Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on postpartum contraception services in women delivering at a tertiary care centre in South India

Authors

  • Parvathi T. Naik Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9810-1659
  • Sujithra D. Radhakrishnan Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1076-5325
  • Rupesh B. Murugan Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
  • Haritha Sagili Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
  • Subitha Lakshminarayanan Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
  • Priyadarshini Muruganandhan Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
  • Aishwarya T. Puliyullaveettil Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India
  • Sathish Rajaa Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20214444

Keywords:

COVID-19, Contraception services, Postpartum, Challenges

Abstract

Background: Contraception and sexual health are a fundamental human right and an integral part of women’s health services. Postpartum period is the unique opportunity for counselling and availing contraception. COVID-19 pandemic hindered routine and special services like postpartum clinics has negative impact on family planning services. Objectives were to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on postpartum contraceptive care services received and to describe the challenges faced in availing these services among pregnant women delivering at a tertiary care centre in South India.

Methods: A descriptive study carried out in 422 women who had delivered at our hospital from July 2020 to October 2020. Data was collected in Epicollect version 5 and analysed using Stata version 14.2.

Results: A total of 422 women were interviewed. Only one-third of the participants received contraceptive counselling in the antenatal period compared to 90% postpartum. 39% (primiparous-34%/multiparous-5%) had adopted barrier methods followed by post-partum intrauterine uterine contraceptive devices in 33% (primiparous-19.6%/multiparous-13.4%) and 5% had sterilisation concurrent with caesarean section. Around 30-40% of women faced challenges in accessing the family planning methods due to closure of elective services like postpartum clinics, operation theatres, nationwide lockdown, and non-availability of field health workers.

Conclusions: Contraceptive choices for postpartum women appear to be largely restricted to temporary methods with additional challenges of availing these services during the pandemic. With the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and continuous need for contraception, there is a need to refocus and motivate eligible couples for long-acting reversible contraceptive methods (LARC) with significantly lower failure rates.

Author Biographies

Parvathi T. Naik, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Assistant professor

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Sujithra D. Radhakrishnan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Assistant professor

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Rupesh B. Murugan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Intern

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Haritha Sagili, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Professor

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Subitha Lakshminarayanan, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Additional Professor

Department of Social and Preventive medicine

Priyadarshini Muruganandhan, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Postgraduate

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Aishwarya T. Puliyullaveettil, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Postgraduate

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Sathish Rajaa, Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, JIPMER, Pondicherry, India

Senior Resident

Department of Social and Preventive medicine

 

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Published

2021-11-25

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Original Research Articles