Improving Quality of Postpartum Family Planning in Low-Resource Settings – A Framework for Policy Makers, Managers, and Medical Care Providers

Family planning (FP) is an essential component of health care provided during the antenatal and postpartum period that can prevent maternal and child care complications and reduce premature mortality.

Closely spaced pregnancies within the first year postpartum are associated with higher risks of preterm births, as well as infants who are low birth weight or small for gestational age.

If spacing between pregnancies were increased to 24 months, maternal and under-five mortality would decrease by 30% and 13% respectively.