Evaluation of natural family planning programmes in Liberia and Zambia

1993 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald H. Gray ◽  
Robert T. Kambic ◽  
Claude A. Lanctot ◽  
Mary C. Martin ◽  
Roselind Wesley ◽  
...  

SummaryStudies to evaluate use-effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of natural family planning (NFP) were conducted in Liberia and Zambia. The Liberian programme provided uni-purpose NFP services to 1055 clients mainly in rural areas; the Zambian programme provided NFP services integrated with MCH to 2709 clients predominantly in urban areas. The one-year life table continuation and unplanned pregnancy rates were 78·9 and 4·3 per 100 women-years in Liberia, compared to 71·2 and 8·9 in Zambia. However, high rates of loss to follow-up mandate caution in interpretation of these results, especially in Zambia. More women progressed to autonomous NFP use in Liberia (58%) than in Zambia (35·3%). However, programme costs per couple-year protection were lower in Zambia (US$25·7) than in Liberia (US$47·1). Costs per couple-year protection were higher during learning than autonomy, and declined over time. These studies suggest that NFP programmes can achieve acceptable use-and cost-effectiveness in Africa.

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandrija Djordjevic

SummaryBackground/Aim: Health education, as one of the important aspects of preventive dentistry, plays an important role in promoting and achieving good oral health. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of parents´ knowledge about the effects of oral hygiene, proper nutrition and fluoride prophylaxis on oral heath in early childhood. Material andMethods: Parents were asked to fill a questionnaire which consisted of three sections, oral hygiene, fluoride prophylaxis and nutrition. The study included 136 parents of children, aged between 3-6 years. The survey was conducted in pedagogical-education institution - PE “Our happiness” - Leposavic, Kosovo and Metohia, Serbia. Results: More than 58% parents from urban areas and 63% parents from rural areas were informed that the teeth should be brushed at least twice a day (p=0.007). Only 31.11% of parents from urban and 15.22% of parents from rural areas were informed that a child should visit dentists for the first time, at the one year of age (p=0.083). The analysis of the questionnaire section regarding the nutrition and oral health, showed that parents from rural areas were better informed than parents from urban areas. Awareness about fluoride and their role in preventive dentistry was poor, as only 3% of children from urban and 1% of children from rural areas were using tablets based on fluoride while only 1% of children from urban and none from rural areas were using fluoride mouth rinses. Conclusions: The study showed that parents have the knowledge about the impact of oral hygiene, food and fluoride prophylaxis on the oral health but unfortunately they do not apply their knowledge in practice.


2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 393-408
Author(s):  
Kevin E. Miller

This essay argues, through a close reading of relevant magisterial texts in the areas of sexual morality and of fundamental moral theology, that, contrary to opinions sometimes expressed by orthodox Catholic thinkers and internalized by good Catholics, the Church's teaching that the use of natural family planning (NFP) to avoid procreation is permissible for “just causes” should be interpreted as requiring married couples to have “serious,” but not “grave,” reasons for avoiding procreation; and the use of NFP to avoid procreation when a serious reason is lacking should be described as involving “selfishness,” not as reflecting a “contraceptive mentality.” Translating Latin and Italian terms correctly, with some help from their context, confirms that just causes are serious (not grave) reasons. Attention to the Church's use of “contraception” to refer to the object, not the intention, of an action, serves as the primary basis for the conclusion that there remains a fundamental difference between contraception on the one hand and the selfishly motivated use of NFP on the other.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingming Cui ◽  
Xiao-Lin Lu ◽  
Yan-Yu Lyu ◽  
Fang Wang ◽  
Xiao-Lu Xie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in China declined during 2000–2017 with periconceptional folic acid (FA) supplementation, which is effective in reducing the risk of birth defects. We aimed to assess the knowledge and actual use of FA among Chinese pregnant women and to explore factors associated with FA use before pregnancy. Methods All data were collected in face-to-face interviews during health visits among pregnant women. We collected information about knowledge and use of FA supplements and demographic, socioeconomic, and health status. One maternity and childcare hospital was chosen in each of four cities: Beijing, Huaibei, Kunming, and Haikou. In total, 435 pregnant women were randomly recruited for interviews conducted from June to December 2016. Results A total of 428 pregnant women were included in this survey. Of these, 82.0% (351/428) knew that FA can prevent NTDs, and 75.9% (325/428) knew the correct time to take FA. Overall, 65.9% (282/428) of women knew both that FA can prevent NTDs and the recommended time to take FA before pregnancy. Approximately 95.1% (407/428) of women reported having ever taken FA, only 46.3% (198/428) had begun to take FA supplementation before conception, and 64.5% (109/169) of women from rural areas failed to take FA before pregnancy. Women living in northern China (odds ratio [OR] = 1.81, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–2.77), those with unplanned pregnancy (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.30–3.04), and highly educated women (OR = 2.37, 95% CI 1.45–3.88) were more likely to know about FA. Women who were homemakers (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.21–3.11) and had unplanned pregnancy (OR = 6.18, 95% CI 4.01–9.53) were less likely to begin taking FA before pregnancy. Conclusions Our survey showed that most pregnant women knew about FA. Although preconception intake of FA can help to reduce NTDs, improving the rate of FA intake before pregnancy is needed in urban areas of China, especially among homemakers and women from rural areas or with unplanned pregnancy. Campaigns are needed to increase awareness about FA and FA use before pregnancy among rural women, homemakers, and those with unplanned pregnancy and lower education levels.


1986 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanette H. Johnson ◽  
Julie Reich

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