Postpartum family-planning barriers and catalysts in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo: a multiperspective study.

PURPOSE: To address the high unmet need for postpartum family planning (PPFP) in resource-limited settings, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, this study aimed to identify PPFP-related barriers and catalysts to inform policies and programs to increase access to postpartum contraception. METHODS: Using qualitative methodology, we explored the perspectives of women, adolescent girls, men, religious and community leaders, service providers, and decision makers from three rural communities in Burkina Faso and three rural-urban communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both countries have high unmet need for PPFP and are priority countries of the French Muskoka Fund for Maternal and Child Health. RESULTS: Perceived catalysts included negative traditional views on the consequences borne by closely spaced children and their mothers; a 6-week postpartum visit dedicated to PPFP (albeit poorly attended); political will and enabling policies for FP; and support from certain religious leaders and men. Main reported barriers were the lack of male engagement; out-of-pocket copayment for contraceptives; reliance on amenorrhea for pregnancy prevention without knowing its limits; misconceptions about modern contraceptives, including prerequisites for the lactational amenorrhea method; sexual abstinence supported by religious and traditional norms for up to 3-6 months, although women reported earlier resumption of sexual activity; low prioritization of scheduled postpartum visits by women; and limited availability of readily accessible methods, PPFP counseling materials, and clinic days and scheduled visits dedicated to contraceptive services. CONCLUSION: Based on results found to be most actionable, the following interventions have the potential to optimize access to PPFP services: counseling women on postpartum-pregnancy risks and options at different points in time before and after childbirth through the use of appropriate information, education, and counseling materials; integrating PPFP services into existing maternal and child health visits; making contraceptives readily available and affordable; and meaningfully engaging male partners

Effectiveness of a package of postpartum family planning interventions on the uptake of contraceptive methods until twelve months postpartum in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo: The YAM DAABO study protocol

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Postpartum family planning (PPFP) information and services can prevent maternal and child morbidity and mortality in low-resource countries, where high unmet need for PPFP remains despite opportunities offered by routine postnatal care visits. This study aims to identify a package of PPFP interventions and determine its effectiveness on the uptake of contraceptive methods during the first year postpartum. We hypothesize that implementing a PPFP intervention package that is designed to strengthen existing antenatal and postnatal care services will result in an increase in contraceptive use. Methods: This is an operational research project using a complex intervention design with three interacting phases. The pre-formative phase aims to map study sites to establish a sampling frame. The formative phase employs a participatory approach using qualitative methodology to identify barriers and catalysts to PPFP uptake to inform the design of a PPFP intervention package. The intervention phase applies a cluster randomized-controlled trial design based at the primary healthcare level, with the experimental group implementing the PPFP package, and the control group implementing usual care. The primary outcome is modern contraceptive method uptake at twelve months postpartum. Qualitative research is embedded in the intervention phase to understand the operational reasons for success or failure of PPFP services. Discussion: Designing, testing, and scaling-up effective, affordable, and sustainable health interventions in low-resource countries is critical to address the high unmet need for PPFP. Due to socio-cultural complexities surrounding contraceptive use, this research assumes that this is more effectively accomplished by engaging key stakeholders, including adolescents, women, men, key community members, service providers, and policy-makers. At the individual level, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of women and couples toward PPFP will likely be influenced by a set of low-cost interventions. At the health service delivery level, the implementation of this trial will probably require a shift in behavior and accountability of providers regarding the systematic integration of PPFP into their clinical practice, as well as the optimization of health service organization to ensure the availability of competent staff and contraceptive supplies. Trial registration: Retrospectively registered in the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201609001784334, 27 September 2016)

Effectiveness of post-partum family planning interventions on contraceptive use and method mix at 1 year after childbirth in Kinshasa, DR Congo (Yam Daabo): a single-blind, cluster-randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND:In rural Burkina Faso, a package of six low-technology, post-partum contraceptive interventions (ie, refresher training for providers, a counselling tool, supportive supervision, daily availability of contraceptive services, client appointment cards, and invitation letters to attend appointments for partners), aimed at strengthening existing primary health-care services and enhancing demand for them, doubled the use of modern contraceptives at 12 months post partum (ie, 55% uptake in intervention recipients vs 29% in routine-care users). This study assessed the effect of a similar package but in urban settings of Kinshasa province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in an effort to reduce the unmet need for post-partum family planning. METHODS:Yam Daabo was a multi-intervention, single-blinded, cluster-randomised controlled trial done in six primary health-care centres (clusters) in Kinshasa. Centres were randomly allocated to receive the six-component intervention or standard antenatal and postnatal care in matched pairs (1:1) on the basis of number of monthly births, the ratio of health workers per population in the health zone, and the urban and suburban settings. Only data analysts could be masked to cluster allocation. Health-care facilities were eligible if they provided a continuum of antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, were well stocked with contraceptives, and were situated close to the main study centre. All pregnant women presenting to the six centres were eligible if they were in their third pregnancy trimester and had no counterindications to deliver in the facility. The main outcome was prevalence of use of modern contraceptives at 12 months after delivery. Analysis was by modified intention-to-treat using generalised linear mixed models or Fisher's exact test for small groups. Prevalence ratios were adjusted for cluster effects and baseline characteristics. This study was registered with the Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201609001784334). FINDINGS:From July 1, 2016, to Feb 2, 2017, eight of 52 clinics assessed for eligibility met the criteria and were randomised. Of 690 women approached, 576 (83%) women were enrolled: 286 in the four intervention clusters and 290 in the four control clusters. Of them, 519 (90%) completed the 12-month study exit interview (252 in the intervention group and 267 in the control group) and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At 12 months, 115 (46%) of 252 women in the intervention group and 94 (35%) of 267 in the control group were using modern contraceptives (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR] 1·58, 95% CI 0·74-3·38), with significant differences in the use of contraceptive implants (22% vs 6%; adjusted PR 4·36, 95% CI 1·96-9·70), but without difference in the use of short-acting contraceptives (23% vs 28%; 0·92, 0·29-2·98) and non-modern or inappropriate methods (7% vs 18%; 0·45, 0·13-1·54). There were no serious adverse events or maternal deaths related to the study. INTERPRETATION:The Yam Daabo intervention package did not have a significant effect on the overall use of effective modern contraceptives but significantly increased implant use in women post partum who live in urban settings in Kinshasa up to a year after childbirth. However, interferences from external family planning initiatives in the control group might have diminished differences between the services received. Such an intervention could be potentially relevant in similar contexts in DR Congo and other countries. FUNDING:Government of France; UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction

Participatory action research to identify a package of interventions to promote postpartum family planning in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo

© 2018 The Author(s). Background: The YAM DAABO study ("your choice" in Mooré) takes place in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has the objective to identify a package of postpartum family planning (PPFP) interventions to strengthen primary healthcare services and determine its effectiveness on contraceptive uptake during the first year postpartum. This article presents the process of identifying the PPFP interventions and its detailed contents. Methods: Based on participatory action research principles, we adopted an inclusive process with two complementary approaches: a bottom-up formative approach and a circular reflective approach, both of which involved a wide range of stakeholders. For the bottom-up component, we worked in each country in three formative sites and used qualitative methods to identify barriers and catalysts to PPFP uptake. The results informed the package design which occurred during the circular reflective approach - a research workshop gathering service providers, members of both country research teams, and the WHO coordination team. Results: As barriers and catalysts were found to be similar in both countries and with the view to scaling up our strategy to other comparable settings, we identified a common package of six low-cost, low-technology, and easily-scalable interventions that addressed the main service delivery obstacles related to PPFP: (1) refresher training of service providers, (2) regularly scheduled and strengthened supportive supervision of service providers, (3) enhanced availability of services 7 days a week, (4) a counseling tool, (5) appointment cards for women, and (6) invitation letters for partners. Conclusions: Our research strategy assumes that postpartum contraceptive uptake can be increased by supporting providers, enhancing the availability of services, and engaging women and their partners. The package does not promote any modern contraceptive method over another but prioritizes the importance of women's right to information and choice regarding postpartum fertility options. The effectiveness of the package will be studied in the experimental phase. If found to be effective, this intervention package may be relevant to and scalable in other parts of Burkina Faso and the DRC, and possibly other Sub-Saharan countries

Postpartum family-planning barriers and catalysts in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo: a multiperspective study

Nguyen Toan Tran,1–3,* Wambi Maurice E Yameogo,4,5,* Mary Eluned Gaffield,1 Félicité Langwana,6 James Kiarie,1 Désiré Mashinda Kulimba,6 Seni Kouanda4,5 1Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; 2Australian Centre for Public and Population Health Research, Faculty of Health, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 3Institute of Demography and Socioeconomics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; 4Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 5Institut Africain de la Santé Publique, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 6School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: To address the high unmet need for postpartum family planning (PPFP) in resource-limited settings, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, this study aimed to identify PPFP-related barriers and catalysts to inform policies and programs to increase access to postpartum contraception.Methods: Using qualitative methodology, we explored the perspectives of women, adolescent girls, men, religious and community leaders, service providers, and decision makers from three rural communities in Burkina Faso and three rural–urban communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both countries have high unmet need for PPFP and are priority countries of the French Muskoka Fund for Maternal and Child Health.Results: Perceived catalysts included negative traditional views on the consequences borne by closely spaced children and their mothers; a 6-week postpartum visit dedicated to PPFP (albeit poorly attended); political will and enabling policies for FP; and support from certain religious leaders and men. Main reported barriers were the lack of male engagement; out-of-pocket copayment for contraceptives; reliance on amenorrhea for pregnancy prevention without knowing its limits; misconceptions about modern contraceptives, including prerequisites for the lactational amenorrhea method; sexual abstinence supported by religious and traditional norms for up to 3–6 months, although women reported earlier resumption of sexual activity; low prioritization of scheduled postpartum visits by women; and limited availability of readily accessible methods, PPFP counseling materials, and clinic days and scheduled visits dedicated to contraceptive services.Conclusion: Based on results found to be most actionable, the following interventions have the potential to optimize access to PPFP services: counseling women on postpartum-pregnancy risks and options at different points in time before and after childbirth through the use of appropriate information, education, and counseling materials; integrating PPFP services into existing maternal and child health visits; making contraceptives readily available and affordable; and meaningfully engaging male partners. Keywords: postpartum contraception, barriers, enablers, sub-Saharan Africa, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Cong

Post-partum family planning in Burkina Faso (Yam Daabo): a two group, multi-intervention, single-blinded, cluster-randomised controlled trial

© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license Background: Post-partum family planning services can prevent maternal and child morbidity and mortality in low-resource settings. We assessed the effect of a family planning intervention package on modern contraceptive use at 12 months post partum in predominantly rural Burkina Faso. Methods: Yam Daabo was a two group, multi-intervention, single-blinded, cluster randomised controlled trial. Primary health-care centres were randomly allocated to intervention or control clusters in a 1:1 ratio with only data analysts masked to the allocation assignment. Interventions comprised refresher training for the provider, a counselling tool, supportive supervision, availability of contraceptive services 7 days a week, client appointment cards, and invitation letters for partners. The primary outcome was modern contraceptive prevalence at 12 months, and secondary outcomes were modern contraceptive prevalence at 6 weeks and 6 months post partum. Analysis was by modified intention to treat. Prevalence ratios were adjusted for cluster effects and baseline characteristics. This study was registered with the Pan-African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR201609001784334). Findings: From July 27–Oct 17, 2016, eight clinics were randomised and 571 women were enrolled and allocated: 286 to four intervention clusters and 285 to four control clusters. Of these, 523 completed the 12-month study exit interview (260 in the intervention group, 263 in the control group) and 523 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. At 12 months, modern contraceptive prevalence was 55% among women who received the package and 29% among those who received routine care in control clusters (adjusted prevalence ratio 1·79, 95% CI 1·30–2·47). Significant differences in modern contraceptive prevalence were also seen between intervention and control groups at 6 weeks (42% and 10%, respectively; adjusted prevalence ratio 3·88, 95% CI 1·46–10·35) and 6 months (59% and 24%, respectively; 2·31, 1·44–3·71). Interpretation: A package of six low-technology interventions, aimed at strengthening existing primary health-care services and enhancing demand for these services, can effectively increase modern contraceptive use for up to a year post partum in rural settings in Burkina Faso and has the potential to be suitable in similar settings in this country and others. Funding: Government of France

Birth spacing and informed family planning choices after childbirth in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo: Participatory action research to design and evaluate a decision-making tool for providers and their clients

© 2018 Objectives: Postpartum family planning (PPFP) is essential for maternal and newborn health but is often not systematically addressed before or after childbirth. This article describes the development and field-testing of a PPFP counseling tool to support providers and women. Methods: Participatory action research involving women, men, providers, policymakers, researchers, and contraceptive experts from Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Results: The tool consists of an A4-size flipchart with illustrations on the client side and clinical information and counseling tips on the provider side, and can be used during visits of the antenatal-delivery-postnatal care continuum. Qualitative results suggest that the tool is easily understandable, user-friendly, relevant, and useful with regard to providing PPFP information to clients, and respectful of clients’ rights and choices. It may have a positive influence on clients’ attitudes towards PPFP and their decision to use contraception. Conclusions: The tool holds promise in guiding a systematic discussion on birth spacing options among providers and clients. Its impact on contraceptive uptake requires further research. Practice implications: If proven effective, the tool could be disseminated to Ministries of Health and local, regional, and global partners to strengthen national family planning and maternal and child health strategies in low-resource countries

Assessing the Continuum of Care Pathway for Maternal Health in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa

OBJECTIVE: We assess how countries in regions of the world where maternal mortality is highest - South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa - are performing with regards to providing women with vital elements of the continuum of care. METHODS: Using recent Demographic and Health Survey data from nine countries including 18,036 women, descriptive and multilevel regression analyses were conducted on four key elements of the continuum of care - at least one antenatal care visit, four or more antenatal care visits, delivery with a skilled birth attendant and postnatal checks for the mother within the first 24 hours since birth. Family planning counseling within a year of birth was also included in the descriptive analyses. RESULTS: Results indicated that a major drop-out (more than 50%) occurs early on in the continuum of care between the first antenatal care visit and four or more antenatal care visits. Few women (less than 5%) who do not receive any antenatal care go on to have a skilled delivery or receive postnatal care. Women who receive some or all the elements of the continuum of care have greater autonomy and are richer and more educated than women who receive none of the elements. CONCLUSION: Understanding where drop-out occurs and who drops out can enable countries to better target interventions. Four or more ANC visits plays a pivotal role within the continuum of care and warrants more programmatic attention. Strategies to ensure that vital services are available to all women are essential in efforts to improve maternal health