title: Childbearing and contraceptive decision making amongst Afghan men and women: a qualitative analysis.
abstract: Afghanistan has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios and lowest contraceptive prevalence rates globally. Limited information is known regarding Afghan men and women's attitudes toward childbearing, child spacing, and contraceptive use, which is essential for delivery of appropriate services. We conducted a qualitative study among postpartum couples enrolled at maternity hospitals in Kabul, Afghanistan. We identified important themes that highlight the complex inter-relationship between acknowledged risks of childbearing, desire for family planning, rationales for limited contraceptive use, and sociocultural barriers to contraceptive use. We offer practical recommendations for application of findings toward family planning and maternal mortality reduction programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02472, USA. shaider@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Sadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: Malalay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmadzai
authors.forename: Shakira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.forename: Pashtoon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Azfar
authors.forename: Jessica L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: Suellen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D001721:Birth Intervals; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003657:Decision Making; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005783:Gender Identity; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008428:Maternal Mortality / Q000208:ethnology; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*