Acceptance of Post-Partum Intrauterine Contraceptive Device During Cesarean Section

The world population is increasing, and approximately 115 million women have unmet needs for family planning. Institutional deliveries are increasing. Institutional deliveries and cesarean sections provide an excellent opportunity to provide women with a long-term, safe, effective and reversible method of contraception in the form of Post-Partum Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (PPIUCD). Objective: To assess the acceptability of PPIUCD as a method of family planning. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on patients undergoing elective or emergency cesarean sections (C-section) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Social Security Teaching Hospital, Multan Road, Lahore. 116 women were counselled, and in those who opted for it, an IUCD was placed inside the uterus after delivery of the placenta during C-section. This study set 95% confidence (Z=1.96) expected prevalence p from prior literature/pilot, and a conventional margin of error d=0.05 (typical range 0.03–0.05). Where applicable, the study applied finite population correction, then inflated for design effect (if clustered) and 10% nonresponse. Results: Total acceptance rate was 38.79%. The majority of the patients belonged to the age group 19 to 30 years, and the mean age was 30.42 ± 5.28 years. Parity was >2 in 56.9% patients, while in 43.1% parity was ≤2. 24.14% clients were uneducated, and 76.72% belonged to a poor socio-economic group. Conclusions: PPIUCD as inserted during cesarean section is an effective, acceptable and safe method of contraception, with the rate of acceptance of 38.79 %. Previous cesarean history and proper counselling enhance acceptance.