Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Correlates of use of withdrawal for contraception among women in Vietnam  
 
Version: 0 Date: 15 Dec 2019  
 
Reviewer: Melissa Harris  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This study aimed to identify correlates of usi ng withdrawal among a clinic sample of women in 
Vietnam. Understanding the continued use of withdrawal in the presence of more effective 
methods is important. Please find below my queries and comments that may help improve the 
manuscript.  
 
1. Introduction:   
 
 a. The first sentence of paragraph is not clear. Could the authors rephrase this?  
 
b. Some context regarding Vietnam and contraception is required (including 
cultural differences) as well as critical analysis of studies on withdrawal.  
 
2. Methods:  
 
a. More detail is required regarding the measures used in the analysis - reason 
for inclusion and how it was measured  
 
b. Based on potential combinations, it would be best to include all possibilities 
and then in the results reduce the categories for further analys is as it currently 
sounds like they were predetermined groups  
 
3. Discussion:  
 
a. A greater discussion is required to place to results in context and in particular 
what it means for women's autonomy in sexual and reproductive health. How 
can this be improve d? 
 
Are the methods appr opriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
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 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 recommended, please speci fy what aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
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, 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 t hat 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?  
 
4.  Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, 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 compet ing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
None  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understan d that my name will be included  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted f or publication, my named report 
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under an Open Access Creative Commons 
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand t hat any comments 
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be in cluded as confidential comments 
to the editors, which will not be published.  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal