title: Evaluating the impact a proposed family planning model would have on maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the potential impact a proposed family planning model would have on reducing maternal and infant mortality in Afghanistan.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Afghanistan has a high total fertility rate, high infant mortality rate, and high maternal mortality rate. Afghanistan also has tremendous socio-cultural barriers to and misconceptions about family planning services.
  
  
  METHODS
  We applied predictive statistical models to a proposed family planning model for Afghanistan to better understand the impact increased family planning can have on Afghanistan's maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate. We further developed a sensitivity analysis that illustrates the number of maternal and infant deaths that can be averted over 5 years according to different increases in contraceptive prevalence rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incrementally increasing contraceptive prevalence rates in Afghanistan from 10% to 60% over the course of 5 years could prevent 11,653 maternal deaths and 317,084 infant deaths, a total of 328,737 maternal and infant deaths averted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Achieving goals in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates in Afghanistan requires a culturally relevant approach to family planning that will be supported by the population. The family planning model for Afghanistan presents such a solution and holds the potential to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths.
authors.affiliation: Afghanistan National Blood Safety and Transfusion Services, Afghanistan Ministry of Public Health, Kabul, Afghanistan.
authors.forename: Ahmad Masoud
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rahmani
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wade
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Riley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D003267:Contraception / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006077:Government Agencies / Q000458:organization & administration; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D008428:Maternal Mortality; D017146:Models, Organizational; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Afghanistan; family planning; infant mortality; maternal mortality