Impact of post-abortion family planning services on contraceptive use and abortion rate among young women in China: a cluster randomised trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare two post-abortion family planning (FP) service packages on contraceptive use and repeat abortion rate among young women in three cities in China.


METHODS
In this cluster-randomized trial, one FP service package included provision of limited information and referral to existing FP services, and the other, more comprehensive, package consisted--in addition to the above simple package--of individual counselling, free provision of contraceptive materials, and involvement of the male partner. Eight matched pairs of hospitals were certified by centralized randomization. Women undergoing abortion were followed up for six months, and data were collected in two rounds, before and after the intervention.


RESULTS
We followed a total of 2336 women younger than 25 years (555 before and 555 after the simple intervention package; 634 before and 592 after the comprehensive intervention package). Both packages increased use of any contraceptive method, but the comprehensive approach also increased use of more effective methods. Odds ratios for consistent and correct use of condoms were 2.32 (95% confidence interval 1.55-3.46) and 2.78 (1.81-4.26), respectively, compared with the simple package. The rates of unwanted pregnancies and repeat abortions were somewhat reduced for both packages, with no significant statistical difference between them.


CONCLUSIONS
Couples who received the comprehensive post-abortion FP service appear to use more effective contraceptive methods and show better compliance.
Zhu
Jin Liang
JL
The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. zjl@soci.au.dk
Zhang
Wei-Hong
WH
Cheng
Yimin
Y
Xu
Juncai
J
Xu
Xiao
X
Gibson
Diana
D
Støvring
Henrik
H
Claeys
Patricia
P
Temmerman
Marleen
M
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003267:Contraception / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003376:Counseling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D020073:Gravidity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult