Granthaalayah
KNOWLEDGE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS FOR USE OF CONTRACEPTIVES AMONG MARRIED WOMEN OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Knowledge and associated factors for use of contraceptives among married women of West Bengal, India

 

Moumita Mondal 1Icon

Description automatically generated

 

1 Assistant Professor, Jagannath Gupta Institute of Nursing Sciences, Buita, Budge Budge, Kolkata -700137, India

 

A picture containing logo

Description automatically generated

ABSTRACT

Use of contraceptive and family planning methods are help in fertility pattern and also helps to improve reproductive health. It is important to have proper knowledge about the contraceptives and identified the associated factor for the use of contraceptives by the married women. A study was conducted to assess the knowledge and the associated factor for the use of contraceptives among married women in the selected rural community of West Bengal. Non-probability purposive technique was used to collect data from 162 married women residing at the selected rural community. It was collected by using structured knowledge questionnaire and structured questionnaire for identify associated factor. The study revealed that 16.67% married women’s had poor knowledge, 12.34% married women’s had good knowledge. It observed that 48.76% married women belonged to the married life of 5-10 years. 72.22 % married women got contraceptives from Subcenter.38.89 % married women used Oral contraceptives pill.83.34 % married women’s were using contraceptives by couple choice.74.70 % married women’s advice taken from Health worker.42.85 % married women used Oral contraceptives pill because of Decision of couple.92.60 % women used Condoms because of because of Decision of couple.65.62% women used Injectables because of easily available .52.5 % married women used CU-T because of easily available. There was statistically significant association between knowledge of contraceptives and their demographic variables like, the religion, marital age.

 

Received 20 April 2024

Accepted 25 May 2024

Published 30 June 2024

Corresponding Author

Moumita Mondal, pujaamondal1996@gmail.com

DOI 10.29121/granthaalayah.v12.i6.2024.5637  

Funding: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

With the license CC-BY, authors retain the copyright, allowing anyone to download, reuse, re-print, modify, distribute, and/or copy their contribution. The work must be properly attributed to its author.

 

Keywords: Rural Community, Married Women, Population Explosion

 

 

 

 

 


1. INTRODUCTION

In population history India has taken no 1 in the world. This continuing expanding population is the obstacle of the growth of the country. India was the first country embark on population control program.

Spacing of birth not only reduce fertility but also improve health status of the mother. The main causes of death among women in reproductive age group are due to difficulties arising during antenatal period and intra-natal period. Every year approximately 55,000 women die in India due to antenatal period and intra- natal period-related complications. Paudel & Budhathoki (1970)

Worldwide, almost two in five pregnancies   have ended either an abortion or an unplanned birth. More than 40% of pregnancies are unexpected in the world. An estimated 222 million women in emergent nations want to delay or stop child bearing but are not accepting any contraceptive method.  Reproductive right is one of safe maternity and basic right of family planning. Arora et al. (2011)

In the poor countries the most common important factors that are affecting maternal deaths are low social economic condition of some women and some families at the community level, lack of access to modern contraception which results    in high fertility rate with unplanned pregnancies. Park (2021)

Access to safe and voluntary family planning counselling and services is essential to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and short birth intervals. Many demographic factors (age of the mother at the time of delivery, order of birth and birth interval) and socio demographic characteristics (maternal education, standard of living of family) influence the child survival during infancy. Thapa et al. (2018)

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Criteria for considering studies for this review

Type of participants:  included married women between 18 To 45 years of age with those are using temporary contraceptives (Condoms, OCP, ECP, Cu-T, DMPA)

Research approach

Nonexperimental quantitative approach

Research design

Research design for present study is descriptive survey design.

Sample selection

criteria Inclusion

criteria

The study includes the married women

            Who are married women in the age group of 18-45 years of age.

            Who have currently used only temporary contraceptives methods.

            Married women who currently using temporary contraceptive methods (OCP, Condom, CU-T, Injection DMPA (ANTARA)

            Married women who can speak Bengali.

 

Exclusion criteria-

The study excludes married women

            Those married women who are using permanent contraceptive method

            Who are unmarried, divorced, widow, pregnant women.

 

Sample size

In this study sample size consist of 162 married women for assessment of knowledge of contraceptives and associated factors for use of contraceptives.

 

Study duration

The study was conducted over a 2-year period from December 2020 to December 2022.Data collection period was 28 days.

Sample size duration:

Current use of modern contraceptives methods is 61% among married women age group 15-49 years in the Hooghly district, West Bengal.

Source-NFHS-5, District fact sheet – Hooghly, West Bengal.

         N= Z² P (1-P)  d²

      = (1.96)² 0.61 (1-0.61)             Z= level of significance

         ( 0.05                                      P= prevalence rate

     = 3.84 * 0.61*0.39                       d= level of error 0.05

              0.0025                                   N= no of sample

    = 0.9135

       0.0025

    = 365

 

My data collection period was 28 days that’s why I collect 162 samples as my research sample.

 

Sampling technique:

Non-probability purposive sampling

Operational definition of variables

Knowledge: In this study, knowledge is a familiarity, awareness or understanding of something such as facts, skills or objects, measured by self-structured knowledge interview schedule.

Contraceptives: In the present study Contraceptives refers to the only temporary method such as Oral Contraceptives Pills, Condom, Injectables (Antara) DMPA, and Cu-T which are mostly supplied by government that are the preventive methods to help women to avoid unwanted pregnancies and unplanned birth.

Use of contraceptives-In the present study use of contraceptives refers to temporary contraceptive methods adopted by married women as measured by self-structured interview schedule.

Associated Factors: In the present study associated factors refers to those factors which are thought to influence the use of contraceptives among married women, such factors are the duration of marriage, decision making power, and inter spousal communication, easy availability, cost effectiveness, less side effect, interfere with sexual activity, as measured by self -structured interview schedule.

Married women: In the present study, married women refer to women who are married in the age between 18-45 years of age.

 

3. DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

            Subjects were selected through non probability purposive sampling technique

            Sample size is162

            Informed consent taken from participant.

            Participant was informed that their participation is entirely voluntary and they could quit anytime during study.

            Code number was used on questionnaires for interview instead of respondents’ names.

            Data has collected with interviewing techniques by semi structured questionnaire and structured interview schedule.

            Maintained confidentiality and anonymity of the information of the subject.

            One Semi structured interview schedule (Tool-1) was administered to collect demographic data and Tool-II (structured interview schedule) and Tool-III (semi structured interview schedule) were administered during interview with the subject to collect data regarding contraceptives and its associated factors.

            Average time taken by each respondent for completion of their response against the tool was 40 minutes.

 

4. Findings

Findings related to socio demographic characteristics of the married women

            Most of the women (75%) were in age group 18-26 years of age

            Maximum number of women (87%) were Hindu.

            Most of the women (44%) had up to secondary education and (40%) were up to graduate

            Majority women (94%) were housewife.

            Most of the women (67%) having monthly family income Rs-5000- 10,000/

            Majority (59%) women had married at the age of 18 years or more.

            Most of the women (54%) had one child.

            Most of the women (64%) were getting information from health worker

 

Findings related to knowledge score of married women

            In the study knowledge score SD was 3.12

            Majority 70.98 % women had average level of knowledge and only 16.67% women had poor level of knowledge,12.34% women had good level of knowledge.

            The highest to lowest rise of knowledge mean percentage score in the area of knowledge as follows concept of contraceptives (90.67%), knowledge about oral contraceptive pill (40.62%), knowledge about condom (75.33 %), knowledge about CU-T (35.18%), knowledge about ANTARA (25.70 %)

 

Findings related to associated factors for the use of contraceptives

            It observed that 48.76 % married women belonged to the duration of married life 5-10 years.

            72.22 % married women belonged to source of getting contraceptives from sub centre.

            38.89 % married women used Oral contraceptives pill, , 16.67 % married women used condom, 19.75 % married women used Injectables (ANTARA), 24.69 % married women used CU-T.

            83.34 % married women’s method of using contraceptives was decided by both couples.

            74.70 % married women’s advice was taken from Health worker.

            42.85 % married women used Oral contraceptives pill because of Decision of couple.

            92.60 % women used Condoms because of because of Decision of couple

            65.62 % married women used Injectables (ANTARA) because of easily available.

            52.5 % married women used CU-T because of easy availability.

            it observed that 59.15% married women whose married life less than 5 years are using oral contraceptive pill as contraceptive method.

            30.98 % married women whose married life in less than 5 years are using condom as contraceptive method

            34.17 % married women whose married life in between 5-10 years are using injectables as contraceptive method,

            75 % married women whose married life in 11-15 years are using CU-T as contraceptive method

 

4.1. FINDING ASSOCIATION KNOWLEDGE WITH SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES

The result of computed Chi-square indicated that there was statistically significant association between knowledge of contraceptives and their demographic variables like, the religion (χ2 = 5.82), marital age (χ2 = 5.083), at 0.05 level of significance.

 

5. Conclusion

From the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that women did not have adequate knowledge about the contraceptive methods though they have used different temporary methods. Oral contraceptive pills were most used by women. There was a significant association between religion of the women with the knowledge of contraceptive methods. There was a significant association between marital age of the women with the knowledge of contraceptive methods It is also evident from the study that there are many associated factors regarding use of contraceptive methods. Inter spousal communication, easy availability, cost effectiveness was one of the dominant reasons for the use of contraceptives. ASHAs are taking great role in spreading the knowledge among rural people.

 

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

India is the 1st most populous country of the world with till high fertility rate which hamper socioeconomic development of the country. This rise in population has effect on socio-economic development. It not only reduces the quality of life, but also it puts further strain on our already overloaded resources. The prevalence of contraceptive use and the unmet need for birth control are the key indicators for estimating the improvement in the access to reproductive health as asserted in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goal. 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None.

 

REFERENCES

Adane, A.A., Bekele, Y.A., Melese, E., Worku, G.T., & Netsere, H.B. (2020, Jul 23). Modern Contraceptive Utilization and Associated Factors among Married Gumuz Women in Metekel Zone North West Ethiopia. BioMed Research International.   https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8010327

Apanga, P.A., Kumbeni, M.T., Ayamga, E.A., Ulanja, M.B., & Akparibo, R. (2020, Sep 1). Prevalence and Factors Associated with Modern Contraceptive Use Among Women of Reproductive Age in 20 African Countries: A Large Population-Based Study. BMJ Open, 10(9). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041103

Arora, N., Dasgupta, R., Singh, S., Rai, S., Das, M., & Devi, R. (2011). Determinants of Utilization of Services Under MMJSSA Scheme in Jharkhand ′Client Perspective′: A Qualitative Study in a Low Performing State of India. Indian Journal of Public Health, 55(4), 252. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-557X.92400

Barman, K., Roy, M., Choudhary, S.S., & Naznin W. (2021, Jan). Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Contraception Among the Married Women of Reproductive Age. The New Indian Journal of OBGYN, 7(2), 224-7. https://doi.org/10.21276/obgyn.2021.7.2.22

Bhandari, N., Shrestha, G., & Thakuri, P. (2014, Apr 16). Study of Factors Affecting Contraceptive Use Among Married Women of Reproductive Age. Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal, 9(4), 24-9. https://doi.org/10.3126/jcmsn.v9i4.10233

DataBooklet (n.d.). Family Planning and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [Internet].  

Debebe, S., Andualem Limenih, M., & Biadgo, B. (2017, Jul 1). Modern Contraceptive Methods Utilization and Associated Factors Among Reproductive Aged Women in Rural Dembia District, Northwest Ethiopia: Community Based Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine, 15(6), 367-74.  https://doi.org/10.29252/ijrm.15.6.367

Endriyas, M., Eshete, A., Mekonnen, E., Misganaw, T., Shiferaw, M., & Ayele, S. (2017, Feb 2). Contraceptive Utilization and Associated Factors Among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia: Cross-sectional survey, mixed-methods. Contraception and Reproductive Medicine, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40834-016-0036-z

Geremew, A.B., & Gelagay, A.A. (2018 Oct 19). Modern Contraceptive Use and Associated Factors Among Married Women in Finote Selam Town Northwest Ethiopia: A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study. Women's Midlife Health, 4(1).  https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-018-0044-z

Ghosh, S., Samanta, A., & Mukherjee, S. (2013). Knowledge and Practice of Family Planning in Married Women of Reproductive Age Group in a Slum of Kolkata. Al Ameen J Med Sci, 6(1), 34-39.

Karthikeyan, S.K., & Kalimuthu, K. (2019, Oct 23). A Study on Awareness About Temporary Contraceptive Methods Among Women in Reproductive Age Group. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 8(11), 4414. https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20194866

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Government of India (2015).  

Mulatu, T., Sintayehu, Y., Dessie, Y., & Deressa, M. (2020 Dec 29). Modern Family Planning Utilization and its Associated Factors among Currently Married Women in Rural Eastern Ethiopia: A Community-Based Study. Gigantesco A, editor. BioMed Research International, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6096280

Nagamala, J., Muthulakshmi, P., & Kayalvizhi, M. (2018). A Study to Assess the Knowledge, Practice and Attitude on Temporary and Permanent Contraceptive Methods among Primi and Multi Mothers in Selected Areas in Coimbatore. Health Science Journal, 12(03). https://doi.org/10.21767/1791-809X.1000568

Park, K. (2021). Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine (26th Ed.). Jabalpur: Banarasidas Bhanot Publishers, 572-575.  

Paudel, I., & Budhathoki, S. (1970). Unmet Needs for Family Planning in Sunsari, Eastern Nepal. Health Renaissance, 9(3), 148-151.  https://doi.org/10.3126/hren.v9i3.5581

Pegu, B., Gaur, B., Sharma, N., & Singh, A. (2014). Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Contraception Among Married Women. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 385-8.  https://doi.org/10.5455/2320-1770.ijrcog20140620

Qazi, M., Saqib, N., & Gupta, S. (2019, Apr 29). Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Planning Among Women of Reproductive Age Group Attending Outpatient Department in a Tertiary Centre of Northern India. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology, 8(5), 1775.  https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20191531

Renjhen, P., Kumar, A., Pattanshetty, S., Sagir, A., & Samarasinghe, C. M. (2010). A Study on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Contraception Among College Students in Sikkim, India. Journal of the Turkish German Gynaecological Association, 11(2), 78-81. https://doi.org/10.5152/jtgga.2010.03

Sarker, G., Gupta, A., Roy, T., Banerjee, B., Ghosh, S., & Pal, R. (2014). Determinants of Contraceptive Practices Among Eligible Couples of Urban Slum in Bankura District, West Bengal. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 3(4), 388. https://doi.org/10.4103/2249-4863.148119

Srivastav, A., Khan, M. S., Chauhan, C. R. (2014). Knowledge, Attitude and Practices about Contraceptive among Married Reproductive Females. International Journal of Scientific Study, 1(5), 2-4.

Taylor, C.E., Sarma, R.S.S., Parker, R.L., Reinke, W.A., & Faruqee, R. (1986). Child and Maternal Health Services in Rural India, The Narangwal Experiment, Volume 2: Integrated Family Planning and Health Care. Studies in Family Planning, 17(2), 115. https://doi.org/10.2307/1967076

Thapa, P., Pokharel, N., & Shrestha, M. (2018). Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Contraception among the Married Women of Reproductive Age Group in Selected Wards of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City. Journal of Contraceptive Studies, 03(03). https://doi.org/10.21767/2471-9749.100051

Tsehaye, W.T., Mengistu, D., Birhanu, E., & Berhe, K.K. (2011). Assessment of Preference and its Determinant Factors to Ward Modern Contraceptive Methods among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Shire Indaselassie Town, Northern Ethiopia. International Journal of Family Medicine, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/317609

World Health Organization (2018). Family Planning/Contraception. Who.int. World Health Organization: WHO, 2018.     

Yeakey, M.P., Muntifering, C.J., Ramachandran, D.V., Myint, Y., Creanga, A.A., & Tsui, A.O. (2009, Sep). How Contraceptive Use Affects Birth Intervals: Results of a Literature Review. Studies in Family Planning, 40(3), 205-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1728-4465.2009.00203.x

 

 

Letter for seeking permission from the Chairperson, Institutional Ethics Committee to conduct the research study

     

Creative Commons Licence This work is licensed under a: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

© Granthaalayah 2014-2024. All Rights Reserved.