Increasing the availability of long-term family planning methods, such as intrauterine devices or implants, has done little to increase uptake among women in Malawi. Lack of information and intra-household dynamics were cited as prominent factors preventing the increased use of long-acting contraception. Yet, frequent stockouts of the preferred short-term methods – birth control pills and injectables – leave women without any contraceptive coverage and continue to contribute to unplanned pregnancies.
The demand gap between short and long-term family planning methods is not unique to Malawi and suggests that more information on the positive benefits of long-term contraception is necessary. The nuances of behavioral economics may be applied to improve the education and messaging campaigns aimed at increasing the uptake of long-term contraceptive methods.
BERI 