Population Council Research that makes a difference

FRONTIERS worked with the Center of Social and Demographic Studies to assess the integration of family planning services within services for postpartum care, postabortion care, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) in hospitals and health centers run by the Dominican government and the nonprofit organization Profamilia. The study found that family planning services are integrated with services for antenatal care, delivery, and postpartum care, and to a lesser degree, services for persons living with HIV (PLH).

Findings showed that overall, health centers were better prepared than OB/GYN wards to offer contraceptive services during the perinatal period, although access to contraception was limited for postabortion clients. Major obstacles to providing services included limited hours for availability of methods and inadequate referral mechanisms for women wanting a method post-discharge. Over three-fourths of pregnant women had had an HIV test during antenatal visits, and 83 percent of hospitals provided at least some PMTCT services for women in delivery care. Over half (62%) of PLH reported using contraception, although discontinuation rates are high. About half of postpartum women reported postpartum family planning use; women who received counseling on contraception during their stay for delivery were significantly more likely to be using a method than those who received no counseling.

Key recommendations included establishing ways of confidentially identifying women who have received HIV testing during antenatal visits, enhancing links between family planning and HIV care, and providing refresher training for family planning providers who work with women living with HIV.

Banner photo: © Beryl Goldberg