How conditional cash transfers to promote institutional delivery can also influence postpartum contraception: Evidence from Rajasthan, India

ObjectiveTo examine the association between the receipt of benefits from a conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme—Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY)—and postpartum contraceptive use in Rajasthan, India.MethodsData from 2920 women who had delivered in the year preceding the interview were used. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used.ResultsAdoption of postpartum contraception was limited among study participants. Even so, women who had experienced the benefits of JSY were more likely than those who had not to have received postpartum contraceptive counseling (odds ratio [OR] 1.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.38–2.00) and to have adopted contraception within 3 months of delivery (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.02–1.68).ConclusionThe present findings make a case for special efforts to use the increased opportunity women experience to interact with the health system as a result of CCTs for promoting maternal and newborn health practices, including postpartum contraception.