Women's Health Commons^™

Continuation Rates And Reasons For Discontinuation Of Intra-Uterine Device In Three Provinces Of Pakistan: Results Of A 24-Month Prospective Client Follow-Up, Waqas Hameed, Syed Khurram Azmat, Muhammad Ishaque, Wajahat Hussain, Erik Munroe, Ghulam Mustafa, Omar Farooq Khan, Ghazunfer Abbas, Safdar Ali, Qaiser Jamshaid Asghar

Community Health Sciences

Background: Long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as the intrauterine device (IUD), remain underutilised in Pakistan with high discontinuation rates. Based on a 24-month prospective client follow-up (nested within a larger quasi-experimental study), this paper presents the comparison of two intervention models, one using private mid-level providers branded as "Suraj" and the other using community midwives (CMWs) of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Programme, for method continuation among IUD users. Moreover, determinants of IUD continuation and the reasons for discontinuation, and switching behaviour were studied within each arm.
Methods: A total of 1,163 IUD users, 824 from Suraj and 339 from the …

Determinants Of Method Switching Among Social Franchise Clients Who Discontinued The Use Of Intrauterine Contraceptive Device, Waqas Hameed, Syed Khurram Azmat, Moazzam Ali, Wajahat Hussain, Ghulam Mustafa, Muhammad Ishaque, Safdar Ali, Aftab Ahmed, Marleen Temmerman

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Women who do not switch to alternate methods after contraceptive discontinuation, for reasons other than the desire to get pregnant or not needing it, are at obvious risk for unplanned pregnancies or unwanted births. This paper examines the factors that influence women to switch from Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUCD) to other methods instead of terminating contraceptive usage altogether.
Methods: The data used for this study comes from a larger cross-sectional survey conducted in nine (9) randomly selected districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces of Pakistan, during January 2011. Using Stata 11.2, we analyzed data on 333 women, …

The Role Of Quality Health Services And Discussion About Birth Spacing In Postpartum Contraceptive Use In Sindh, Pakistan: A Multilevel Analysis, Hannah Tappis, Anis Kazi, Waqas Hameed, Zaib Dahar, Anayat Ali, Sohail Agha

Community Health Sciences

Introduction: Rapid population growth, stagnant contraceptive prevalence, and high unmet need for family planning present significant challenges for meeting Pakistan's national and international development goals. Although health behaviors are shaped by multiple social and environmental factors, research on contraceptive uptake in Pakistan has focused on individual and household determinants, and little attention has been given to community characteristics that may affect access to services and reproductive behavior.
Methods: Individual and community determinants of contraceptive use were identified using multivariable multilevel logistic regression to analyze data from a 2014 cross-sectional survey of 6,200 mothers in 503 communities in Sindh, Pakistan.
Results: …

Family Planning Knowledge, Attitudes, And Practices Among Married Men And Women In Rural Areas Of Pakistan: Findings From A Qualitative Need Assessment Study, Ghulam Mustafa, Syed Khurram Azmat, Waqas Hameed, Safdar Ali, Muhammad Ishaque, Wajahat Hussain, Aftab Ahmed, Erik Munroe

Community Health Sciences

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative assessment aimed at exploring knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding family planning and factors that influence the need for and use of modern contraceptives. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted with married women and men aged between 15 and 40. Overall, 24 focus group discussions were conducted with male and female participants in three provinces of Pakistan. The findings reveal that the majority knew about some modern contraceptive methods, but the overall contraceptive use was very low. Knowledge and use of any contraceptive method were particularly low. Reasons for not using family planning …

A Qualitative Exploration Of The Emotional Wellbeing And Support Needs Of New Mothers From Afghanistan Living In Melbourne, Australia, Alana Russo, Belinda Lewis, Andrew Joyce, Belinda Crockett, Stanley Luchters

Population Health, East Africa

Background: The Afghan community is a priority population for many health and social services within the southeast region of Melbourne, which is home to the largest population of Afghanistan-born people within the state of Victoria. The majority of Afghan women arriving in Australia are of childbearing age, and evidence suggests that they are at increased risk of emotional challenges following birth as a result of the refugee and migration experience. This research aimed to explored the experiences of Afghan women living in Melbourne throughout pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood, and gain insight into the aspects of their experiences that they …

Which Role Do Midwives And Gynecologists Have In Smoking Cessation In Pregnant Women?–A Study In Flanders, Belgium, Katrien De Wilde, Inge Tency, Sarah Steckel, Marleen Temmerman, Hedwig Boudrez, Lea Maes

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

Objectives: The objectives of our study were (1) to explore knowledge, beliefs and practice among mid-wives and gynecologists concerning a smoking cessation policy for pregnant women and their partners and (2) to examine if midwives and gynecologists do have a role in smoking cessation in pregnant women.

Method: We performed a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with nine midwives and eight gynecologists. Data were analyzed using deductive content analysis, based on the 5 A’s frame-work (Ask–Advise–Assess–Assist–Arrange).

Results: The national smoking cessation policy seemed to be insufficiently known. “Ask” and “Advise" were part of a standard prenatal consultation, the next three …

Assessing Predictors Of Contraceptive Use And Demand For Family Planning Services In Underserved Areas Of Punjab Province In Pakistan: Results Of A Cross-Sectional Baseline Survey, Syed Khurram Azmat, Moazzam Ali, Muhammad Ishaque, Ghulam Mustafa, Waqas Hameed, Omar Farooq Khan, Ghazunfer Abbas, Marleen Temmerman, Erik Munroe

Community Health Sciences

Background: Although Pakistan was one of the first countries in Asia to launch national family planning programs, current modern contraceptive use stands at only 26% with a method mix skewed toward short-acting and permanent methods. As part of a multiyear operational research study, a baseline survey was conducted to understand the predictors of contraceptive use and demand for family planning services in underserved areas of Punjab province in Pakistan. This paper presents the baseline survey results; the outcomes of the intervention will be presented in a separate paper after the study has been completed.
Method: A cross-sectional baseline household survey …

Comparing Effectiveness Of Two Client Follow-Up Approaches In Sustaining The Use Of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (Larc) Among The Underserved In Rural Punjab, Pakistan: A Study Protocol And Participants' Profile, Syed Khurram Azmat, Waqas Hameed, Moazzam Ali, Muhammad Ishaque, Ghulam Mustafa, Omar Farooq Khan, Ghazunfer Abbas, Erik Munroe

Community Health Sciences

Background: Pakistan observes a very high i.e. 37 percent modern contraceptive method related discontinuation rates within 12 months of their initiation. And almost 10 percent of these episodes of discontinuation happened due to the side effects or health concerns experienced by the women. Most importantly, it was noted that more than 12,000 first-level care facilities are located in the rural areas, including rural health centers, basic health units, and family welfare centers, but more than 30% of these facilities are nonfunctional. This paper presents a study protocol and participants' profiling of a prospective cohort follow-up to compare the effectiveness of …

Is Risk Malignancy Index A Useful Tool For Predicting Malignant Ovarian Masses In Developing Countries?, Aliya Aziz, Nida Najmi

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Introduction: Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI) is widely studied for prediction of malignant pelvic masses in Western population. However, little is known regarding its implication in the developing countries. The objective of this study is to determine how accurately the RMI can predict the malignant pelvic masses.

Materials and Methods: The study is a retrospective review of patients attending the gynecological clinic between January 2004 and December 2008 with adnexal masses. Information on demographic characteristics, ultrasound findings, menopausal status, CA125, and histopathology was collected. RMI score for each patient in the study group was calculated.

Results: The study …