Counseling Women for Postpartum Family Planning for Preventing Unsafe Abortions: Experiences from Karachi, Pakistan

Neelofar Tariq, Willows Foundation, Pakistan
Rizwana Ismail, Willows Foundation, Pakistan
Qurat ul Ain Zaidi, Willows Foundation, Pakistan

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of counseling recently delivered women for using modern contraceptives and preventing unsafe abortion. A study conducted in Karachi, Pakistan enrolled 500 recently delivered women, counseled for using modern contraceptives and were randomly allocated to Group A or B. Group A women only were re-counseled at 1, 3 and 6 months postpartum. At 12 months postpartum, contraceptive use and experiences of any pregnancies was assessed of all women. Results: Group A women had better knowledge for modern contraceptives. 65% of women from Group A and 36% from Group B were using a modern contraceptive. 4 and 26 women from Groups A and B respectively reported a pregnancy. Nine women from Group B, but none from Group A, terminated their pregnancies with five ending in complications. One maternal death was reported. Conclusion: Counseling women after delivery results in better contraceptive use, fewer unsafe abortions and maternal deaths/morbidities.