News

 Family planning (FP) after childbirth is crucial for prevention of unintended and closely spaced pregnancies. However, providers, women, their families and communities, as well as policy-makers and programme managers, often do not properly think of the need for FP at this time. They may not be aware that a woman’s fertility can return in the early months after birth and that with timely initiation most contraceptive methods are safe for the breastfeeding mother.

According to an analysis of Demographic and Health Survey data from 27 countries, 65% of women who are 0–12 months postpartum want to avoid a pregnancy in the next 12 months but are not using contraception.
Closely spaced pregnancies within the first year postpartum are the riskiest for mother and baby, resulting in increased risks for adverse outcomes such as preterm, low birth weight and small for gestational age. FP can avert more than 30% of maternal deaths and 10% of child mortality if couples spaced their pregnancies more than two years apart.
In order to raise awareness of FP needs of postpartum women (women after delivery), policymakers need to focus beyond antenatal care, labor and delivery care, and child care, to address postpartum care, including Postpartum Family Planning (PPFP).
Most of the pregnant women make prenatal visits or have contact with health care providers at or soon after delivery when PPFP can be introduced in the context of primary care, including comprehensive maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services encompassing antenatal, birth, newborn, immunisation, nutrition and community health care. It provides more acceptable, timely and effective ways of reaching postpartum women and addressing their FP needs.
Efficient organisation of services is essential to allow enough time to include FP counseling and decision-making and to ensure that integrated services, such as birthing units or immunisations sessions, have all the necessary equipment, supplies, contraceptives and trained staff to provide FP, including long-acting and/or permanent methods like intrauterine device, tubal ligation, vasectomy etc.
However, many women do not access to healthcare institutions and these have limited opportunities to receive FP information or services. Community health workers can bring information and services to women and men in the communities where they live, rather than requiring them to visit health facilities, which may be distant or otherwise inaccessible. Men may effectively be involved in PPFP in their role in decision-making, in influencing the attitudes of families and communities, and as clients.
The postpartum period, especially first few days after birth, is a time during which couples generally have multiple encounters with the health care system.
Providing contraception during this time is cost-effective and efficient because it does not require significant increases in staff, supervision or infrastructure. Strengthening of family planning in this period can result in dramatic reductions of high-risk pregnancies, reduced unmet need for FP, and improvements in the health and survival of mothers and children.

Source: World Health Organisation

Source - The Daily Star