Video compared to conversational contraceptive counseling during labor and maternity hospitalization in Colombia: A randomized trial

Objective: Assess if video-based contraceptive education could be an efficient adjunct to contraceptive counseling and attain the same contraceptive knowledge acquisition as conversation-based counseling. Study design: This was a multicenter randomized, controlled trial examining contraceptive counseling during labor and maternity hospitalization regarding the options of immediate postpartum contraception. At two urban public hospitals, we randomized participants to a structured conversation with a trained counselor or a 14-min video providing the same information. Both groups received written materials and were invited to ask the counselor questions. Our primary outcome was to compare mean time for video-based education and conversational counseling; secondary outcomes included intended postpartum contraceptive method, pre- and postintervention contraceptive knowledge, and perceived competence in choosing a method of contraception. Results: We enrolled 240 participants (conversation group=119, video group=121). The average time to complete either type of counseling was similar [conversational: 16.3 min, standard deviation (SD) ±3.8 min; video: 16.8 min, SD ±4.6 min, p=.32]. Of women intending to use nonpermanent contraception, more participants intended to use a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method after conversational counseling (72/103, 70% versus 59/105, 56%, p=.041). Following counseling, mean knowledge assessment scores increased by 2 points in both groups (3/7 points to 5/7 correct). All but two participants in the video group agreed they felt equipped to choose a contraceptive method after counseling. Conclusions: Compared to in-person contraceptive counseling alone, video-based intrapartum contraceptive education took a similar amount of time and resulted in similar contraceptive knowledge acquisition, though with fewer patients choosing LARC. Implications: Video-based contraceptive education may be useful in settings with limited personnel to deliver unbiased hospital-based, contraceptive counseling for women during the antepartum period.