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

Abstract #113650

Therese Delvaux¹, Sophal Soeur², and François Crabbé¹. (1) Microbiology Department, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155, Nationalestraat, Antwerp, 2000, Belgium, 32.3.247.6295, tdelvaux@itg.be, (2) Reproductive Health Programme, MCH clinic, Sihanoukville, Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Background: In August 2002, after approval by the Ministry of Health, safe abortion/ post-abortion care (SAPAC) services became operational at a public Maternal and Child Health (MCH) clinic in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Current contraceptive use in the general population is still low in Cambodia.

Objective: To evaluate the contraceptive use at MCH clinic and in Sihanoukville province, before and after the implementation of SAPAC services.

Methods: Data on post-abortion contraceptive use among SAPAC clients at MCH clinic were collected from August 2002 to November 2004. Data on contraceptive users and contraceptive mix among family planning clients at MCH clinic and in Sihanoukville province were retrieved from family planning data from 2001 to 2004.

Results: Since the set up of SAPAC services, between 30 to 40 % of women left the clinic (the same day or 3 days later at the follow-up visit) with a family planning method. About one third of SAPAC clients opted for an IUD, one third for the pill and a quarter for injectables. Between 2001 and 2004, the percentage of current FP users at MCH clinic doubled, and IUD current users increased from 25% to about 40%. Data from the whole province showed that between 2001 and 2004, the proportion of IUD users increased from 4.5 to 12%. Most of IUD users came form the MCH clinic and a substantial proportion from SAPAC services.

Conclusion: Where legal, the integration of safe abortion services including quality FP counseling can contribute to increase contraceptive use.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize that the contraceptive prevalence is low and that abortion is legal in Cambodia
• Assess the post-abortion family planning rate in one public clinic in Sihanoukville, Cambodia
• Discuss the implications of quality post-abortion family planning for a reproductive health programme

Keywords: Abortion, Family Planning

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.

Recorded presentation