Acceptance of contraception among post-partum women in North India

Abstract

Background: Family planning is one of the fundamental pillars of safe motherhood and reproductive right. Short inter pregnancy interval increase the risk of infant and maternal mortality & morbidity. So post-partum family planning is considered as a lifesaving intervention Methods: The present study was conducted at the Community Health Centre of Tehsil Basholi, District Kathua, UT of J&K. Inclusion criteria was Post-partum women within 6-12 weeks of delivery seeking contraceptive advice. All the women were interviewed regarding their knowledge and acceptance of post-partum contraception. Results: 102 post-partum women were followed up. Out of 102 post-partum women only 8 women (7.8%) attended the contraceptive clinic. Majority-(92.2%) did not attended the contraceptive clinic. 100% of the post-partum women who attended the contraception clinic found that contraceptive counselling was effective. 4 out of 8 used Copper T and 3 women used Injectable Depo Provera as a contraceptive methods. Out of the 94 women who did not attend the contraceptive clinic, 66 post-partum women i.e. 70.3% had not accepted any method of contraception whereas 28 women (29.7%) used effective contraception at their homes. Conclusion: Counselling only once during antenatal care has not proven sufficient for increasing postpartum contraceptive use. So there is a need to increase the awareness amongst the patients by repeated sessions of contraceptive counselling and by implementing family welfare programmes focusing more on post-partum contraception as at this time the female is more receptive to the contraceptive methods.