Abstract:
Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate how to improve access to family planning
and address unmet contraceptive need in postpartum women, by determining the predictors of
contraceptive implant uptake in the immediate postpartum period.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among women who had given birth
up to 6 d earlier at the Riley Mother and Baby Hospital, which is part of the Moi Teaching and
Referral Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya. Participants were systematically sampled and data collected
using pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaires. Statistical analyses were performed to
determine associations between variables. Logistic regression was used to determine the relation-
ship between variables and contraceptive implant uptake.
Results: The study comprised 353 women. Most (92%) were Christians and were married (74%).
More than 76% had received secondary education or above; 9% were HIV-positive. Most (87%)
had heard of the contraceptive implant and almost half (46%) had ever used it before their current
pregnancy. Older women (p ¼ .036), those who had reached their desired family size (p ¼ .003),
those who had planned for the current pregnancy (p ¼ .027), those who had used the implant
before (p < .001) and those who were HIV-positive (p ¼ .001) were more likely to agree to use the
contraceptive implant.
Conclusions: Older age, achievement of family size, previous use of the same method, HIV positiv-
ity and planned pregnancy positively predicted uptake of the contraceptive implant
