AWARENESS OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN
                     AWARENESS OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS 
AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN 
By 
ASHWINI BHALERAO, MANDAKINI PURANDARE AND AJIT MEHTA 
SUMMARY 
Two hundred loFer middle class pregnant women were inter· 
viewed regarding their medical, family planning and socio-econo· 
mic aspects. It was found that 92% women had never used any 
contraceptive method in their life. The concept and importance 
of sJiacing of births was not at all clear to them. They had reduc· 
ed family planning to only two procedures-MTP and female 
sterilisation. 29% women did not desire to have present preg· 
nancy; but still had not used any contraceptive method to prevent 
unwanted conception. There was reluctance to use IUCD in 
future due to misconceptions and fear of side effects. These find~ 
ings emphasize the necessity of premarital, antenatal and postnatal 
counselling on temporary family planning methods and the need to 
develop the concept of spacing of births. We have to go a long 
way to make the lower socio-economic population accept family 
planning as a way of life. 
Introduction radio, television etc. To evaluate aware-
ness regarding family planning methods, a 
India is the first country to adopt the survey was planned and undertaken to 
Family Planning programme on the study contraceptive practices among lower 
national level. It is our top priority pro- middle olass women. 
gramme over last 2 decades. In our de-
mocratic country, any national pro- Material and Methods 
gramme should be, of the people, for the 
people and by the people. The key to Two hundred pregnant women who 
arouse people's sustained involvement and had come for antenatal registration at 
participation in family welfare programme 'Nowrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital, 
is to create awareness about importance Bombay' were interviewed. The sample 
and use of different family planning collected was systematic random sample. 
methods through medical and paramedical Every 5th newly registered woman was 
workers, mass media like news papers, included in the study and was personally 
interviewed fur about 30 minutes. The 
From: N. W. Maternity Hospital, Pare!, 
Bombay 400 012. \questions asked and answers recorded 
Accepted for publication on 15-2-88. were regarding their medical, family plan-
·. 
452 JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY OF INDIA 
ning and socio-economic aspects. This 
data was analyzed. PARITY ACCORDING TO AGE 
Results 
The status of education of these lower 
5l'Y. 
middle class women was as follows: 15 
4 
16·5 
17.5% were illiterate in spite of the 31·5~. 
3·5 
policy of our Government to provide 
10·5 
compulsory free education to girls. 42.5% 
12% 
had education till high school level, 27% " 10 
10 
were Matric passed and 4.5% were r 
graduates. Out of these 200 women, 91% 30 
AGE AT PRESENT UN YRSl 
were house wives and on1y 9% were 
working women. D ~ !ll!lil!-
Po PI P2 P3 8 ABOVE 
It was interesting to know that, 30% i.e. Pig. 1 
nearly 113 of women, were below the age 
of 18 years at the time o:li marriage. That 
means, these marriages were not legally had no knowledge whatsoever about 
accepted, as the legal age of marriage in Family Planning Methods and did not 
India is 18 years for women according to know that there are spacing (temporary) 
Child Marriage Restrain Act. Also per- contraceptive methods available to pre-
centage of pregnant adolescent girls was vent the pregnancy. Remaining had some 
high i.e. 12%. 51 % women were in the knowledge, but did not wish to use them. 
age group of 20 to 25 years 47.5% were 
Information regarding the practice of 
nulliparous and 6.5% were grandmulties. 
behavioural methods like abstinance or 
The above findings imply that, these 
withdrawal was not obtained as now-a-
women not only marry at an early age but 
days we do not advocate these methods. 
also produce children early and frequent-
The concept and importance of spacing of 
ly. 
births was not at all clear to them. They 
When inquired about family planning had reduced family planning to only 2 
methods used in past, it was foun,!l that procedures-MTP and Female steriliza-
condom was used by 7 couples, Intra- tion. These findings emphasize the neces-
uterine contraceptive device by 6 women sity of premarital, antenatal and post-natal 
and oral contraceptives by 4 women. counselling on family planning methods 
91.5% women had never used any con- and the need to develope the concept of 
traceptive method in their life! (Table I). spacing of births. 
It was disheartening to know this grave 
situation in the heart of the metropolitian When asked, (Fig. 2), if the present 
city of Bombay. One can imagine the pregnancy was wanted or unwanted, - it 
situation in the rural part o:li India! 8.5% was round that 29% women did not desire 
I 
AWA..-qENESS OF' FAMILY PLANNING METHODS 453 
TABLE I 
Family Planning Method Used in Past 
Parity Methods 
. Total 
Nil 
Condum oc IUCD 
PO 92 1 1 1 95 
p 1 52 3 2 1 58 
p 2 27 3 1 3 34 
P 3 and above 12 0 0 1 13 
Total 1'83 ... 7 4 6 200 
% 91.5 3.5 2 3 100 
to have present pregnancy; but still had less than 2 years of age. This stresses the 
not used any contracptive method to pre- need of popularizing spacing methods to 
vent the unwanted conception. 20.9% prevent unwanted pregnancies and to pro-
women with no living children did not mote premarital counselling. When ask-
desire to have this pregnancy. All of ed, how m any children they desired, a 
them were married for less than 1 year very small proportion i.e. 5.5% believed 
and felt that they had conceived too early. in one child family (Fig. 3) ; 55% were 
26.4% with 1living child and 60% with 2 happy with 2 childr en, 31% desired at 
living children did not wish this preg- least 3 and 8.5% wanted to have more 
nancy becau se their youngest child was than 3 children. A str ong desire to have 
a male child was seen in all the women. 
PRESENT PREGNANCY WANTED OR NOT 
All these 200 women were explained 
the importance of spacing of births and 
various methods available for this pur-
U llf pose. After this explanation, they were 
lllo\NS 
-
n \ Total 200 100 , 
'~ ABOVE ~ 
) 
NO. OF CHILORE!j DESIRED 
Fig. 3 living child, 11 with 2 or more male living 
children were willing for ligation. Thus 
vasectomy. 26.5% were firm about not presence of atleast 1 male child was the 
using any contraceptive method after this decision making factor for acoeptance of 
delivery. These results indicate that we sterilization. 23 women were with 2 living 
have failed to promote IUCD as a spacing children and 8 with 3-means the majority 
method and vaseotomy as a permanent wanted to have at least 3 children before 
method of oontraception. they accepted any permenant method of 
contraception. 
Table III shows that 41 women (20.5%) ., 
were willing to undergo female steriliza- Conclusion 
tion a£,ter this pregnancy. While analyzing 
them on the basis of number of living We undertook this project with a posi-· 
children and number of male children, it tive attitude to know the degree of aware-
was found that 27 women with 1 male ness of family planning methods among _ 
TABLE III 
WiLling for Ligatiorv-41 Women (20.5%) 
No. of living No. of male living children 
Total 
children 
Nil 1 2 and above 
1 2 8 10 
2 0 14 9 23 
3 
and above 1 5 2 8 
Total 3 27 11 41 
·. 
AWARENESS OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS 455 
pregnant women and accordingly to pro- planning as a way of life. From our study, 
vide antenatal counselling to them on con- it is evident that illiteracy of the women, 
traceptive methods. Unfortunately it turn- marriages before the age 0f 18 years, early 
ed out to be a survey of unawareness. All and frequent child births relu.ctance to use 
of us are trying our level best to promote 
spacing methods of contraception, non-
family welfare programme, but so far, we 
acceptance of vasectomy are the main 
have been successful in convincing only 
the higher socio-economic population. We problems! Can we reach our goal of 
have to go a long way to make the lower "HEALTH FOR ALL BY 2000 A.D." 
socio-economic population accept £amily without solving these problems? 
L