Approaches to address the discontinuation rate of family planning methods among the new users in Suez governorate, Egypt: An interventional study

Background : In the last few decades, Egypt suffered major socioeconomic consequences of the overpopulation problem. Objective : This study aims to measure the contraceptive dynamics (discontinuation-switching-failure) rates among postpartum new family planning users and to assess the role of follow-up counselling to decrease the discontinuation rate. Method: This was an intervention health facility-based study. It was conducted in two primary health care facilities in Suez governorate among postpartum new family planning users. A purposive sample of 264 women was taken. Studied participants were divided into intervention and non-intervention groups. Structured questionnaire was used, and data collection was done over the period of the first 3 months of the study. Tailored family planning counselling tools were designed and applied for intervention group only with follow up counselling sessions every three months. Only observational follow up was done for non-intervention group. Results: The mini pill was the commonly used method for both intervention and non-intervention group (31.8% and 31.1%) respectively at baseline data. After counselling, there was a dramatic shift towards (IUD-Implanon) ( 26.5%-3.8%) in the interventional group. There was statistical difference between those who switched and non-switched (among the intervention group) according to the type of contraception used (p value: 0.001 ) . Nearly one third (37.5%) of those discontinue contraception in the intervention group became contraception users again by the help of follow up counselling sessions, while no change occurs among the non intervention group. Conclusion: Family planning counselling is essential for women to sustain their reuse of contraceptive methods after discontinuation.