Turned Away and at Risk: Denial of Family Planning Services to Women in Malawi

Abstract

Family planning (FP) has been a development priority since the mid-1990s, yet barriers to access persist globally, including women being turned away from facilities without a method. This study aimed to assess the extent of, and reasons for, FP turnaway in three districts of Malawi. In 2019, data collectors screened women exiting 30 health facilities and surveyed those who had been denied a method. Follow-up surveys were conducted via telephone with turned away clients at six and 12 weeks postvisit. Of the 2,246 women who were screened, 562 were new or restarting users. Of these, 15% (83/562) reported having been turned away from the health facility without an FP method. Women cited 14 different reasons for turnaway; the top three were unavailability of method (34%), unavailability of a provider (17%), or a requirement to return on the scheduled FP day (15%). The multiple reasons cited for leaving the health facility without an FP method indicate that reducing turnaway will not be achieved easily. The top reasons for turnaway are related to health systems or management issues within health facilities. Facilities need additional support for staffing, training on long-acting and permanent methods, and a consistent supply of methods.