Contraception After a Baby: Perspectives from Focus Groups in Sheffield

This report examines the perspectives, experiences, and challenges related to contraception after childbirth among women from ethnic minority backgrounds in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The analysis draws upon transcripts from 6 focus groups over two projects involving women from African, Middle Eastern, and Asian backgrounds.

Six key themes emerged from the discussions, highlighting both commonalities and differences in experiences, cultural influences, barriers to access, and recommendations for improvement. The findings demonstrate that while many women understand the importance of contraception for spacing pregnancies and recovering physically after childbirth, they face numerous challenges including inadequate timing of contraception discussions, lack of culturally appropriate information, insufficient support in navigating side effects, and limited involvement of male partners in family planning decisions.

This report aims to inform healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organisations about the specific needs of women from diverse backgrounds regarding postpartum contraception, and to recommend approaches that would improve their experiences and outcomes.

Ethical approval - (051413) Perspectives on contraception amongst ethnic minority groups: A qualitative study. (063456) Perspectives on contraception amongst under-represented groups: A qualitative study.