The impact of using nurses to perform postpartum intrauterine device insertions in Kalyani Hospital, India

Abstract

In the postpartum period women are vulnerable to unintended pregnancy, which may lead to legal or illegal abortion and impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although several postpartum family planning options are available, lack of access to and availability of family planning services and trained staff pose serious challenges. Peripheral centers may not have a doctor; however, they will have nursing staff that can be trained to offer family planning counselling and services. The present study demonstrates how task sharing with nurses to provide postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) services worked to give women a convenient and safe contraceptive method. PPIUD insertion provides women the additional advantage of leaving hospital with appropriate long-term contraception after institutional delivery, and also decreases the costs borne by patients and the government. This approach also impacts maternal and newborn health by avoiding unwanted pregnancy.