Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111305

Barbara Rawlins, MPH¹, Abel Bicaba, MD, MPH², and Rebecca S. Dineen, MS¹. (1) Family Planning/Reproductive Health Center of Excellence, JHPIEGO, 1615 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD 21231, 410-537-1906, brawlins@jhpiego.org, (2) Consultant Independant en Sante Publique, 06 BP 9150, Ouagadougou, 06, Burkina Faso

A new natural family planning (FP) method, the Standard Days Method (SDM), has the potential to expand couple's FP choices. SDM is based on the “fertile window” of a woman's menstrual cycle, using a set of color-differentiated counting beads (Cycle BeadsTM) for couples to avoid intercourse during that time.

Burkina Faso, with an unmet need for FP of 26%, was selected for an 18-month pilot study on the acceptability and feasibility of SDM. SDM was offered as part of routine FP services at three clinics. Women acceptors (n=79) and a sample of their partners (n=52) were interviewed and participated in focus groups. Providers (n=12) and new FP clients who declined SDM (n=90) were also interviewed.

Findings suggest it is feasible to introduce the SDM into existing FP services and it is acceptable to users. At the six month followup, 48% (n=38) of users continued to use the method, 25% (n=20) had discontinued, 24% (n=19) were lost to follow-up, and 3% (n=2) were pregnant. Satisfaction among continuing users was high (over 90%), as well as knowledge (mean of 4.9 on a 6-point scale) and "correct use" (mean of 2.7 on a 3-point scale). Other issues to be discussed include: couple dynamics; male participation; provider perceptions.

Learning Objectives:

• Be able to describe the need for family planning in West Africa, particularly Burkina Faso.
• Be able to explain why the Standard Days Method is an acceptable and feasible family planning method for Burkina Faso.

Keywords: Contraception, Developing Countries

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.