English |

To inform family planning programs and improve service delivery, Marie Stopes International/ Viet Nam collaborated with three provincial health departments to explore the dynamics of IUD use. A retrospective study was conducted among women who had received IUD services between 2006 and 2009 at commune health stations (CHSs) located in Thai Nguyen, Khanh Hoa and Vinh Long provinces. Researchers examined the socio-demographic profile of IUD users in these provinces and sought to describe
discontinuation and method-switching behaviours.

This study shows that early discontinuation of IUDs is common practice in Viet Nam. Given the reliance on the IUD as the only long-term reversible contraceptive method available, the following issues need to be addressed: high discontinuation rates; delays in adopting new methods; and switching to traditional methods.

To improve continuation and strengthen IUD service provision in Viet Nam, the authors recommend that family planning programmes should focus on:
• improving IUD follow-up services to ensure that women’s concerns, especially those relating to health, are addressed when they arise

• ensuring that family planning and contraceptive options are discussed prior to IUD removal; women who wish to prevent pregnancy should be advised about the most reliable alternative methods, and the delay to adopting new methods should be minimised

• targeting IUD counselling and advice at women who are at greatest risk of early discontinuation and women who are most likely to switch to unreliable methods, notably older women and individuals working in manual occupations

• tailoring FP campaign messages and counselling services so that they are appropriate to their target groups

• involving husbands in FP counselling where appropriate, as many decisions on contraceptive choice are made jointly by couples

• working with women to identify reasons for dissatisfaction with IUD services, and ways in which service quality and continuation can be improved

• including unmarried women in FP campaigns; these women currently represent a tiny proportion of IUD users.