Open Access
Subscription or Fee Access
Contraceptive Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Newly Married Couples
Abstract
The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude regarding family planning and the practice of contraceptives among newly married couples attending NIUM hospital. This study was cross sectional and observational. Total 150 newly married women from the day of marriage to five-year span, visiting Screening Unit and Family Planning Unit attached with the OPD of Gynecology and Obstetrics of National Institute of Unani Medicine Hospital, Bangalore, were interviewed. Their knowledge, attitude and practice on contraceptives were evaluated with the help of a pretested and semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was conducted to describe the results in percentages. Out of 150 interviewed couples, 31 (20.67%) women had low knowledge index level, 79 (52.67%) had medium knowledge index level, and 40 (26.67%) had high knowledge index level. The media provided information of contraceptives in 77 out of 150 women, while 55 women obtained the knowledge of contraceptives from family members/relatives. Regarding the usage of contraceptive methods, only 58 of the respondents were using some sort of contraception. Out of 58 contraceptive users, 17 were pill users, 23 Cu-T users, 16 condom users and two were using other methods. No one in this group practiced female sterilization. 92 couples had not ever practiced any method of contraception. Positive attitude towards contraception was shown by 122 (81.33%) women, while 28 (18.7%) women had an attitude of disapproval towards contraception. In the present study, there was a low contraceptive use among newly married women despite good knowledge. Motivation through media and family members can help to achieve positive attitude of newly married couples for effective use of contraceptives.
Keywords
References
Population Reference Bureau. World Population Data Sheet 2007. Washington DC; 2007. [Cited 2008 Nov 15]. http://www.prb.org.
Demographics of India. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [Cited 2008 July 15]. Available at http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographicsof India.
India and Family Planning: An Overview. [Cited 2009 March03].http://www.searo.who.int/linkfiles/family-planning-fact-sheets-india.pdf.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW). National Population Policy. 2000. New Delhi: Department of Family Welfare, MOHFW; 2000.
Saini NK, Singh M. Awareness and practice of spacing methods in a rural block of Haryana. Health and Population- Perspectives and Issues. 2004; 27(1): 1–8p.
Park K. Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 19th Edn. Banarsidas Bhanot Publications, Jabalpur; 2007; 367–412p.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (GOI). 2005-06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) National Fact Sheet India (Provisional Data). Mumbai: International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS); 2007. [Cited 2009 March17]. Available at http://www.motherchildnutrition.org/india/pdf/mcn_in.pdf.
Donati S, Nabakanta S, Medda E, et al. Family Planning KAP Survey in Manipur State-India. [Cited 2008 Feb 13].http://www.geocities.com/sharma_nabakanta/kapkap.htm.
Zaheer M, Sinha SN, Khan A. Knowledge and practice of family planning among grade IV employees of Aligarh Muslim University. Journal of Family Welfare. 1972; 19(2): 70–80p.
; 19(2): 70–80p.
Khokhar, Mehra M. Contraceptive use in women from a resettlement area in Delhi. Indian J Commmun Med. 2005; 30(1).
Bhasin SK, Pant M, Mehta M, et al. Prevalence of usage of different contraceptive methods in East Delhi – A cross sectional study. Indian J Commmun Med. 2005; 30(2).
Ahmad P, Gaash B, Ahmad M, et al. Contraceptive methods – Acceptance rate and reasons for non- acceptance in rural Kashmir. Indian J Practicing Doctor. 2008; 5(2).
Kaur HP. Knowledge regarding family planning methods among rural women of Faridkot district of Punjab. Indian J Behav. 1991; 15(3): 49–55p
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.