Poster session on Sexuality and reproductive health (1)

Official statistics in Russia provides limited information on induced abortion: distribution of annual numbers of abortions either by type of abortion or by 5-year age groups. Such important information as socio-demographic profile of women who had abortion, motivation for abortion, medical facilities in which abortions are performed, post-abortion family planning consulting is available only from sample surveys.
Proposed paper demonstrates that the first nationally representative Russian Reproductive Health Survey 2011 based on individual pregnancy histories of 10 010 female respondents aged 15-44 answers most of the above-mentioned questions. RHS results show that for 35% of women reported ever having one or more abortions,level of education was the most significant factor of induced abortion in Russia, in contrast to place of residence or well-being.
Socio-economic circumstances (33%), desire to stop childbearing (24%), partner opposition to another child (17%), health reasons (11%), and desire to space the next birth (10%) were mentioned as the major reasons of abortion. 62% of respondents who had an abortion in 2006-2011 received family planning consulting around the time of having abortion, meanwhile women who experienced their first abortion in this time period were the most likely to receive counseling and supplies.

This study aims to investigate the determinants of female sterilization in Brazil. Our analysis is innovative because it adds the time of exposure to the risk of sterilization into survival models. We control the models by postpartum duration, age at delivery, parity at delivery, place of delivery, region of residence, color/race, years of schooling, frequency of involvement in religious activities, and religion at the time of interview. We use data from the 2006 Brazilian National Survey on Demography and Health of Women and Children (PNDS). The strongest probability that sterilization might occur was observed among women who gave birth at private hospitals and received support from a health insurance company, between zero and two months after childbirth. These results are an indication of a frustrated demand for female sterilization at public hospitals. Unlike previous studies, our findings suggest color/race and years of schooling do not predict the risk of sterilization.

As much as the world is moving forward in terms of trying to improve the livelihood of families through controlling the number of manageable children produced by different households.this has not viewed in good faith among this folks in these region.Their perception is related to-,

They perceive that the use of pills as an element of contraceptives promote infertility in the long run given the view that they belief in having many children
That condom use can cause friction which in the long run leads to in- fertility besides that in the process of playing sex it can remain in the virginal valve.

Some rural Conservative lay readers in the church view the use of contraceptive as against Gods command of re-procreation despite of clear notation of contraceptive use.
Further still,the sub Saharan region still attach children to certain values for example view them as source of wealth, prestige ,security among othe4rs there the contraceptive use is contradictory to their values on children.

They also view contraceptives as the major cause of high blood pressure owning in mind that when they take pills they grow fat and as a result they develop pressure that 'it is dangerous in their life.
That pills cause them to over eat which in the current situation food is limited because of the current changes in weather and climate.

Introduction: Female Community Health Volunteers play an important role since more than 20 years in contributing to a variety of key public health programs, including family planning, maternal care, child health, vitamin A supplementation/De-worming and immunization coverage in Nepal. They are the foundation of Nepal’s community-based primary health care system and are the key referral link between the health services and communities.
Objective: The overall objective of this study is to analyze the role of Female Community Health Volunteers at local community for contributing in increased utilization of Family planning and maternal health care services in rural Nepal.
Methods: This research has used the secondary data from Family Planning, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health situation in Rural Nepal: A Mid-term survey for Nepal Family Health Program-II, 2009/2010. The research design of the original study was “Quasi experimental” design. A total of 3932 household were sampled and 5,019 women who were residing in those household were interviewed. Key findings: Findings of this paper shows that Female Community Health Volunteers single contact has contributed in increased health service utilization especially in Family planning and maternal health in rural areas. Key words: Family planning, Maternal health, MDG

Background: Involvement of FCHVs (Female Community Health Volunteers) in Safe Abortion Services (SAS) provision is eminent. The review of trained FCHVs was conducted in order to explore use of UPT by FCHV in SAS provision.

Methods: Family Health Division (FHD) under MoHP and Ipas Nepal provided 2 days training to FCHVs on early identification of pregnancy using UPT and RH referral in Dhading district in 2009 and 2010. FCHV review meeting was conducted in VDC level. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to each eligible FCHV.

Findings: Out of 443 FCHVs, 367 (83%) were found to be eligible. About 93% FCHVs performed urine test after SAS training, an average of 8 tests per FCHV. The average cost per client was about Rs. 50 (less than a dollar). Around 92% of the FCHVs sent their clients for further pregnancy tests after obtaining positive results (90%). Around 61% FCHVs sent at least one client (Maximum of 52) for safe abortion services. Around 90% of clients were sent for Family Planning services after negative result.

Conclusion: Use of UPT by FCHVs has helped women of hard to reach rural areas of Nepal creating early action. Continuation of UPT by FCHVs must be ensured. Introduction of similar strategy is needed for other remote districts as well.

Keywords: UPT, FCHV, Nepal, Safe Abortion

Unintended pregnancy is a major problem among sexually active women in Sub Saharan Africa and occurs due to a number of reasons, such as inconsistent use of short term contraceptive methods or non-use of modern contraception. Recent scientific findings indicate that long acting reversible contraceptive methods (IUD, Norplant and Injectables), which are cost effective and highly effective in pregnancy prevention, are a possible solution to the problem of unintended pregnancy. To promote use of these methods and ultimately reduce unintended pregnancy, it is important to identify factors that are associated with the use of long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods.
Data used in the study were derived from the 2010 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. Binomial logistic regression modelling and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with LARC method use among sexually active women aged 15-49 years in Malawi.
The results show that LARC use decreases with age. Young women (15-24) are more likely to use LARC methods than older women (35+). However, LARC use increases with an increase in the number of living children. Being married, with a secondary or higher and staying in urban areas increased the likelihood of using LARC methods. The implications of the results are discussed.

The 2012 London Summit on Family Planning has spearheaded a renewed focus on increasing access to family planning. Key to increasing demand for and use of family planning services will be understanding interventions that are effective at meeting the needs of vulnerable populations. While multiple reviews have examined the effects of interventions aimed at reducing unintended and adolescent pregnancies, this paper examines the evidence on interventions aimed at preventing or reducing fertility-related, high-risk pregnancies through use of modern contraceptive methods. This analysis is based on a systematic review of peer reviewed articles from 1990 to present. The articles identified will be analyzed using a qualitative analytical framework. The qualitative analysis consists of identifying the country context, interventions implemented, outcomes reported, and analysis of the intervention and main findings. Articles will be evaluated based on the strength of the evidence, including an evaluation of the study design, adequacy of the sample size, comparability of the intervention and comparison groups, control for confounding factors, and statistical significance of the results. This paper will guide program managers and policy makers on which interventions contribute to reducing fertility-related, high-risk pregnancies.

It is estimated that 25 percent of women and couples in SSA who want to space or limit their births are not using any form of contraception. Unintended pregnancies also continue to be a burden in many countries especially in SSA. Despite long-acting and permanent contraceptive Methods(LAPM) being essential for preventing unintended pregnancies, their use has not kept pace with that of short-acting contraceptive methods. In many countries in the SSA region, fewer than five percent of women LAPM. The study aims to find the prevalence of LAPM use compared to those of short-acting methods. Specifically it will identify the socio-demographic factors that determine the use of LAPMs and find out the association between fertility preference and use of LAPMs. The study uses data from the 2008 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey where a total of 8,444 women of reproductive age were interviewed. Results confirm that the use of LAPMs in Kenya is significantly lower than that of SAMs. A discrepancy also exists between the proportion of women who wish to stop having children and the proportion who are using an LAPM. This therefore calls for amplified efforts to increase provision of LAPMs, as providing women and couples access to a range of contraceptive choices protects their human rights and benefits public health.

Bangladesh is a well researched country. But how far research could influence health policy making process remains cloudy. Research evidence is just one among multiple influences upon policy making. The policy environment is not always conducive to value research-evidence as the building-block for policy-making to meet contemporary health challenges of the country.
The objective of this study was to understand the process and current practice of policy-making from policy makers towards the use and impact of research in the health sector in a low income country like Bangladesh. The study used data from in-depth interviews conducted with purposively selected policy-makers at the national level in Bangladesh. Major findings indicated that evidence-based policy-making is a complex process, included poor quality of research, lack of technical knowledge, politics and donor pressure also influence in policy making processes. A greater number of informants stated that need based research and availability of research reports in time, limit the scope of use evidence to make policy. Most of the state owned research institute do not have fund and human capacity to conduct scientific research. Researchers conduct research but those are not always need based.

Introduction: Maternal Characteristics by place of birth is an important aspect of reproductive health care. Maternal characteristics by place of birth very often determine the quality of care received by a mother and her newborn and it is an important factor in differential risks of newborn survival. The provision of epidemiological information on maternal characteristics by place of birth will inform the development of cutting edge tailored made policies and programing to improve newborn survival.