CONTRACEPTIVES KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES IN DISTRICT RAWALPINDI: A HOSPITAL BASE STUDY.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the knowledge and practices of contraception and reasons for non utilization of family planning services at Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Study Design: A cross sectional survey.
Place and duration of study: Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi from January 2007 to September 2007.
Subjects and Methods: This study was designed to investigate contraceptive knowledge and practice in Pakistani women attending a tertiary care hospital. A sample of 200 married women of reproductive age were interviewed to record their age, educational status, relatives practicing contraception, knowledge about contraceptive methods, source of the information and family support for contraception. Simple convenience sampling technique was used in this study. Close ended questionnaire was used to record the information.
Results: Subjects (99%) of study population were aware of currently available contraceptives and among them (48%) were practicing these methods. Educated females were (71%) and 93% practiced contraception while (29%) were uneducated and among them (47%) practiced contraception. (51%) of Females were supported by their families for practicing contraception. Source of information for (53%) was health service providers and for (39%) female was mass media. Most of (67%) female relatives also practiced contraception .Only (3%) of the subject’s did not practiced because of fear of Allah and (32%) had some other reasons.
Conclusion: Level of Knowledge in study population was high but there was a huge gap of practice of contraception. Reasons for not practicing was not religious rather it was social pressure.