Family Planning Providers and Women Agree: Spousal Communication Is Paramount to Sucessful Contraceptive Use in Rwanda

Hilary Schwandt, Western Washington University
Angel Boulware, Spelman College
Julia Corey, Wheaton College
Ana Herrera, Northwest Vista Community College
Ethan Hudler, Whatcom Community College
Claudette Imbabazi, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Ilia King, Xavier University
Jessica Linus, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Innocent Manzi, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Maddie Merritt, Western Washington University
Lyn Mezier, State University of New York at Oswego (SUNY)
Abigail Miller, Western Washington University
Haley Morris, Western Oregon University
Dieudonne Musemakweli, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Uwase Musekura, Eastern Oregon University
Divine Mutuyimana, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Chimene Ntakarutimana, University of Kentucky
Nrali Patel, Arcadia University
Adriana Scanteianu, Rutgers University
Biganette-Evidente Shemeza, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Madi Stapleton, Western Washington University
Gi'Anna Sterling-Donaldson, Drexel University
Chantal Umutoni, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Liz Uwera, INES-Ruhengeri – Institute of Applied Sciences
Madeline Zeiler, Western Washington University
Seth L. Feinberg , Western Washington University

Couple communication about contraceptive use has been shown to be a strongly correlated with contraceptive use. In Rwanda, where contraceptive use has increased dramatically over a short period of time, understanding the role of couple communication can help inform programs designed to further increase use of family planning in Rwanda. This study utilized qualitative methods, specifically in-depth interviewers with current users of modern contraceptive methods and focus group discussions with family planning providers to explore couple communication about family planning in Rwanda. Findings demonstrate that spousal communication about family planning use prior to, and during, is very common and that some male partners even find ways to support their wife’s use of contraception beyond communication. With this level of couple communication occurring in Rwandan communities, the future outlook for sustained, and even enhanced, family planning use is promising.

See paper

 Presented in Session 119. Couple Dynamics of Sex, Contraception, and Fertility