The Effect of Postnatal Care on the Postpartum Contraceptive Use in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BackgroundPostpartum contraceptive use is an essential aspect of maternal and child health. The use of contraception after childbirth is a critical step in ensuring healthy spacing between births, reducing maternal and infant mortality. However, it is often observed that the use of postpartum contraception is low. In this context, postnatal care (PNC) visits are an important opportunity to promote postpartum contraceptive use. Therefore, the aim of this review is to examine the effect of postnatal visits on the utilization of postpartum contraceptive use. MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published and unpublished studies. Pub Med, HINARI, Science direct, Cochrane Library, ETH Library and Google Scholar were used to search all articles. For data analysis, STATA 14 software was used. Funnel plots and Eggers test were used to examine the risk of publication bias. Heterogeneity was checked by using Cochrans-Q test and I2 test. Random effect model was computed to estimate the pooled prevalence. ResultsThe finding of the present systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that having postnatal care visits increase the utilization of postpartum modern contraceptive [pooled effect size 2.92 (95% CI, 2.21, 3.881)]. Postnatal care can provide critical information and support to women during the postpartum period, including information about family planning and contraceptive options. ConclusionThe utilization of postpartum contraception is a critical aspect of maternal and child health. Postnatal care visits provide an opportunity to promote postpartum contraceptive use. During these visits, healthcare providers can provide information on the available contraceptive methods, counsel women on the benefits and risks of each method, and assist in the selection of a suitable method. PROSPERO Registration NumberCRD42020156574