TY - JOUR
T1 - Family planning knowledge and use among women in camps for internally displaced people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
AU - Kisindja, Rogatien M.
AU - Kimona, Christophe
AU - Etoy, Modestine
AU - Dorme, Florby
AU - Benfield, Nerys
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
PY - 2017/9
Y1 - 2017/9
N2 - Objective: To describe family planning awareness and needs among internally displaced women residing in the Mugunga camps in North Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of women aged 14–45 years residing in the Mugunga camps was conducted during March 2014. The verbally administered survey assessed participants' obstetric history and their family planning knowledge, interest, and use. Descriptive statistics were obtained. Results: Of the 155 participants, 145 (93.5%) had been camp residents for 2 years or less. Previous receipt of information on contraception was reported by 130 (83.9%) women, of whom 65 (50.0%) had received information during prenatal care. Fifty-four (34.8%) women knew at least two contraceptive methods. Overall, 47 (30.5%) of 154 women reported ever using contraception. Women who never used contraception cited lack of interest (66/107 [61.7%]) or knowledge (22/107 [20.6%]) and religious opposition (13/107 [12.1%]) as reasons. In the cohort overall, 33 (21.3%) women reported having had an induced abortion; 20 (60.6%) of these abortions were self-induced. Conclusion: Contraceptive knowledge among female camp residents was moderate, actual usage was low, and a considerable proportion reported a history of induced abortion. Efforts must be made to improve access to contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy, and to provide safe abortions and postabortion care.
AB - Objective: To describe family planning awareness and needs among internally displaced women residing in the Mugunga camps in North Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of women aged 14–45 years residing in the Mugunga camps was conducted during March 2014. The verbally administered survey assessed participants' obstetric history and their family planning knowledge, interest, and use. Descriptive statistics were obtained. Results: Of the 155 participants, 145 (93.5%) had been camp residents for 2 years or less. Previous receipt of information on contraception was reported by 130 (83.9%) women, of whom 65 (50.0%) had received information during prenatal care. Fifty-four (34.8%) women knew at least two contraceptive methods. Overall, 47 (30.5%) of 154 women reported ever using contraception. Women who never used contraception cited lack of interest (66/107 [61.7%]) or knowledge (22/107 [20.6%]) and religious opposition (13/107 [12.1%]) as reasons. In the cohort overall, 33 (21.3%) women reported having had an induced abortion; 20 (60.6%) of these abortions were self-induced. Conclusion: Contraceptive knowledge among female camp residents was moderate, actual usage was low, and a considerable proportion reported a history of induced abortion. Efforts must be made to improve access to contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy, and to provide safe abortions and postabortion care.
KW - Democratic Republic of the Congo
KW - Family planning
KW - Internally displaced person
KW - Refugees
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U2 - 10.1002/ijgo.12220
DO - 10.1002/ijgo.12220
M3 - Article
C2 - 28524326
AN - SCOPUS:85026728783
SN - 0020-7292
VL - 138
SP - 256
EP - 260
JO - International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
JF - International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics
IS - 3
ER -