Prevalence of Unmet Need for Family Planning and Its Sociodemographic Co-Relates in a Rural Area of Etawah

Abstract

Introduction: Acceptance of family planning is lagging behind even if community feels the need of restricting the fertility because of various socio-cultural factors, misconceptions and lack of knowledge. This study was aimed to study the prevalence of unmet need for family planningamong sexually active married women of reproductive age group in a rural area of Etawah and its co-relates. Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted in Community Development Block, Saifai, Etawah, UP on810 sexually active females of reproductive age group. Subjects were included in study from purposively selected 5 villages of Saifai. Results: The mean age of respondents was 29.19±6.7 years. The prevalence of unmet need for family planning was estimated to be 45.7% among study subjects. The prevalence of unmet need for family planning was found more among females of lower socioeconomic group, those with lower educational status and their partners as well, females having >2 children and females belonging to nuclear family and association of all these factors was found statistically significant with unmet need for family planning. Conclusion: There is urgent need to focus the efforts on family planning towards all the females in reproductive age group in general and towards those older age group, illiterate belong to nuclear family and lower socio-economic status.

Keywords

• Family Planning
• Unmet need
• Reproductive age
• contraception
• family size