Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Women’s contraceptive discontinuation and switching behavior in urban Senegal, 2010 -
2015  
 
Version: 1 Date: 06 Dec 2017  
 
Reviewer: Solomon Gebrehiwot  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
BMWH -D-17-00385R1  
Reviewer report  
Solomon Weldemariam: Thank you for the opportunity to review the manuscript entitled: 
Women's contraceptive discontinuation and switching behavior in urban Senegal, 2010 -2015. 
This is a first revision to me for this manuscript.  
 
General:  The punctuation,  spelling, capitalization, abbreviations and overall grammar are well 
written however there is wrong use of tenses in the abstract, introduction and methodology part.   
 
Title: the tile is informative and attractive to readers to read the manuscript in -depth. 
 
Abstract: The abstract is acceptable other than tense error  
 
Introduction:  
1. Page 4, lines 74 -75, 75 -76, 76 -77, 89 -90 should be referenced.  
2. Wrong uses of tenses in page 4, line 83 -84,  
3. Page 5, lines 105 -111 taken from one literature (chunk o f ideas from the same literature) 
which is not recommended.  
4. Page 5 line 115 clarify the word Contractive, is it to mean contraceptive?  
 
Methods:  
1. In this part I am not clear with the design? Is it a cohort study or a follow up cross sectional 
or an  evaluation after intervention?  From the topic it seems a follow up study starting from 
2010 -2015 (for 5 years) however page 6, line 136 indicate that data were collected in 2015 
and line 137 indicates there was baseline data in 2011. Overall make it clea r about the 
design, the data collection technique (whether it was record review or face to face 
interview).  
2. In the classification of contraceptive methods page 7, line 153, the category of other modern 
includes Standard Days Method, emergency pill and " other modern" and in line 154 also 
there is classification as traditional methods. Therefore, how it could be standard day 
method classified under other modern classification? why you did not included under 
traditional methods? Moreover, it is not clear th at "other modern" under other modern 
category.  Other concern, how did you consider emergency contraceptive to include in 
discontinuation rate since it is not a routine contraceptive method?  Even the other modern 
classification under quotation is not defi ned what are the others.  
3. Page 7, lines 165 -166 indicate that the analysis calculated all -reason and method -specific 
discontinuation rates at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months however the topic indicates 5 years study. 
Do you mean that women followed only for 24 months only after they start a contraceptive 
method?  
4. Tens error in page 8, lines 177 -178. 
 
Result:  
1. The result section should focus on the result of the study only and avoid discussion on the 
result which seen in Page 10, line 217 -218. 
2. Page 10, line  230 indicates that all LAM users have discontinued by 12 months, do you 
mean that LAM method extends beyond 6 months as contraceptive method? Make clear the 
definition used for LAM.  
3. What "other" stands for, in page 11, line 247?  
 
Discussion:  
1. Senten ces in Page 14, lines 308 -311 should be referenced.  
2. Page 14, line 313 -317 should be discussed and supported with previous studies and in the 
same page lines 318 -330 are not discussed and supported with previous findings.  
3. In the limitation part page 15, lines 338 -340 the sentences is not clear it needs recast or 
clarification. Did you exclude pregnant women as a result of method failure?  
Overall the discussion part is not well discussed in detail and it should be suppor ted with 
findings from previous studies.  
 
Conclusion:   
Statements in Page 16 -17, lines 362 -367 should move up to discussion section. It is not 
recommended to site references in conclusion part rather the conclusion of the study should draw 
inferences in t he light of the result/findings.    
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.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by th e data 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.  
 
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, 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  
financi ally 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 organiz ation 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 th e above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
No, I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
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on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
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