Correlates of mistimed and unwanted pregnancy among women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-399
Author(s):  
Tara Ballav Adhikari ◽  
Pawan Acharya ◽  
Anupa Rijal ◽  
Mala Ali Mapatano ◽  
Arja R Aro
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Family Planning ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Unwanted Pregnancy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Birth Spacing ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Unwanted Pregnancies

AbstractUnwanted and mistimed pregnancies impose threats on the health and well-being of the mother and child and limit the acquisition of optimal sexual and reproductive health services, especially in resource-constrained settings like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of mistimed and unwanted pregnancies among women in the DRC. Data were drawn from the 2013–14 DRC Demographic Health Survey (EDS-RDC II). Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify correlates of mistimed and unwanted pregnancies. Sequential logistic regression modelling including distal (place of residence), intermediate (socio-demographic and socioeconomic factors) and proximal (reproductive health and family planning) factors was performed using multivariate analysis. More than a quarter (28%) of pregnancies were reported as unintended (23% mistimed and 5% unwanted). Women who wanted no more children (aOR 1.21; CI: 1.01, 1.44) had less than 24 months of birth spacing (aOR 2.14; CI: 1.80, 2.54) and those who intended to use a family planning method (aOR 1.24; CI: 1.01, 1.52) reported more often that their last pregnancy was mistimed. Women with five or more children (aOR 2.13; CI: 1.30, 3.49), those wanting no more children (aOR 13.07; CI: 9.59, 17.81) and those with more than 48 months of birth spacing (aOR 2.31; CI: 1.26, 4.23) were more likely to report their last pregnancy as unwanted. The high rate of unintended pregnancies in the DRC shows the urgency to act on the fertility behaviour of women. The associated intermediate factors for mistimed and unwanted pregnancy indicate the need to accelerate family planning programmes, particularly for women of high parity and those who want no more children. Likewise, health promotion measures at the grassroots level to ensure women’s empowerment and increase women’s autonomy in health care are necessary to address the social factors associated with mistimed pregnancy.

scholarly journals Postpartum family-planning barriers and catalysts in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo: a multiperspective study

2018 ◽  
Vol Volume 9 ◽  
pp. 63-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Toan Tran ◽  
Wambi Maurice E Yameogo ◽  
Mary Eluned Gaffield ◽  
Félicité Langwana ◽  
James Kiarie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Postpartum Family Planning

scholarly journals Situation analysis for delivering integrated comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for displaced population of Kasaï, Democratic Republic of Congo: Protocol for a mixed method study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0242046
Author(s):  
Jacques B. O. Emina ◽  
Parfait Gahungu ◽  
Francis Iyese ◽  
Rinelle Etinkum ◽  
Brigitte Kini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Service Delivery ◽  
Adolescent Girls ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Reproductive Health Services ◽  
Republic Of Congo

Introduction Delivering integrated sexual and reproductive health services (SRHS) in emergencies is important in order to save lives of the most vulnerable as well as to combat poverty, reduce inequities and social injustice. More than 60% of preventable maternal deaths occur in conflict areas and especially among the internally displaced persons (IDP). Between 2016 and 2018, unprecedented violence erupted in the Kasaï’s region, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), called the Kamuina Nsapu Insurgency. During that period, an estimated three million of adolescent girls and women were forced to flee; and have faced growing threat to their health, safety, security, and well-being including significant sexual and reproductive health challenges. Between August 2016 and May 2017, the “Sous-Cluster sur les violences basées sur le genre (SC-VBG)” in DRC (2017) reported 1,429 Gender Based Violence (GBV) incidents in the 49 service delivery points in the provinces of Kasaï, Kasaï Central and Kasaï Oriental. Rape cases represented 79% of reported incidents whereas sexual assault and forced marriage accounted for respectively 11% and 4% of Gender Based Violence (GBV) among women and adolescent girls. This study aims to assess the availability of SRHS in the displaced camps in Kasaï; to evaluate the SRHS needs of young girls and women in the reproductive age (12–49). Studies of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have often included adolescent girls under the age of 15 because of high prevalence of child marriage and early onset of childbearing, especially in the humanitarian context. According to the 2013 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), about 16% of surveyed women got married by age 14 while the prevalence of early child marriage (marriage by 15) was estimated at 30%; to assess the use of SRHS services and identify barriers as well as challenges for SRH service delivery and use. Findings from this study will help provide evidence to inform towards more needs-based and responsive SRH service delivery. This is hoped for ultimately improve the quality and effectiveness of services, when considering service delivery and response in humanitarian settings. Data and methods We will conduct a mixed-methods study design, which will combine quantitative and qualitative approaches. Based on the estimation of the sample size, quantitative data will be drawn from the community-based survey (500 women of reproductive age per site) and health facility assessments will include assessments of 45 health facilities and 135 health providers’ interviews. Qualitative data will comprise materials from 30 Key Informant Interviews (KII) and 24 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), which are believed to achieve the needed saturation levels. Data analysis will include thematic and content analysis for the KIIs and FGDs using ATLAS.ti software for the qualitative arm. For the quantitative arm, data analysis will combine frequency and bivariate chi-square analysis, coupled with multi-level regression models, using Stata 15 software. Statistic differences will be established at the significance level of 0.05. We submitted this protocol to the national ethical committee of the ministry of health in September 2019 and it was approved in January 2020. It needs further approval from the Scientific Oversee Committee (SOC) and the Provincial Ministry of Health. Prior to data collection, informed consents will be obtained from all respondents.

scholarly journals Availability and Quality of Family Planning Services in the City of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

OALib ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 06 (02) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Matungulu Matungulu Charles ◽  
Ntambue Mukengeshayi Abel ◽  
Ilunga Kandolo Simon ◽  
Mundongo Shamba Henry ◽  
Kakoma Sakatolo Zambeze Jean Baptiste ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Family Planning Services ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
The City

scholarly journals Integrating sexual and reproductive health into health system strengthening in humanitarian settings: a planning workshop toolkit to transition from minimum to comprehensive services in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, and Yemen

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nguyen Toan Tran ◽  
Alison Greer ◽  
Brigitte Kini ◽  
Hassan Abdi ◽  
Kariman Rajeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Health System ◽  
Collaborative Design ◽  
Sexual And Reproductive Health ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Health System Strengthening ◽  
World Health ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Humanitarian Settings

Abstract Background Planning to transition from the Minimum Initial Service Package for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) toward comprehensive SRH services has been a challenge in humanitarian settings. To bridge this gap, a workshop toolkit for SRH coordinators was designed to support effective planning. This article aims to describe the toolkit design, piloting, and final product. Methods Anchored in the Health System Building Blocks Framework of the World Health Organization, the design entailed two complementary and participatory strategies. First, a collaborative design phase with iterative feedback loops involved global partners with extensive operational experience in the initial toolkit conception. The second phase engaged stakeholders from three major humanitarian crises to participate in pilot workshops to contextualize, evaluate, validate, and improve the toolkit using qualitative interviews and end-of-workshop evaluations. The aim of this two-phase design process was to finalize a planning toolkit that can be utilized in and adapted to diverse humanitarian contexts, and efficiently and effectively meet its objectives. Pilots occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the Kasai region crisis, Bangladesh for the Rohingya humanitarian response in Cox’s Bazar, and Yemen for selected Governorates. Results Results suggest that the toolkit enabled facilitators to foster a systematic, participatory, interactive, and inclusive planning process among participants over a two-day workshop. The approach was reportedly effective and time-efficient in producing a joint work plan. The main planning priorities cutting across settings included improving comprehensive SRH services in general, healthcare workforce strengthening, such as midwifery capacity development, increasing community mobilization and engagement, focusing on adolescent SRH, and enhancing maternal and newborn health services in terms of quality, coverage, and referral pathways. Recommendations for improvement included a dedicated and adequately anticipated pre-workshop preparation to gather relevant data, encouraging participants to undertake preliminary study to equalize knowledge to partake fully in the workshop, and enlisting participants from marginalized and underserved populations. Conclusion Collaborative design and piloting efforts resulted in a workshop toolkit that could support a systematic and efficient identification of priority activities and services related to comprehensive SRH. Such priorities could help meet the SRH needs of communities emerging from acute humanitarian situations while strengthening the overall health system.

scholarly journals Risk factors for neonatal sepsis in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo: A retrospective case-control study

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Adonis Muganza Nyenga ◽  
◽  
Olivier Mukuku ◽  
Janet Ziazia Sunguza ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Neonatal Sepsis ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Tract Infections ◽  
Control Study

Purpose: Neonatal sepsis (NS) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries. Delays in the identification and treatment of NS are the main contributors to the high mortality. This study aims to identify risk factors for NS in newborns in the two university hospitals in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods: This hospital-based case-control study was carried out on 486 mother-newborn pairs using the systematic sampling method during November 2019 to October 2020. Data were analyzed using STATA software (version 15). Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed to identify the associated factors at 95% CI. Results: A total of 162 cases and 324 controls were included in this study. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the possible risk factors for NS in this study were low level of education (AOR = 9.16 [2.23-37.67]), maternal genitourinary tract infections (AOR = 42.59 [17.90-101.37]), premature rupture of membranes (AOR = 19.95 [7.27-54.76]), peripartum fever (AOR = 26.25 [2.31-297.83]), prolonged labor (AOR = 14.16 [3.88-51.71]), cesarean section (AOR = 3.57 [1.48-8.61]), obstructed vaginal delivery (AOR = 13.40 [1.32-136.19]), birth weight <1500 grams (AOR = 70.38 [8.64-572.95]), and between 1500-2500 grams (AOR = 7.90 [3.04-20.52]). Conclusion: The study found that maternal and neonatal factors were strongly associated with the risk of developing NS. The present study suggests the possibility of routine assessment of sepsis in newborns born with the above characteristics.

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