Postpartum contraceptive needs in northern Haiti

Abstract

Objective To assess the knowledge of, attitudes toward, and practices regarding postpartum contraception among healthcare providers and postpartum women in northern Haiti. Methods Six focus groups were conducted with postpartum patients and 3 were conducted with maternity service providers; a structured questionnaire was then administered to postpartum patients. Results In total, 282 postpartum women were included in the present study: 249 in the survey and 33 in focus groups. Although 97.9% of women expressed a desire for family-planning counseling before discharge from the postpartum ward, only 6.0% of women received such counseling. Most women wanted to space or limit their pregnancies; 79.8% of women, including those with only 1 child, wanted to choose a contraceptive method before discharge. Providers expressed concern for the volume of induced abortions and maternal deaths within the hospital, which many felt could be averted by improving postpartum family planning. However, there was no postpartum contraceptive counseling or method provision in the present setting, and no providers had experience in initiating methods immediately postpartum. Conclusion Efforts to integrate family planning into postpartum care services could help to reduce the unmet need for family planning, and help patients and providers reach their goals.