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Delaying Child Marriage Through Community-Based Skills-Development Programs For Girls: Results From A Randomized Controlled Study In Rural Bangladesh, Sajeda Amin, Johana Ahmed, Jyotirmoy Saha, Md. Irfan Hossain, Eashita Haque Jan 2016

Delaying Child Marriage Through Community-Based Skills-Development Programs For Girls: Results From A Randomized Controlled Study In Rural Bangladesh, Sajeda Amin, Johana Ahmed, Jyotirmoy Saha, Md. Irfan Hossain, Eashita Haque

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In Bangladesh, where efforts to prevent child marriage have focused on the enforcement of laws and policies, little research exists on what approaches work best to delay marriage and why. To help fill this evidence gap, in 2012 the Population Council and partners embarked on a four-year study to understand whether skills-building approaches to empower girls can delay marriage in three districts in southern Bangladesh where child marriage rates are high. The BALIKA project reported here is the first rigorously evaluated study to provide evidence on approaches to delay child marriage in Bangladesh. BALIKA results show that programs that educate …


Reducing Provider-Held Stigma And Improving Young Client Satisfaction In Bangladesh: Findings From A Link Up Evaluation, Population Council Jan 2016

Reducing Provider-Held Stigma And Improving Young Client Satisfaction In Bangladesh: Findings From A Link Up Evaluation, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

To address HIV stigma in Bangladesh, a training program was designed and evaluated among service providers as part of Link Up, a global project led by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance designed to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of young people. These trainings aimed at sensitizing healthcare providers to the needs and rights of young people at high risk of stigmatization—such as sex workers, sexual minorities, or young people who engage in premarital sex. The Population Council collaborated with Marie Stopes International Bangladesh (MSIB) to evaluate whether stigma-reduction trainings improved provider attitudes toward these young marginalized populations, …


Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights Needs Of Young Men Who Live In The Streets In Dhaka City: A Link Up Exploratory Study, Population Council Jan 2016

Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights Needs Of Young Men Who Live In The Streets In Dhaka City: A Link Up Exploratory Study, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Under the Link Up project—a global consortium led by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs—the Population Council conducted an exploratory study of the HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) needs of young men who live in the streets of Dhaka City, Bangladesh. The study investigated their knowledge, behaviors, needs, and service utilization related to HIV and SRHR. The findings elucidate the substantial vulnerabilities and risks faced by young men who live in the streets of Dhaka City, most notably in terms of sexual risk and physical violence. Participants reported very …


Adolescents In Bangladesh: Programmatic Approaches To Sexual And Reproductive Health Education And Services, Sigma Ainul, Ashish Bajracharya, Laura Reichenbach Jan 2016

Adolescents In Bangladesh: Programmatic Approaches To Sexual And Reproductive Health Education And Services, Sigma Ainul, Ashish Bajracharya, Laura Reichenbach

Reproductive Health

There is a gap in knowledge and understanding of effective adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) programming in Bangladesh, especially programming at scale. Initiatives to address ASRH have been implemented at different times by both the Government of Bangladesh and NGOs, but these activities have often been fragmented and are not well documented or evaluated, making it difficult to know what worked well and what did not. This policy brief presents selected findings from a comprehensive review and analysis of ASRH programming in Bangladesh, carried out by the Population Council’s Evidence Project, with financial support from USAID/Bangladesh, as part of …


A Model For Providing 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services At Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Forhana Rahman Noor, Afsana Fatema Noor Jan 2016

A Model For Providing 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services At Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Forhana Rahman Noor, Afsana Fatema Noor

Reproductive Health

In rural areas of Bangladesh, emergency obstetric care services are available at the upazila level and above. At lower levels, Union Health and Family Welfare Centers (UHFWCs) located in the proximity of women’s homes provide normal delivery services. Recently, the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) undertook an initiative to provide 24-hour normal delivery services in newly upgraded UHFWCs. The Population Council, with financial support from UKaid is providing technical assistance to the DGFP to implement an operations research study to test the effectiveness of this model. This brief presents an overview of the project, describes the implementation of project …


Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Chittagong And Munshiganj: Are They Ready To Provide 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services?, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Forhana Rahman Noor, Shongkour Roy, Afsana Fatema Noor Jan 2015

Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Chittagong And Munshiganj: Are They Ready To Provide 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services?, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, A.K.M. Zafar Ullah Khan, Forhana Rahman Noor, Shongkour Roy, Afsana Fatema Noor

Reproductive Health

To date, the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has established approximately 3,900 Union Health and Family Welfare Centers (UHFWCs) in rural areas providing: family planning; menstrual regulation; vaccinations; and general, reproductive, and maternal health services six days a week. About 1,500 UHFWCs have been upgraded with the necessary staff and equipment to provide normal delivery services round-the-clock in rural areas. Yet, Family Welfare Visitors (FWVs) posted at UHFWCs perform only 0.3 percent of deliveries. This means that UHFWCs and FWVs are not optimally utilized to increase the rate of institutional deliveries. …


Understanding Factors Influencing Adverse Sex Ratios At Birth In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Md. Irfan Hossain, Forhana Rahman Noor Jan 2015

Understanding Factors Influencing Adverse Sex Ratios At Birth In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Md. Irfan Hossain, Forhana Rahman Noor

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Nationally, the sex ratio at birth has persisted at its natural level of 105 male per 100 female newborns for the past half century in Bangladesh. However, at the regional level, Bangladesh is characterized by an east-west divide in sex ratios at birth. While the western region shows normal sex ratios at birth, the eastern region displays distorted sex ratios. To understand the factors that contribute to regional variations, a household survey was conducted among married women aged 18–49 years who had at least two living children. Views of health-care providers on gender-biased sex selection and of program implementers on …


Gender-Biased Sex Selection In South Asia: The Situation And Promising Approaches To Restore Balance, Population Council Jan 2015

Gender-Biased Sex Selection In South Asia: The Situation And Promising Approaches To Restore Balance, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This project summary indicates that sex ratios at birth in South Asia vary considerably. While the sex ratios at birth in Bangladesh and Pakistan have been normal at the country level (103 and 102.5 males per 100 females, respectively), Nepal is showing signs of disturbed sex ratios at birth, with a sex ratio of 106 males per 100 females, and the situation in India is particularly adverse, with a sex ratio at birth of 110 males per 100 females. In all of these countries, preconditions for a deterioration of the sex ratio at birth are evident. Preferences are expressed for …


Urban Adolescents' Needs Assessment Survey In Bangladesh: Summary, Bied, Bracu, Population Council Jan 2015

Urban Adolescents' Needs Assessment Survey In Bangladesh: Summary, Bied, Bracu, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Urban Adolescents’ Needs Assessment Survey in Bangladesh was designed to provide a general overview of the experience of urban adolescents, along with specific policy recommendations for adolescent programs. The Population Council, in collaboration with the BRAC Institute of Educational Development, developed this study as part of a broader needs assessment to inform several urban adolescent programs aimed at improving educational outcomes, providing better access to sexual and reproductive health information, and providing counseling and mental health support. The findings have implications for existing and future program strategies to promote adolescent well-being. This document provides a snapshot of the survey …


Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Chittagong And Munshiganj: Are They Ready To Provide 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services? (Brief), Population Council Jan 2015

Union Health And Family Welfare Centers In Chittagong And Munshiganj: Are They Ready To Provide 24-Hour Normal Delivery Services? (Brief), Population Council

Reproductive Health

To date, the Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has established approximately 3,900 Union Health and Family Welfare Centers (UHFWCs) in rural areas providing: family planning; menstrual regulation; vaccinations; and general, reproductive, and maternal health services six days a week. About 1,500 UHFWCs have been upgraded with the necessary staff and equipment to provide normal delivery services round-the-clock in rural areas. In rural areas, public-sector health facilities, including UHFWCs, contribute to only 12 percent of institutional deliveries. Until now, Family Welfare Visitors (FWVs) posted at UHFWCs performed only 0.3 percent of deliveries. …


Burundi Program Implementation Workshop, 3–5 June 2014: Link Up Meeting Report, Population Council, Alliance Burundaise Contre Le Sida Jan 2015

Burundi Program Implementation Workshop, 3–5 June 2014: Link Up Meeting Report, Population Council, Alliance Burundaise Contre Le Sida

HIV and AIDS

Link Up is a global consortium of international and local nongovernmental organizations led by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Link Up aimed to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in Bangladesh, Burundi, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Uganda who are living with HIV or are affected by the HIV pandemic. At a workshop held in Burundi, 3–5 June 2014, the Population Council, Alliance Burundaise contre le SIDA, and local partners in Burundi identified successful activities, highlighted important challenges and best practices, and found innovative ways to improve Link Up programming. This document contains a selection of the most …


Urban Adolescents Needs Assessment Survey In Bangladesh, Sajeda Amin Jan 2015

Urban Adolescents Needs Assessment Survey In Bangladesh, Sajeda Amin

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This report presents data on multiple dimensions of adolescents’ lives in urban settlements in Dhaka and Gazipur districts, Bangladesh. The study provides evidence on the lives of young people in a manner that can inform programs and policies directed toward this underserved population. Data is presented on education; reproductive health; family planning; marriage and dowry; physical mobility and social context; gender equality; family life, relationships, and emotional well-being; substance abuse; and livelihoods. There is presently little information about what makes adolescent girls and boys vulnerable in urban settings. The analysis explores and highlights sex, age, education, and marital-status-related differentials among …


Sexual And Reproductive Health Among Young Female Sex Workers In Bangladesh Brothels—Baseline Findings From Link Up, Population Council Jan 2015

Sexual And Reproductive Health Among Young Female Sex Workers In Bangladesh Brothels—Baseline Findings From Link Up, Population Council

HIV and AIDS

Link Up is a global consortium of international and local nongovernmental organizations led by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance. Link Up aimed to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people in Bangladesh, Burundi, Ethiopia, Myanmar, and Uganda who are living with HIV or are affected by the HIV pandemic. Consortium members PIACT Bangladesh and Marie Stopes Bangladesh implemented a brothel-based program for female sex workers to address sexual and reproductive health and rights. Working in eight brothels in seven districts, trained female sex worker peer educators provided face-to-face education, including referrals to on-site and off-site health care …


Landscape Analysis On Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Bangladesh, Charlotte E. Warren, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Rahat Ara Nur, Kanij Sultana, Karen Kirk, Amy Dempsey Jan 2015

Landscape Analysis On Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Bangladesh, Charlotte E. Warren, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Rahat Ara Nur, Kanij Sultana, Karen Kirk, Amy Dempsey

Reproductive Health

Globally more than 800 women die every day from preventable complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, and 99 percent of these deaths occur in developing countries. Every day approximately 7,200 babies are stillborn. Pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) contribute significantly to these mortalities. Eclampsia is the second most common direct cause of maternal death in Bangladesh followed by post-partum hemorrhage. Through the Ending Eclampsia project, the Population Council is seeking to expand access to proven, underutilized interventions and commodities for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of PE/E. In resource-poor countries, particularly Bangladesh, magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) for management of severe PE/E, …


Emerging Priorities In Reproductive, Maternal, And Newborn Health, Population Council Jan 2015

Emerging Priorities In Reproductive, Maternal, And Newborn Health, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council’s Ending Eclampsia project seeks to expand access to proven, underutilized interventions and commodities for the prevention, early detection, and treatment of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) and to strengthen global partnerships. Ending Eclampsia is working in Nigeria and Bangladesh to assess the level of program activities, gaps, and challenges around prevention and treatment of PE/E and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4). The project will build upon this landscape analysis to expand services to detect and manage PE/E, develop and support implementation of strategic plans for replicating the intervention package, and increase global PE/E evidence shared through knowledge and learning platforms. …


Maternal Health Commodity Landscaping Exercise: A Snapshot Of The Bangladesh Program, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Saumya Ramarao, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob Jan 2014

Maternal Health Commodity Landscaping Exercise: A Snapshot Of The Bangladesh Program, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Saumya Ramarao, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob

Reproductive Health

Despite consistent efforts of the government and national stakeholders, every year in Bangladesh over 5,000 mothers and thousands of children die. Most of these deaths would be preventable with increased access to quality services including existing medicines and other health commodities. The United Nation’s Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children suggests that an important cause of these deaths is lack of access and appropriate use of 13 life-saving commodities. This document describes an effort by the Population Council to assess the country’s policies, guidelines, and availability for these 13 life-saving commodities as well as engaging with key stakeholders …


Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Gender And Rights, Population Council Jan 2014

Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Gender And Rights, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Data presented in this Bangladeshi Association for Life Skills, Income, and Knowledge for Adolescents (BALIKA) fact sheet, “Highlight on Gender and Rights,” reveal that attitudes about gender equitability differ across domains and by the background characteristics of respondents in terms of education, marital status, and age. Those who are married, less educated, and young are less aware of gender equality and rights including domestic violence, autonomy, and confidence. The data suggest specific areas where interventions may produce positive outcomes. The BALIKA survey included a number of questions to measure the values held about gender equality in terms of marriage expectations, …


From Evidence To Action: Results From The 2013 Baseline Survey For The Balika Project, Sajeda Amin, Sigma Ainul, Farhana Akter, Mohammad Masudul Alam, Md. Irfan Hossain, Johana Ahmed, Ubaidur Rob Jan 2014

From Evidence To Action: Results From The 2013 Baseline Survey For The Balika Project, Sajeda Amin, Sigma Ainul, Farhana Akter, Mohammad Masudul Alam, Md. Irfan Hossain, Johana Ahmed, Ubaidur Rob

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council and partners are working on a program to generate evidence on what works to prevent child marriage in Bangladesh. This report is an integral part of the program and presents evidence from a baseline study conducted in three districts in southern Bangladesh. The study documents data from a survey conducted in 96 villages on education, livelihoods, sexual and reproductive health, and social life. The program, which offers skills development for girls who are at highest risk and live in impoverished areas of the country with the highest child marriage prevalence, explores the potential benefits of investing in …


Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Marriage, Population Council Jan 2014

Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Marriage, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Early marriage deprives girls of the opportunity for personal development and their rights to full reproductive health and well-being, education, and participation in civil life. Bangladesh stands out in international comparisons as having an extraordinarily early age at marriage for girls and a considerable average age difference in marriage between girls and their husbands. This Bangladeshi Association for Life Skills, Income, and Knowledge for Adolescents (BALIKA) fact sheet, “Highlight on Marriage,” concludes: In Bangladesh, marriage remains early by most standards and the majority of girls still get married before reaching the legal age of 18 years. By age 19, more …


Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Schooling, Population Council Jan 2014

Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Schooling, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

School attendance is universal in the Bangladeshi Association for Life Skills, Income, and Knowledge for Adolescents (BALIKA) study area, but the persistence of early and child marriage leads to high dropout rates among girls. Compulsory primary education is free in Bangladesh, and policies to improve access to schooling are generally credited with universal schooling at young ages. Only 1 percent of 12–15-year-olds have never attended school compared to 9 percent among 15–18-year-olds in the study area. The recent expansion of educational opportunity presents new challenges. Bangladesh is unusual by global comparison in the high proportion of girls who are married …


Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Married Adolescents, Population Council Jan 2014

Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Married Adolescents, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In Bangladesh, marriage marks the beginning of sanctioned sexual activity as well as increased social isolation. When girls are not in school, they miss the opportunity to interact with same-age peers and form social networks. They may be less likely to gain skills and knowledge and have less earning power. Married adolescents have poorer sexual and reproductive health knowledge and more unequal gender attitudes. Young girls who are married to much-older men are in a disadvantaged position to negotiate in their marital home. This can have implications for realizing sexual and reproductive choice and health rights. This Bangladeshi Association for …


Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Girls' Social Lives, Population Council Jan 2014

Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Girls' Social Lives, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In Bangladesh, in addition to schooling, work opportunities, and family-building patterns, social networks, mobility, and civic participation are important dimensions of young people’s lives. Previous studies have suggested ways in which the seclusion of Bangladeshi women by purdah exerts a strong influence on girls’ lives. This Bangladeshi Association for Life Skills, Income, and Knowledge for Adolescents (BALIKA) fact sheet, “Highlight on Girls’ Social Lives,” concludes that school enrollment plays a positive role by affording girls greater mobility and access to clubs and institutions, and by promoting social interactions. Adolescent girls in rural Bangladesh are usually socially isolated, and have restricted …


Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Voucher Program For Improving Maternal Health Behavior And Status In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Syed Abu Jafar Md. Musa, Ashish Bajracharya, Kaji Tamanna Keya, Forhana Rahman Noor, Eshita Jahan, Md. Irfan Hossain, Jyotirmoy Saha, Benjamin Bellows Jan 2014

Evaluation Of The Impact Of The Voucher Program For Improving Maternal Health Behavior And Status In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Syed Abu Jafar Md. Musa, Ashish Bajracharya, Kaji Tamanna Keya, Forhana Rahman Noor, Eshita Jahan, Md. Irfan Hossain, Jyotirmoy Saha, Benjamin Bellows

Reproductive Health

Vouchers, a demand-side financing (DSF) instrument for health-care services, were introduced in Bangladesh in 2006. The DSF program grants vouchers to pregnant women to receive free antenatal, delivery, and postpartum care services as well as free medicine, and financial assistance is provided for transportation. Deliveries with skilled service providers are financially incentivized and providers are reimbursed for their services from a special fund. After piloting DSF initially in 21 subdistricts (upazilas), the government expanded it to another 12 upazilas in 2007 (the second phase), and in its third phase in 2010 the program was expanded to another 11 upazilas. To …


Assessment Of Sex Selection In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Forhana Rahman Noor Jan 2014

Assessment Of Sex Selection In Bangladesh, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob, Forhana Rahman Noor

Reproductive Health

According to UN estimates, the sex ratio at birth (SRB) has persisted at its natural level of 105 male per 100 female newborns for the past half century in Bangladesh. Generally, the SRB becomes skewed in a setting where fertility is declining or low and where son preference exists. Strong son preference compounded by the availability of measures to implement such preference can lead to increased SRB. For example, the increasing availability of prenatal diagnostic technologies, together with declining fertility desires and persistent son preference, has contributed to increased gender-biased sex selection in several Asian countries, including China and India. …


Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Livelihoods, Population Council Jan 2014

Balika Fact Sheet: Highlight On Livelihoods, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

There are few income-earning opportunities for adolescent girls in the Bangladeshi Association for Life Skills, Income, and Knowledge for Adolescents (BALIKA) study area, and livelihoods opportunities vary considerably by economic status and education. The ability to acquire livelihood-relevant skills, networks, and work experience during adolescence can be an important predictor of productive capacity later in life. However, across the study districts, the proportion of adolescent girls who are working is low. Most girls work as tutors or are engaged in the agricultural and poultry sector. Better-educated girls are more likely to be engaged in paid work. This BALIKA “Highlight on …


Reduce Contraception Discontinuation In Bangladesh By Improving Counseling On Side Effects, Fauzia Akhter Huda, Sabiha Chowdhuri Jan 2014

Reduce Contraception Discontinuation In Bangladesh By Improving Counseling On Side Effects, Fauzia Akhter Huda, Sabiha Chowdhuri

Reproductive Health

High rates of contraceptive discontinuation and method failure could cause Bangladesh to lose the progress made in increasing contraceptive use over the past 20 years. This policy brief concludes that if women are adequately counseled and supported to sustain their use of more effective contraceptive methods, they will need less medical attention, have fewer unintended pregnancies, and reduce the workload for medical clinics. Furthermore, if providers are adequately trained and supported in counseling and managing side effects and in helping women to switch methods when they do have a problem, the Family Planning Clinical Contraception Services Delivery Program would meet …


Reducing Unsafe Menstrual Regulation Through Medication In Bangladesh, Ubaidur Rob, Ismat Ara Hena, Nargis Sultana, Md. Irfan Hossain, Reena Yasmin, Tapash Ranjan Das, Farid Uddin Ahmed Jan 2014

Reducing Unsafe Menstrual Regulation Through Medication In Bangladesh, Ubaidur Rob, Ismat Ara Hena, Nargis Sultana, Md. Irfan Hossain, Reena Yasmin, Tapash Ranjan Das, Farid Uddin Ahmed

Reproductive Health

The Population Council and Marie Stopes Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Family Planning and with funding from the World Health Organization, tested the feasibility of introducing menstrual regulation with medication (MRM) in Bangladesh and assessed the acceptability of providing MRM using the combination drug regimen mifepristone and misoprostol in urban and rural public health facilities. As reported in this policy brief, the study demonstrates that it is feasible and safe to introduce MRM in rural and urban public health facilities. Given the choice, almost two-thirds of women preferred MRM to manual vacuum aspiration and women receiving MRM …


Prevalence Of Unintended Pregnancy And Needs For Family Planning Among Married Adolescent Girls Living In Urban Slums Of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fauzia Akhter Huda, Sabiha Chowdhuri, Bidhan Krishna Sarker, Noushin Islam, Anisuddin Ahmed Jan 2014

Prevalence Of Unintended Pregnancy And Needs For Family Planning Among Married Adolescent Girls Living In Urban Slums Of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Fauzia Akhter Huda, Sabiha Chowdhuri, Bidhan Krishna Sarker, Noushin Islam, Anisuddin Ahmed

Reproductive Health

This STEP UP research report examined the prevalence and basic underlying factors of unintended pregnancy among married adolescent girls in five urban slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The specific objectives of the study were to: 1) document the prevalence of unintended pregnancy among married adolescent girls aged 15–19 years living in urban slums of Dhaka; 2) identify the factors associated with or which contribute to unintended pregnancy among urban married adolescent girls; 3) estimate the proportion of married adolescent girls who have an unmet need for family planning (FP) services; and 4) explore the barriers to access and effective use of …


Introducing Medical Mr In Bangladesh: Mrm Final Report, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob, Nargis Sultana, Md. Irfan Hossain, Reena Yasmin, Tapash Ranjan Das, Farid Uddin Ahmed Jan 2013

Introducing Medical Mr In Bangladesh: Mrm Final Report, Ismat Ara Hena, Ubaidur Rob, Nargis Sultana, Md. Irfan Hossain, Reena Yasmin, Tapash Ranjan Das, Farid Uddin Ahmed

Reproductive Health

The Population Council Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Family Planning and Marie Stopes Bangladesh, with funding from the World Health Organization and the DFID-supported STEP UP project, conducted an 18-month operations research study from January 2012 to June 2013. This operations research tested the feasibility of introducing menstrual regulation with medication (MRM) in Bangladesh and assessed accessibility of the combination regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol in urban and rural health facilities. Based on this study’s results, the feasibility of introducing MRM services in Bangladesh is clear, and women receiving MRM were satisfied with their overall quality of …


Understanding Unintended Pregnancy In Bangladesh: Country Profile Report, Fauzia Akhter Huda, Sabiha Chowdhuri, Yolande Robertson, Noushin Islam, Bidhan Krishna Sarker, Ashrafi Jahan Azmi, Laura Reichenbach Jan 2013

Understanding Unintended Pregnancy In Bangladesh: Country Profile Report, Fauzia Akhter Huda, Sabiha Chowdhuri, Yolande Robertson, Noushin Islam, Bidhan Krishna Sarker, Ashrafi Jahan Azmi, Laura Reichenbach

Reproductive Health

The objective of this report is to identify the determinants of unintended pregnancy and unmet need for family planning in Bangladesh and therefore provide a strong body of evidence that will contribute to issue identification, evidence generation, and communication for use of evidence in policy and programming. The evidence generated can be used to find ways to reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy and hence reduce the risk of abortion-related morbidity and mortality; ultimately this will aid Bangladeshi couples in reaching their fertility goals. Results demonstrate that Bangladesh has shown progress and promise in several areas of family planning and …