Awareness and Acceptance of Contraceptive Methods Among Women of Reproductive Age Attending Gynae Out-Patient Clinic at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Western Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract

Background: India is the second-most populous country in the world. Appropriate knowledge and usage of contraception are important. Objective: This cross-sectional observational study was done to assess the awareness and usage of different methods of contraception among women of reproductive age group. Material and methods: Six hundred women between age groups of 18-45 years, attending Gynae OPD at SIMS, Hapur were interviewed with the help of a predesigned questionnaire from May 2019 to January 2020. Women having medical disorders were excluded. Results: Among 600 women, 52.5% were between 21 to 30 years of age. 81.2% had parity equal to or more than two. 86% of women were of rural origin & 66.5% belonged to the Muslim community. 85.3% women were aware of barrier contraception, 81% were aware of natural methods, 47.7% knew about IUCD & 57.5% were aware of OCP’s. 78.2% were aware of permanent methods of family planning. 96.3% of women were aware of at least one method of contraception. Only 37.4% of women were using contraception. There was a statistical difference among the rural and urban populations for awareness and usage of contraception. Conclusion: Despite awareness of contraception, in our study population, the acceptance of contraception was low, in comparison to many studies. Fear of side effects is the most common reason for less usage.

Awareness and acceptance of contraception in postpartum women at tertiary care hospital

“…Contraception is an important intervention to reduce unwanted pregnancy, closely spaced pregnancies and promote healthy and better living among women [1] . The benefits of family planning have become increasingly recognized worldwide, including improved health, economic, and social outcomes for women and families, as well as public health, economic, and environmental benefits at the population level [2] .…”