Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Participatory action research to identify a package of interventions to promote postpartum 
family planning in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo  
 
Version: 3 Date: 26 Jan 2018  
 
Reviewer: Susan B. Moskosky  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Publication Name:  Participatory action research to identify a package of intervent ions to 
promote postpartum family planning in Burkina Faso and the Democratic Republic of Congo  
Overall comments:  Interesting and well -written piece - I would like to see the results of the 
experimental phase.  This is a good contribution to advancing con traceptive uptake in the 
postpartum period.  
 
Specific suggestions:  
Lines 59 - 61: The opening sentence in the conclusions is not clear - in particular, the ending to 
the sentence "by taking into consideration the scarcity of resources to facilitate future s caling -up 
efforts does not make sense as part of the sentence.  How does taking into consideration the 
scarcity of resources for scaling up help to increase postpartum contraception uptake? Suggest 
re-wording.  
Line 74: Suggest adding 'help to' after "….eff ective postpartum contraceptive use in less 
developed countries could….."   
Line 76:  The references listed are all more than 10 years old.  Is there more recent research to 
substantiate the association between poor maternal, perinatal, and neonatal outcom es and inter -
birth I  
Line 82: Suggest changing 'contraceptive' to 'contraception.'  
Lines 123 - 124:  Does the amenorrhea in this context assume amenorrhea due to breastfeeding?  
Line 241:  Suggest changing 'competences' to 'competencies.'  
Line 260:  Suggest  changing 'to' to 'into:'  "… integration of other tasks into its objectives…"  
Line 350:  Invitation is misspelled.  
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, ple ase 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.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the da ta shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify 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 years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in  any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
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3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
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4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to t he 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?  
 
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below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
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