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Context: Ambivalence in pregnancy intentions is well-documented in sub-Saharan African (SSA) settings and has been associated with inconsistent use of contraception, thereby exposing women using contraception to the possibility of unintended pregnancies. A better understanding of the potential role for client counseling interventions in enabling women to achieve their pregnancy intentions is essential for aiding program efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies. Objective: To measure ambivalence in pregnancy intentions longitudinally and determine its association with the quality of care received, controlling for demographic, socio-economic and contextual factors among a cohort of family planning (FP) clients in Kenya. Methods: This paper uses data drawn from a prospective cohort study of FP clients to investigate the relationship between the quality of care received during FP service delivery and the decisiveness of their pregnancy intentions over time. The study tests the hypothesis that higher quality of care enables women to be less ambivalent about their pregnancy intentions. Binary logistic regression with random effects and multinomial logistic regression were used to assess the predictive effect of the quality of care received by a woman on the decisiveness or ambivalence of her pregnancy intentions, and on any shifts in ambivalence over time, controlling for background characteristics. The study recruited 1,957 women aged 15–49 years attending twelve family planning clinics in four counties in Central Kenya; of these, 1,053 women were observed for four rounds of data collection over a period of 24 months and form the sample for analysis. Findings: A substantial proportion (43%) of women expressed ambivalence about their intentions to become pregnant at some point during the study period, while over half (57%) remained unequivocal throughout the study. Almost one third of women (31%) shifted from being unequivocal to ambivalent and 12% shifted from ambivalence to being unequivocal. Women experiencing higher quality of care have lower odds of ever expressing ambivalence and higher odds of remaining unequivocal over time, net of other factors. Quality of care was not associated with a shift in ambivalence over time. Conclusion: FP programs offering higher quality of care are likely to support women to be more decisive in their pregnancy intentions. Improving the quality of care can contribute to reduced ambivalence and consequently reduced likelihood of unintended pregnancy among contraceptive users. This study provides further evidence of the benefits gained through providing high quality services. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As antiretroviral treatment becomes more available, community home-based care (CHBC) clients may begin to resume normal daily activities including the resumption of sexual relationships. This study examines sexual behavior, contraceptive use, unmet need for family planning and attitudes toward pregnancy in the context of HIV among CHBC participants (clients and caregivers), many of whom are HIV-positive or at risk for HIV, of the COPHIA project in Kenya. The COPHIA project was implemented by Pathfinder International with support from USAID/Kenya. We interviewed 171 CHBC clients and 183 CHBC caregivers and conducted four focus groups with caregivers. Data were collected from randomly selected COPHIA-affiliated CHBC programs in Western Province and in Nairobi between September and November 2004. Forty-four percent of clients and 55% of caregivers had been sexually active in the past six months. The reproductive health needs of this population are complex; a significant percentage of study participants have an unmet need for family planning and some desire more children. A small proportion of study participants were pregnant during the time of the interview. The majority of those who use contraception reported relying solely on the male condom to prevent pregnancy. While vital for HIV prevention and easily distributed by CHBC programs, the male condom is not as effective as other methods in preventing pregnancy. Community home-based care program participants need counseling related to contraception, fertility desires and pregnancy. The promotion of dual method use is crucial to this population. Besides referring participants to family planning services, CHBC programs need to consider how and if they can meet the family planning and other reproductive health needs of their participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews field experiences with provision of family planning services in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programs in ten countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Family planning is a standard component of most antenatal care and maternal-child health programs within which PMTCT programs are offered. Yet PMTCT sites often miss opportunities to provide HIV-positive clients with family planning counseling. Demand for family planning among HIV-positive women varies depending on the extent of communities' openness about HIV/AIDS, fertility norms, and knowledge of PMTCT programs. In Kenya and Zambia, no differences were observed in use of contraceptives between HIV-positive and HIV-negative women in the study communities, but HIV-positive women have more affirmative attitudes about condoms and use them significantly more frequently than do their HIV-negative counterparts. In the Dominican Republic, India, and Thailand, where HIV prevalence is low and sterilization rates are high, HIV-positive women are offered sterilization, which most women accept. This article draws out the policy implications of these findings and recommends that policies be based on respect for women's right to informed reproductive choice in the context of HIV/AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the influence of family planning providers on the participation of clients in family planning consultations in Kenya. Analysis of transcripts of counseling sessions with female clients; Development of coding guides focusing on client participation; Participation of clients through volunteering additional information in response to questions of providers.

Objectives To compare the quality of family planning services delivered at public and private facilities in Kenya. Methods Data from the 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment were analysed. The Kenya Service Provision Assessment is a representative sample of health facilities in the public and private sectors, and comprises data obtained from a facility inventory, service provider interviews, observations of client–provider interactions and exit interviews. Quality-of-care indicators are compared between the public and private sectors along three dimensions: structure, process and outcome. Results Private facilities were superior to public sector facilities in terms of physical infrastructure and the availability of services. Public sector facilities were more likely to have management systems in place. There was no difference between public and private providers in the technical quality of care provided. Private providers were better at managing interpersonal aspects of care. The higher level of client satisfaction at private facilities could not be explained by differences between public and private facilities in structural and process aspects of care. Conclusions Formal private sector facilities providing family planning services exhibit greater readiness to provide services and greater attention to client needs than public sector facilities in Kenya. Consistent with this, client satisfaction is much higher at private facilities. Technical quality of care provided is similar in public and private facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]