Family Planning Knowledge,

Perceptions, and Needs of Women

Receiving Antenatal and Postpartum

Care at St. Luke Catholic Hospital

By: Louisa Griggs

Introduction

• National Population Policy

• GDHS

• Central Region: High Teenage

Pregnancy and High average

number of children

Introduction cont.

• Johnson et al. used small-area estimation technique

to learn more about variation between the

contraceptive needs amongst districts

• Districts in Central have high unmet demand for

contraception

Methods

Results

Results

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

Sterilization

IUD

Lactational Amenorrhea

Implanon

Condom

Pills

Injectables

Coitus Interuptus

Rhythm Method

Figure 3. Frequncy Family Planning Method was

Mentioned

Results

0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45

Radio/TV

Friends

Healthcare Prof

Mother

Sister

Other

Figure 5. Primary Source for Family Planning

Information

0 2 4 6 8 10

Named 0

Named 1

Named 2

Named 3

Named 4

Named 5

Number of WomenNu

mb

er

of

Meth

od

s N

am

ed

Figure 4. Number of Family Planning Methods Listed

Results

88%

12%

Figure 10. Desired More

Information About

Family Planning

Yes

No65%

35%

Figure 9. Curious About a

Particular Method of

Contraception

Yes

No

14%

86%

Figure 8. Received Post-

Natal Family Planning

Counseling

Yes

No

35%

65%

Figure 7. Received Antenatal

Family Planning Counseling

Yes

No

46%

54%

Figure 6. Intention to Use

Family Planning in the

Future

Yes

No

Discussion

• There is a need for formal FPM counseling

• Knowledge of methods and purposes

• Antenatal and Postpartum time not used optimally

for Family Planning Counseling

• Anecdotal information seems to influence women’s

FPM decisions

Conclusion & Limitations

• Women and their reproductive goals in Apam could benefit from collaboration between St. Luke Catholic Hospital and ARCHC beyond referral

• Split Antenatal session

• Joint pregnancy school setting could help achieve this goal

• Small Sample Size

• Translation v. Interpretation of Survey

• Open Space

Acknowledgements

• I would also like to thank all of the women who

participated.

• I would like to thank the nursing staff at St. Luke’s

Catholic Hospital for their help translating my

survey into Fanti for the women interviewed.

• I would like to thank GE and NMF for providing

this opportunity over the past 7 weeks

References

• National Population Council (NPC), Ghana (1994). National population policy, revised edition, Accra, Ghana: National Population Council.

• Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and ICF Macro. (2009). Ghana Demographic and Health Survey 2008. Accra, Ghana: GSS, GHS,

and ICF Macro.

• Adanu, R.M., Seffah, J.D., Anarfi, J.K., Lince, N., and Blanchard, K. Sexual and Reproductive Health in Accra, Ghana. Ghana Medical Journal June 2012;

46(2):58-65

• Fiifi Amoako Johnson , Sabu S. Padmadas , Hukum Chandra , Zoe Matthews & Nyovani J. Madise (2012): Estimating unmet need for contraception by

district within Ghana: An application of small-area estimation techniques, Population Studies: A Journal of Demography, 66:2, 105-122

• Life Choices Poster at Apam Reproductive and Child Health Center

• Amekah, E. Annual Performance Review 2012 St. Luke Catholic Hospital

• Yee and Somin. Urban Minority Women’s Perceptions of and preferences for postpartum contraceptive counseling. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2011

January ; 56(1): 54–60.

• Apam Reproductive and Child Health Center 2012 Records

• Gordon, J. D. et. al. Obestrics, Gynecology, and Infertility: Handbook for Clinicians 6th Edition. 2007. Scrub Hill Press.

• Canning, D. and Schultz, T. The economic consequences of reproductive health and family planning. www.thelancet.com. July 14, 2012. Vol. 380:165-171