Postpartum family planning integration with maternal, newborn and child health services: A cross-sectional analysis of client flow patterns in India and Kenya

Devon Mackenzie, Anne Pfitzer, Christina Maly, Charles Waka, Gajendra Singh, Abanti Sanyal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives Maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services represent opportunities to integrate postpartum family planning (PPFP). Objectives were to determine levels of MNCH-family planning (FP) integration and associations between integration, client characteristics and service delivery factors in facilities that received programmatic PPFP support. Design and setting Cross-sectional client flow assessment conducted during May-July 2014, over 5 days at 10 purposively selected public sector facilities in India (4 hospitals) and Kenya (2 hospitals and 4 health centres). Participants 2158 client visits tracked (1294 India; 864 Kenya). Women aged 18 or older accessing services while pregnant and/or with a child under 2 years. Interventions PPFP/postpartum intrauterine device - Bihar, India (2012-2013); Jharkhand, India (2009-2014); Embu, Kenya (2006-2010). Maternal, infant and young child nutrition/FP integration - Bondo, Kenya (2011-2014). Primary outcome measures Proportion of visits where clients received integrated MNCH-FP services, client characteristics as predictors of MNCH-FP integration and MNCH-FP integration as predictor of length of time spent at facility. Results Levels of MNCH-FP integration varied widely across facilities (5.3% to 63.0%), as did proportion of clients receiving MNCH-FP integrated services by service area. Clients travelling 30-59 min were half as likely to receive integrated services versus those travelling under 30 min (OR 0.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.7, P<0.001). Clients receiving MNCH-FP services (vs MNCH services only) spent an average of 10.5 min longer at the facility (95% CI â'0.1 to 21.9, not statistically significant). Conclusions Findings suggest importance of focused programmatic support for integration by MNCH service area. FP integration was highest in areas receiving specific support. Integration does not seem to impose an undue burden on clients in terms of time spent at the facility. Clients living furthest from facilities are least likely to receive integrated services.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numberbmjopen-2017-018580
JournalBMJ open
Volume8
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2018
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • child health
  • family planning
  • integration
  • maternal and newborn health
  • postpartum

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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