Is postpartum contraceptive advice given antenatally of value

Abstract In response to the concept that a good postpartum program should begin prenatally, this study was designed to determine whether the provision of expert contraceptive counseling during the antenatal period would have an impact on contraceptive uptake, patterns of contraceptive usage, and pregnancy rates during the first year after childbirth. Over 500 women attending antenatal clinics in each of three centers (Edinburgh, Scotland; Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; Cape Town, South Africa) were randomized to receive expert contraceptive advice (participants, n = 771) or the standard advice routinely given in that setting (controls, n = 866). Follow-up was by postal or interviewer-administered questionnaires at 16 and 52 weeks after childbirth. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of contraceptive use at one year (over 79% in all centers) between participants and controls. In Edinburgh, participants were more likely to undergo sterilization (p