Standardizing postpartum family planning counseling guidance in Ghana: A stepped-wedge cluster randomized implementation effectiveness trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Postpartum family planning can reduce morbidity and mortality for parents and children, however, up to 62% of birthing people have an unmet need for contraception due to implementation challenges. In this study, we aimed to evaluate implementation and effectiveness of the Postpartum Family Planning Package, a multifaceted implementation strategy combining provider use of the World Health Organization Medical Eligibility Criteria Mobile App (WHO MEC app), provider education, and counseling restructuring on the postnatal ward, to promote individualized family planning counseling prior to hospital discharge after childbirth.

Methods

We conducted a stepped-wedge trial in the Greater Accra and Eastern regions of Ghana. The Postpartum Family Planning Package implementat

SUBMITTER: Sonalkar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12857993 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature