Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Contraceptive needs and fertility intentions of women with breast cancer in Cape 
Town,  South Africa: a qualitative study  
 
Version: 1 Date: 29 Aug 2020  
 
Reviewer: Felice Watt  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
1 has any of the authors worked in the clinic during the 5 years before and during the  study 
period. If this was the case and the participants knew who the authors were, could this have  
introduced bias?  
 
2. It would be helpful for the reader to understand a little bit more about the demographics of 
breast cancer in South Africa - are particular groups likely to have less access to care? how 
representative of the population are the women attending the  clinic of the population.  Are 
their important voices from subgroups of women (even within Capetown) and their providers 
which might benefit from being heard in future research.?  
 
Were any women who were pregnant at the time of diagnosis or treatment incl uded? I would 
have preferred more information about participant characteristics? (I wonder if identification 
risks have precluded this).  
 
3. I presume that as part of the ethics review there was provision made for supportive 
counselling should the interview  trigger upsetting experiences/memories; was this the case 
and was any such support required? (I guess I detected some anger in the tone of the women's 
responses).  
l 
 
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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 manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in 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?  
 
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holds  or has applied for patents relating to the co ntent 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 have no competing interests  
 
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Is the study design appropriate to answer t he research question (including the use of 
appropriate  controls), and are the conclusions supported by the evidence presented?  
 
Yes 
 
Are the methods sufficiently described to allow the study to be repeated?  
 
Yes 
 
Is the use of statistics and treatment of uncer tainties appropriate?  
 
Yes 
 
Is the presentation of the work clear?  
 
Yes 
 
Are the images in this manuscript (including electrophoretic gels and blots) free from 
apparent  manipulation?  
 
Yes