TITLE:
Family Planning: Choosing Contraceptive Methods in Kongo Central Province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo
AUTHORS:
Matondo Luzunga Guy Roger, Lukanu Ngwala Philippe, Ngoma Miezi Kintaudi, Minuku Kinzonzi Felix, Kalonji Ntumba Albert, Nsiala Kumbu Adrien, Muaka Nsakala Jim, Lisa Mahoya Mangondo
KEYWORDS:
Choice, Clients, Contraceptive
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.13 No.2,
February
28,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: In developing countries, access to modern contraceptive methods remains
a concern, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Although satisfactory progress in increasing
family planning use has been observed worldwide, demand and unmet need continue
to grow. This study describes the different reasons that push women in rural
and urban areas of Kongo Central province in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) to choose one of the modern contraceptive methods. Methods: A
cross-sectional, analytical study on the 705 clients recruited during the
family planning mini-campaigns organized from January to March 2021 in 8 health
zones of the Kongo Central Province in DRC.
Community Contraceptive Methods Distributors (CCMD) collected the data, community health workers (CHW) trained in clinical
providers’ community family planning service. The Pearson’s Chi2 test was used to compare the proportions
of the methods chosen in the different study variables categories, and logistic
regression was done to analyze the strength of association between the uses of long-acting reversible
contraceptives (LARC) with the study variables. Results: The mean age
(SD) of the clients was 25.7 years. The median number of living children was 2
children and that of pregnancies carried per client was 3. Three (3) clients
under the age of 20 out of 126 (2.4%) have 3 to 4 living children and one a up
to 6 living children. Out of a total of 705 clients, 11.1% aged under 20 and
39.1% of clients aged 20 to 24 requested LARC. Divorced and unmarried women
chose SAC and married and common-law women chose LARC more, compared to other
categories of women. Unemployed women prefer SACs more than other professional
categories, and women farmers prefer LARC. The level of education has no
influence on the choice of method. The use of LARC increased with the number of
pregnancies carried, children alive, and children who died. The age and number
of children who died did not influence the association between LARC and alive
children. Conclusion: The choice of modern contraceptive methods is
guided by the age of the mother and the number of children living in her life.
Younger women are more likely to choose short-acting contraceptive methods in
the eight health zones of Kongo Central province. The high number of living
children influences the choice of LARC regardless of age.