BACKGROUND Describe dual contraceptive method use and the intention to become pregnant of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and their partners in Thailand. METHODS From January 2008-March 2009, we systematically selected a cohort of PLHIV from PLHIV seeking care at five tertiary care hospitals and one community hospital to complete a questionnaire assessing sexual activity, intention to become p...

BACKGROUND Pregnancies among young women force girls to compromise education, resulting in low educational attainment with subsequent poverty and vulnerability. A pronounced focus is needed on contraceptive use, pregnancy, and unsafe abortion among young women. OBJECTIVE This study aims to explore healthcare providers' (HCPs) perceptions and practices regarding contraceptive counselling to yo...

BACKGROUND Rates of fertility, population growth, and maternal deaths in Nigeria are among the highest in the world, with an estimated 4% of all births being unwanted and 7% mistimed. These are caused mainly by nonuse, inappropriate choice, and difficulty in accessing contraceptive commodities. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors influencing the choice and sour...

This issue of the journal seeks to accelerate interest in research on family planning services and uptake, and behavioral and population outcomes, by sharing findings from studies recently conducted on the continent and presented at the International Family Planning Conference held in Kampala, Uganda, between November 15 and 18, 2009. There are three main themes across the studies: 1) individua...

BACKGROUND Afghanistan has one of the world's highest fertility rates and, related to this, an infant mortality rate far higher than its South Asian neighbors. Contraception enhances family spacing, improves women's safety in child birth and, as a result, reduces infant and child mortality. Until recently, there has been a paucity of information on the comparative rates of contraceptive practic...

Family planning programs are considered to be an important way to control the rapid population growth of Bangladesh with the main focus being women. As a male dominant country, the knowledge of, attitude towards, and approval of family planning is largely influenced by the male member of couples in their choice of appropriate contraceptive methods. This paper examined the determinants of curren...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Rates of adult women receiving contraceptive provision when simultaneously prescribed a known teratogen are alarmingly low. The prevalence of this behavior among pediatric providers and their adolescent patients is unknown. The objective of this study was to describe pediatric provider behaviors for prescribing teratogens concurrently with counseling, referral, and/or ...

BACKGROUND Reducing neonatal mortality is a global priority, and improvements in postnatal health (PNH) practices in India are needed to do so. Intimate partner violence (IPV) may be associated with PNH practices, but little research has assessed this relationship. METHODS A cross-sectional analysis of data from a representative household sample of mothers of neonates 0-11 months old in Bihar...

BACKGROUND India was the first country in world to launch - The National Family Welfare Programme in 1951 but even today the couple protection rate (CPR) is still not achieved as desired. OBJECTIVES To determine extent of awareness regarding contraception among married women. To estimate proportion of couples using contraceptive methods, identify reasons for their adoption & non adoption and ...