TITLE:
Barriers to Immediate Post-Partum Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Device Uptake among Mothers Delivering at Meru Hospital
AUTHORS:
Consolata Kirigia, Lucy Gitonga, Moses Mahugu Muraya
KEYWORDS:
Barriers, Post-Partum, Intra-Uterine, Contraceptives, Uptake
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Vol.9 No.3,
March
4,
2019
ABSTRACT: Global contraceptive use is at 64%, Africa lagging behind at 33.4%. Kenya
has an unmet need for family planning at 23%. Hormonal injections are the most
used in Africa at 9.8% and Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Devices at 3.8%. Low
uptake of 3.4% was reported in Meru Hospital and lack of literature on immediate
Post Partum Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device (PPIUCD) uptake. Immediate Post
Partum Intra Uterine Contraceptive Device is a long acting reversible
contraceptive device inserted into the uterus immediately within 48 hours after
delivery. The objective was to assess Barriers to Immediate Post-Partum
Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Device uptake among Mothers delivering in Meru
Hospital. Descriptive research design was used and a population of 289 mothers
was targeted. Sample size of 74 respondents was selected using simple random
sampling. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to collect data. The
collected data were entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science
windows version 23.0. Descriptive analysis was used to obtain frequencies and
percentages. Chi-square was used to test the relationship of study variables
and presented in tables. The qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that provider related
barriers such as none provision of the services and untimely counseling for the
insertion had the highest impact to low uptake (57%). Clients lacked information
where 68% reported that they were not counseled. Demographic and reproductive
characteristics also played a role in low uptake. Using the chi square test,
there was a significant relationship, P = 0.001 between young age of the
mothers, unemployment (53%), low parity (56%) and low uptake. Preference for
other alternative contraceptives (25.8%) such as hormonal methods was a barrier
to the uptake. Therefore, barriers to PPIUCD uptake are provider related,
alternative methods of contraception and client related such as lack of
information, unemployment, young age and low parity. The findings will inform
Meru hospital management on barriers to immediate PPIUCD uptake. The study
recommends an investigation on why providers hinder PPIUCD uptake and create
awareness on PPIUCD services to the community.