were based on data from publicly available national health surveys carried out since 1986 in Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Brazil, and Ecuador, selected based on previous evidence. We estimated demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods (mDFPS) for each country and explored inequalities in terms of wealth, women's education, and women's age. We also explored contextual differences in terms of women's empowerment, percentage of population living in extreme poverty, and share of each type of contraceptive. To better understand political and sociocultural contexts, country case studies were included, based on literature review.  Results  Patterns of mDFPS increase were distinct in the selected countries. Current level of mDFPS coverage ranged between 94% in Brazil and 38% in Afghanistan. All countries experienced important reduction in both gender inequality and extreme poverty. According to the share of each type of contraceptive, most countries presented higher use of short-acting reversible methods. Exceptions were Ecuador, where the most used method is sterilization, and Egypt, which presented higher use of long-acting reversible methods. In the first years analyzed, all countries presented huge gaps in coverage according to wealth, women's education and women's age. All countries managed to increase coverage over recent years, especially among women from the more vulnerable groups.  Conclusions  Family planning coverage increased along with reductions in poverty and gender inequality, with substantial increases in coverage among the most vulnerable in recent years. Policies involving primary health care services, provision of various methods, and high quality training of health providers are crucial to increase coverage.

Learning from success cases: ecological analysis of potential pathways to universal access to family planning care in low- and middle-income countries

Background  Universal access to family planning services is a well-recognized human right and several countries and organizations are committed to this goal. Our objective was to identify countries who improved family planning coverage in the last 40 years and investigate which contexts enabled those advances.  Methods  Analyses were based on data from publicly available national health surveys carried out since 1986 in Egypt, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Brazil, and Ecuador, selected based on previous evidence. We estimated demand for family planning satisfied with modern methods (mDFPS) for each country and explored inequalities in terms of wealth, women's education, and women's age. We also explored contextual differences in terms of women's empowerment, percentage of population living in extreme poverty, and share of each type of contraceptive. To better understand political and sociocultural contexts, country case studies were included, based on literature review.  Results  Patterns of mDFPS increase were distinct in the selected countries. Current level of mDFPS coverage ranged between 94% in Brazil and 38% in Afghanistan. All countries experienced an important reduction in both gender inequality and extreme poverty. According to the share of each type of contraceptive, most countries presented higher use of short-acting reversible methods. Exceptions were Ecuador, where the most used method is sterilization, and Egypt, which presented higher use of long-acting reversible methods. In the first years analyzed, all countries presented huge gaps in coverage according to wealth, women's education and women's age. All countries managed to increase coverage over recent years, especially among women from the more disadvantaged groups.  Conclusions  Family planning coverage increased along with reductions in poverty and gender inequality, with substantial increases in coverage among the most disadvantaged in recent years. Policies involving primary health care services, provision of various methods, and high quality training of health providers are crucial to increase coverage.

Factors associated with knowledge of the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device and attitude towards its use among women attending antenatal care at Debre Tabor town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Intrauterine contraceptive device is a highly effective, long-acting, reversible family planning method that is safe to use by most postpartum women including those who are breastfeeding. Family planning methods used mainly, the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device can tackle unintended pregnancy, short birth intervals, and pregnancy-related maternal death. Knowledge and attitude about the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device were significant predictors of subsequent method use. However, the magnitude, Knowledge, and attitude toward intrauterine contraceptive device is still low in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, limited studies were done to assess Knowledge and attitude toward the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device and their associated factors. Therefore, this study aimed to assess Knowledge, Attitudes, and associated factors toward postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess Knowledge, Attitudes, and associated factors toward postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices among pregnant women attending antenatal care at Debre tabor town public health institutions Northwest Ethiopia, 2021.

METHODS

an institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1- April-30/2021. Four hundred twenty-three participants were recruited by using a systematic random sampling technique. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a pretested and structured questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed to identify factors associated with the outcome variable. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of significance.

RESULTS

Knowledge and attitude towards postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices were found to be 36 and 48.7% respectively. Government employee (AOR = 4.98,95%CI:2.79-8.91), student (AOR = 5.29,95%CI:1.29-21.80), urban residence (AOR = 1.9095%CI: 1.02-3.53) and ever discussed on a postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device with health care provider (AOR = 6.01,95%CI:3.70-.7.44) were associated with the knowledge about the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device. Attained secondary education (AOR = 3.22, 95%CI: 1.41-7.31), attended college and above education (AOR = 3.62, 95%CI: 1.75-7.51), government-employee (AOR = 2.76, 95CI:1.11-6.81), student (AOR = 32.10, 95%CI: 3.22-44.79), good knowledge,(AOR = 13.72, 95%CI: 6.63-28.42), ever discussed on a postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device with health care provider (AOR = 2.24,95CI:1.18-4.24), were associated with attitude toward postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

knowledge and positive attitude toward postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices were low as compared with other studies. Mothers' employment status, residence, and discussions about a postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device with healthcare providers improve women's knowledge about the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device. Maternal educational status, occupational status, ever discussed postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices with a health care provider and several antenatal cares follow up were improves women's attitude towards the postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device. The finding highlights the importance of discussing postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices during pregnancy, which in turn enhances the knowledge and attitude, of mothers about postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices.

A cross-sectional study of factors associated with immediate postpartum uptake of contraceptive implants in Papua New Guinea

OBJECTIVES

In 2016 the Port Moresby General Hospital in Papua New Guinea introduced a midwife led postpartum contraception service to educate patients and provide contraceptive implants. This study examines the factors that were associated with immediate postpartum uptake of the implants.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients on the hospital postnatal ward who gave birth between March 2017 and January 2018. Patients aged 16-45 who had a vaginal birth with a singleton, live baby not requiring admission to the special care nursery were eligible for inclusion and invited to complete a survey prior to discharge.

RESULTS

Of 2082 patients approached, all consented to participate in the survey. Of those completing the survey, 531 (25.5%) chose to have the contraceptive implant provided immediately postpartum. Excluding patients who chose tubal ligation (n = 330), in multivariable analysis, higher odds of implant uptake was associated with no prior contraception use compared to prior use (aOR 1.38; 95% CI 1.07 -1.77), unplanned pregnancy compared to planned (aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.07-1.79), and having received antenatal education about the implant compared to no information (AOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.23-2.10).

CONCLUSIONS

Antenatal education about the contraceptive implant impacted on likelihood of immediate postpartum method uptake. Patients who had no prior use of contraception and those with unplanned pregnancies were also more likely to request the implants, suggesting that the midwife-led postpartum service is successfully reaching patients with a previous unmet need for contraception.

IMPLICATIONS

This study demonstrates successful delivery of a postpartum implant program in a setting where community access to contraception is limited. Antenatal information and education can support implant uptake and that the program provides the opportunity for birth spacing and limiting in patients with a previous unmet need.

Strategies for Improving Postpartum Contraception Compared With Routine Maternal Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically review the effectiveness of service interventions for improving postpartum contraception, including contraceptive use, prevention of repeat pregnancies and induced abortions. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in three databases until June 2022 (PROSPERO registration CRD42022328349). Estimates of intervention effects from meta-analyses were represented as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: 16 studies with 14,289 participants were included, with four kinds of interventions recognized. Interventions effect in increasing use of contraceptives and decreasing rates of repeated pregnancy for up to 6 months postpartum (OR = 2.24, 0.06, 95% CI = 1.46-3.44, 0.02-0.22, respectively), with no significant associations with contraceptive use at 12 months postpartum, prevention of postpartum repeat pregnancies and induced abortions during 1 year after childbirth. Conclusion: We concluded that interventions impact the initiation of postpartum contraceptive use and prevention of repeat pregnancy with an overall certainty from low to moderate. These findings highlight the need for additional studies to integrate the beneficial effect of several interventions and then design more feasible strategies, which is important for the maternal and child healthcare systems.

Contraceptive use and fertility control in rural and urban communities of Lagos Nigeria

Background

It is predicted that the population of sub-Saharan Africa will be thrice its size by the end of the 21^st century. Our study compared patterns, incentives and disincentives for the uptake of contraceptives in rural and urban communities of Lagos, Nigeria.

Materials and Methods

This is a population-based cross-sectional study on 1445 women of reproductive ages 15-49 years using a cluster sampling technique and a pre-tested, interviewer-administered electronic questionnaire in 2020. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0 and ethical approval was obtained for the study.

Results

About 32.4% of the respondents were rural dwellers and 67.6% were urban residents. The overall mean age was 31.7 ± 7.8 years. In terms of pattern, slightly over half (53.3%) of all respondents had ever used family planning (FP), including modern contraceptives and slightly less than a third (30.8%) currently use FP methods in both rural and urban communities, respectively. Predominant disincentives for non-use of FP include a desire to retain fertility, lack of further need, unbearable side effects and lack of spousal support. The odds of being an urban dweller currently using a method of contraceptive method is 4.169 times higher for earners above ₦60,000, which is twice the minimum wage compared to those without income (adjusted odd's ratio: 4.169, 95% confidence interval: 1.395-12.462).

Conclusion

Sustained effort is required to improve contraceptive uptake, FP service delivery and demand satisfaction for modern contraceptives to enable the achievement of demographic dividends and gains.

Comparison between two methods of the immediate post-placental insertion of copper intrauterine device in vaginal birth-a protocol for a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Ensuring effective and long-term contraception in the immediate postpartum period is an effective strategy for reducing unplanned pregnancies. In the meantime, the intrauterine device (IUD) is an excellent option. The aim of our study was to evaluate the best way to insert post-placental IUDs in the immediate postpartum period. Discomfort during insertion, expulsion rate, uterine perforation rate, and proper positioning 40-60 days postpartum will be analyzed.

METHODS

Randomized, controlled, open clinical trial. The study group will be composed of women between 18 and 43 years old who are admitted for vaginal birth at the Women's Hospital of the State University of Campinas and who wish to use the IUD as a contraceptive method. The sample will be randomized into two insertion groups: manual and forceps. To calculate the sample size, the method of comparing the proportion between 2 groups was used, setting the level of significance alpha at 5% (alpha=0.05) and the power of the sample at 80% (beta=0.20). Based on the results, it was estimated that a sample of n=186 women (n=93 with manual insertion and n=93 with forceps) would be representative for comparison of expulsion between the 2 groups. All participants will undergo a postpartum consultation 40-60 days after birth with transvaginal ultrasound to assess the proper placement of the IUD.

DISCUSSION

Insertion of an IUD in the immediate postpartum period has been considered a good option to increase coverage and access to contraception, and its benefit outweighs the inconvenience of a higher expulsion rate.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was approved by the Ethics and Research Commission of UNICAMP (CAAE: 50497321.4.0000.5404) and the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC) (number RBR-4j62jv6). This is the first version of the study protocol approved on 11/12/2021 prior to the start of participant recruitment.

Postpartum contraceptive initiation and use: Evidence from Accra, Ghana

BACKGROUND

Postpartum contraceptive use reduces unintended pregnancies and results in better health outcomes for children and women. However, there is a dearth of knowledge on postpartum contraceptive use in Ghana, particularly among women in low-income urban settings. To shed light on strategies that might enhance access to postpartum family planning services in low-income urban settings, we examined contraceptive use among postpartum women in Accra, Ghana, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months following the birth and the methods used. The predictors of modern contraceptive use in the 12-month postpartum period were also examined.

METHODS

Data come from a cross-sectional survey conducted in 2018 among 624 women aged 16-44 years who reported giving birth in the past 13-31 months prior to the interview. We generated descriptive statistics to examine the prevalence of contraceptive use among postpartum women at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after birth. We further estimated a binary logistic regression to examine the predictors of modern contraceptive use at 12 months postpartum.

RESULTS

Forty percent of postpartum women never used any contraceptive method during 1 year after birth and of those who used a method, 40% relied on traditional methods. Moreover, 29% of women started using a method the immediate 1 month post-birth. Results further show that postpartum modern contraceptive uptake was positively associated with higher education, having more live births, and being currently in a union.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight that there may be opportunities to improve the quality of counseling during antenatal and postnatal care visits by clients to ensure fully informed choices regarding postpartum contraception. Community outreach by health providers/promoters or similar models should be promoted in low-income population settings to educate postpartum women on modern contraceptive use. Women who plan to use traditional methods should be provided with information on the consistent and correct use of these methods.

Nomadic pastoralists' experience accessing reproductive and maternal healthcare services in low and middle-income countries: A contextual scoping review

Globally, discriminately vulnerable and marginalized groups, such as nomadic pastoralist populations, have perhaps the least access to reproductive and maternal health services (R/MHCSs). Previous studies report that most nomadic pastoralist mothers use both traditional methods of childbirth (i.e. delivering at home and assistance by traditional birth attendants (TBAs)) and traditional methods of contraception. However, determining factors of R/MHCSs in these nomadic pastoralist communities remain scarcely explored and condensed. This study aims to analyse quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies and summarize pastoralists’ experience accessing R/MHCSs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

We employed a mixed method approach in conducting this scoping review by including studies applying quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods retrieved from online databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and JSTOR) as well as reviewing indexes of journals specific to the field by using a set of keywords related to R/MHCSs in LMICs. Thematic content analysis was performed to generate four themes and codes.

We retrieved 2131 articles and retained 25 that met our inclusion criteria. Of these, 6 were quantitative studies, 12 were qualitative studies, and 7 were mixed methods studies. We found that nomadic pastoralists face multi-faceted barriers in access to R/MHCS that can be broadly categorized into four themes: (i) physical (geographic isolation and access), (ii) political (discriminatory/marginalized status, poor transport system, lack of infrastructure, and little political status to improve their lives), (iii) economic (poor quality of service/lack of available resources in rural areas where nomadic pastoralists live, vulnerability, poverty/affordability of R/MHCSs), and (iv) socio-cultural (misconceptions, perception, gender roles in decision-making, low demand for R/MHCSs by nomadic pastoralists, autonomy for females to travel) factors. Therefore, to effectively address the needs of nomadic pastoralist populations, R/MHCSs must be available, accessible, acceptable, and affordable through political, economic, geographic, and socio-culturally sensitive approaches.

Low awareness of, and low access to, modern R/MHCSs and their benefits is a critical barrier to service utilization. Partnership with nomad communities through leveraging existing structures, networks, and decision-making patterns and involvement of nomadic women and girls, community leaders, male partners, and trained traditional birth attendants are key to R/MHCS access.

What is known about this topic?

What the study adds

Factors associated with non-use of modern contraceptives among sexually active women in Ethiopia: a multi-level mixed effect analysis of 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey

Background

Appropriate contraceptive use prevents unintended pregnancy, protects the health of mother and child, and promotes women’s well-being. Use of modern Family planning in Ethiopia was still very low. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that are associated with non-use of modern family planning services among women of reproductive age.

Method

A nationally representative 2016 EDHS women data were used for analysis. A total of 15,683 women in the reproductive age group were included in this study. Descriptive and multilevel multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to summarize descriptive data and measure statistical association between the dependent and the individual and community level variable, respectively. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) and confidence interval were respectively used to measure association and its statistical significance.

Result

Among women in the reproductive age group 79.49% (95% CI: 78.85%, 80.12%) did not use a modern contraceptive method. Women age between 25–34 years (AOR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.47–0.61) and age between 34–49 year (AOR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.55–0.71), having primary educated women (AOR = 0.0.77, 95% CI: 0.68–0.87),secondary and above educational (AOR = 0.88, CI: 0.75–1.03), Secondary and above-educated husband (AOR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72–0.96), rich women (AOR = 0.74,95%CI:0.65–0.85), health facility delivery (AOR = 0.84, 95%CI: 0.73–0.0.98), being watching TV (AOR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.65–0.85), having 1–2 living children (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.19–0.23) are less likely to not use contraception were identified. Furthermore, Muslim women (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.23–1.62), women living in rural area (AOR = 3.43; 95% CI: 2.72–4.32), and ANC visit 1.25(1.07–1.47) were more likely to not use contraception. Further, Women in Afar, Somali, Gambela, Harari, and Dire Dawa were less likely to use modern contraception methods than women in Tigray, but Amhara region had a lower rate of non-use.

Conclusion

Family planning interventions should target younger women, women living in rural areas, the poor, and Muslim women. Moreover, initiatives to empower women associated to family planning programs would be beneficial in increasing contraceptive uptake among sexually active women in Ethiopia.

Rural-urban correlates of modern contraceptives utilization among adolescents in Zambia: a national cross-sectional survey

Background

Modern contraceptive use among adolescents is low despite the adverse effects of adolescent pregnancies. Understanding correlates of modern contraceptive use in different settings is key to the design of effective context-specific interventions. We aimed to determine factors associated with modern contraceptives use among adolescents in rural and urban settings of Zambia.

Methods

We analyzed secondary data from 2018 Zambia demographic and health survey (ZDHS) focusing on adolescent girls aged 15–19 years. We used multivariable logistic regression in SPSS version 25 to examine rural-urban variations in factors associated with modern contraceptive utilization.

Results

Overall, 12.0% (360/3000, 95% CI: 10.9–13.2) of adolescents in Zambia were using modern contraceptives. Use of modern contraceptives was higher in rural areas at 13.7% (230/1677, 95% CI: 12.1–15.3) compared to 9.8% (130/1323, 95% CI: 8.3–11.6) in urban areas. In the rural areas, having a child (aOR = 13.99; 95% CI 8.60–22.77), being married (aOR = 2.13; 95% CI 1.42–3.18), being older at 19 years (aOR = 3.90; 95% CI 1.52–10.03), having been visited by a field health worker (aOR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.01–2.64), having been exposed to family planning messages on mass media (aOR = 2.87; 95% CI 1.01–8.18) and belonging to the richest wealth quintile (aOR = 2.27; 95% CI 1.43–3.62) were associated with higher odds of contraceptive utilization. Furthermore, adolescents in the Northern (aOR = 0.29; 95% CI 0.11–0.80) and Luapula (aOR = 0.35; 95% CI 0.15–0.81) provinces were associated with less odds of utilizing contraceptives compared to those in Western province. In the urban areas, older age at 19 years (aOR = 4.80; 95% CI 1.55–14.84) and having a child (aOR = 18.52; 95% CI 9.50–36.14) were the only factors significantly associated with modern contraceptive utilization.

Conclusion

Age and having a child were associated with modern contraceptive use in both rural and urban areas. In rural areas (province, marital status, being visited by field health workers, family planning messages exposure and wealth index) were the only associated factors. This indicates that interventions aiming to increase contraceptive utilization should be context specific.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12905-022-01914-8.