Programmatic aspects of postpartum family planning in developing countries: a qualitative analysis of key informant interviews in Kenya and Ethiopia.

To achieve the improved maternal and child outcomes of birth spacing, family planning in the postpartum period is essential. The objective of this study is to determine the perceptions regarding programmatic aspects of postpartum family planning by key informants in 17 countries determined to have high unmet need for postpartum family planning. We present interim data from structured interviews of key informants in Kenya and Ethiopia. Important themes included the need for documentation of contraceptive use to aid in commodity assessment and delivery, need for additional informational materials, and challenges of delivering services to those women who deliver away from a health care facility.