Contraceptive Provision in the Immediate Postpartum Period

Abstract

A program which provides contraceptive measures or devices to postdelivery and postabortal inpatients is described and program results are discussed. Mainly through the efforts of paramedical family planning counselors used in the program, 90.5% of those eligible accepted a method as an inpatient. The usual reasons physicians are reluctant to prescribe contraceptive methods or devices during the immediate postdelivery or postabortal period are reviewed and compared, with the experience gained from this program indicating that medical complications associated with providing contraceptives during the immediate postpartum period are considerably less than the risk of pregnancy during this period. The postpartum return rate was increased more than 15%, and reasons for this increase are discussed.