Population Council Research that makes a difference

The family planning needs of women during the postpartum period, and particularly those who are HIV-positive, often are not addressed, leaving many women at risk not only of unwanted or wrongly timed future pregnancies, but also of worsening health status. Providing continuity of care between antenatal care services, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, delivery, and postpartum care can ensure that women's fertility intentions in the context of their HIV status are fully and effectively met, while at the same time offering opportunities to address more direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality, such as bleeding and infection.

FRONTIERS worked with Kenya's Division of Reproductive Health and ACCESS-FP/JHPIEGO to develop and introduce a strengthened postnatal care package for Kenyan women in selected facilities with maternity units. The package included four postnatal consultations (within 48 hours and at two weeks, six weeks, and six months). Feasibility and quality of care of the strengthened postnatal care package, its acceptability to providers and clients, and the estimated costs for sustaining and scaling up the package of services were documented. ACCESS-FP/JHPIEGO provided ongoing support supervision. Messages on healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies have been incorporated into training and job aids.