title: Maternity care provider knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding provision of postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices at a tertiary center in Ghana.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices of maternity care providers regarding the provision of postpartum intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) in Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Kumasi, Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between June 28 and July 15, 2011. Specialists, residents, house officers, and nurse midwives who had been working in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for at least 3months were included. Self-administered questionnaires assessed formal training, current proficiency in IUD insertion, and attitudes toward postpartum IUD provision.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 91 providers surveyed, 70 (77%) reported previous training in contraceptive counseling. Fewer than one in three respondents had ever inserted an IUD: 17 (44%) of 39 physicians and 9 (17%) of 52 midwives reported ever having inserted an IUD. A total of 33 (36%) respondents reported that they would recommend an IUD in the immediate postpartum period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although most maternity care providers at KATH had received training in contraceptive counseling, few felt confident in their ability to insert an IUD. Further training in postpartum contraceptive management is needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, NY, USA. Electronic address: dr2777@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Devon M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Rupley
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Emmanuel S K
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Morhe
authors.affiliation: Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Moyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Vanessa K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dalton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009721:Nurse Midwives / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Contraceptive counseling; Intrauterine device; Postpartum contraception; Training