Summary

In this study session, you have learned that:

• Postpartum family planning is the initiation and use of family planning methods in the first six weeks following delivery. The aim is to prevent unintended pregnancy, too soon after childbirth, when another pregnancy could be harmful to the health of the mother or breastfeeding baby.
• Post-abortion family planning is the initiation of family planning methods immediately after, or (preferably) within 48 hours of an abortion, before fertility returns. Fertility returns on average about two weeks post-abortion.
• One of the advantages of postpartum and post-abortion family planning is that it creates opportunities for you to contact your clients during the prenatal, postpartum, or post-abortion period.
• The goal of postpartum and post-abortion family planning is to help a woman decide if she wants to use a family planning method, to help her choose an appropriate method, taking into consideration whether or not she is breastfeeding, and to prepare her to use the method effectively.
• The best choice of family planning postpartum is a non-hormonal method. Progestin-only methods are the next choice, and combined oral contraceptives are the last choice for a non-breastfeeding mother.
• All modern family planning methods are appropriate for post-abortion women.