Facilitating Uptake of Post-abortion Contraception for Young People in Kenya.

Globally, maternal mortality is unacceptably high, and unsafe abortion is the most easily preventable cause of maternal death. Post-abortion contraception, recognized as a High Impact Practice in Family Planning, can reduce rates of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortion and ultimately save lives. Implementation of this, however, is limited, especially for young people.

Exploring the prevalence of disrespect and abuse during childbirth in Kenya.

Background: Poor quality of care including fear of disrespect and abuse (D&A) perpetuated by health workers influences women's decisions to seek maternity care. Key manifestations of D&A include: physical abuse, non-consented care, non-confidential care, non-dignified care, discrimination, abandonment, and detention in facilities. This paper describes manifestations of D&A experienced in Kenya and measures their prevalence.

Study protocol for promoting respectful maternity care initiative to assess, measure and design interventions to reduce disrespect and abuse during childbirth in Kenya.

Background: Increases in the proportion of facility-based deliveries have been marginal in many low-income countries in the African region. Preliminary clinical and anthropological evidence suggests that one major factor inhibiting pregnant women from delivering at facility is disrespectful and abusive treatment by health care providers in maternity units. Despite acknowledgement of this behavior by policy makers, program staff, civil society groups and community members, the problem appears to be widespread but prevalence is not well documented.