Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Successful Programmatic Approaches to Facilitating IUD Uptake: CARE's E xperience in 
DRC  
 
Version: 0 Date: 30 Oct 2018  
 
Reviewer: Gretchen S Stuart  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
MANUSCRIPT NUMBER: 18 -00467  
TITLE: Successful Programmatic Approaches to Facilitating IUD Uptake: CARE's Experience 
in DRC  
 
Overall: This is an original research r eport summary  reviewing this history, the unmet need and 
the qualitative data of uptaking IUDs in DRC.  The papeer is very long with some sections 
misplaced.  The objectives of the paper should be more clearly articulated and the methods and 
results shoul d then clearly match the objectives.  
 
A statement in the introduction and in the discussion should be made about how specifically 
THIS manuscript will fit into the literature.  There are lots of published manuscripts that address 
and find the same findings  as this paper.  
 
1. Lines 89 - 112: The background information of the DRC is too long and should be 
shortened by about 50%.  Some examples of where things can be shortened are provided 
below.  
2. Lines 101 -105: This belongs in the methods.  
3. Lines 105 -112 seem to be part of the conclusion.  The introduction should focus on the 
problem, the gaps in the literature, and the goals/hypothesis of the research conducted as 
planned a priori.  
4. Lines 130 -136: This section should also be in the discussion..   
Lines 140-176 are informative but do not fit in the methods.  They may be more valuable in the 
discussion when discussing or comparing the results of your study with existing practices and 
existing literature.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Unable to assess  
 
Are the conclusions drawn ade quately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recomme nded, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
Not relevant to this manuscript  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five y ears received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financial ly from the publication of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may i n any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, fund ing, or salary from an organization that holds 
or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I  understand that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my nam ed report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors' 
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to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open pe er review policy of the journal