Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Contraception among Married Women of Reproductive Age Group in a Rural Area of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh
Keywords:
httos;//orcid.org/0009-0007-3471-3892Abstract
Background: Contraception is a cornerstone of reproductive health, enabling couples to achieve desired family size and prevent unintended pregnancies. Despite national progress in family planning programs, disparities between awareness and actual utilization continue to exist, particularly in rural settings. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice of contraception among married women in rural Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2023 to September 2024 among 305 married women aged 15–49 years selected using multi-stage random sampling. Data were collected through house-to-house interviews using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed with Epi Info version 7.2.6.
Results: Overall, 90.2% of participants had knowledge of at least one contraceptive method. Tubal ligation and condoms were the most commonly recognized methods. Friends and relatives constituted the primary source of information. A positive attitude toward contraceptive use was observed in 70.5% of respondents. However, current contraceptive prevalence was 50.8%, indicating a substantial knowledge–practice gap. Knowledge showed a significant association with contraceptive utilization.
Conclusion: Although awareness was high, utilization remained moderate. Strengthened counseling, improved service accessibility, and enhanced male involvement are essential to promote effective family planning adoption.
Keywords: Contraception, Knowledge , Rural Women, Reproductive Health
Downloads
References
References
FP Core Indicator Summary Sheet: 2019-2020 Annual Progress Report 2020.
Dabral S, Malik SL. Demographic Study of Guijars of Delhi: IV. KAP of Family Planning. J Hum Ecol. 2004;16(4):231-7.
International Institute for Population Sciences - IIPS/India and ICF. 2022. India national family health survey NFHS-5 2019-21. Mumbai, India: IIPS and ICF. Available at https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR375/FR375.pdf.
Melkani D, Jain N, Masand D. Study of knowledge, attitude and practices of contraception among the married women of reproductive age group in rural area. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2023 Sep 28;12(10):3096–102
Pawar RD, Solanke SP. Unmet needs for family planning and its socio-demographic correlates among women in the reproductive age group in central rural India. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2020 Jan 28;7(2):659.
Suchithra ET, Sujina CM. Current Practice and Determinants of Family Planning Methods among Married Females in the Reproductive Age Group (15-49yrs) in a Rural Setting, Kerala. Indian J Forensic Community Med. 2016;3(1):13.
Khan, M. E., Townsend, J. W., Sinha, R., & Lakhanpal, S. (2020). Sexual and reproductive health needs of married adolescent girls in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Global Public Health, 15(1), 45-57
Sahasrabuddhe A, Kori S, Arora VK, Bute J. A study to assess unmet need for family planning and contraceptive choices among married women of reproductive age in rural Madhya Pradesh. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2018 Oct 25;5(11):4725.
Mukherjee A, Banerjee N, Naskar S, Roy S, Das D, Mandal S. Contraceptive behavior and unmet need among the tribal married women aged 15–49 years: A cross-sectional study in a community development block of paschim Bardhaman District, West Bengal. Indian J Public Health. 2021;65(2):159.
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Vandana Kain, Sanjeev kumar, Tanveer Bano, Ganesh singh
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
