Kenya: Offer family planning on hospital wards

In Kenya, more than one in three women hospitalized for gynecological problems has complications from miscarriage or unsafe abortion. These women generally receive no information or services for family planning (FP) or other reproductive health needs. During 1996–97, the Kenya Ministry of Health, the Population Council, and Ipas tested three models for providing postabortion care (PAC) and FP information and services in two areas of the hospital. Researchers compared model effectiveness by using surveys before and after the intervention. As concluded in this brief, the most effective way to ensure that women being treated for incomplete abortion obtain FP is to offer services in hospital gynecological wards. Having ward staff provide contraceptives on the ward is more convenient than having regular FP providers visit the ward or having patients go to a separate clinic. Findings have been key in informing expansion plans for PAC in Kenya.