Effect of Focussed and Structured Family Planning Counselling on knowledge about contraception use for Birth spacing among postpartum females

Naheed Zia Khan; Mukesh Shukla; Anjana Agarwal

Volume : VIII, Issue : IX, September - 2018

Effect of Focussed and Structured Family Planning Counselling on knowledge about contraception use for Birth spacing among postpartum females

Naheed Zia Khan, Mukesh Shukla, Anjana Agarwal

Abstract :

Background: Although various safe and effective choices of contraceptive alternatives are available, the practical utilisation of contraceptive methods among postpartum women is quite low. The current study was thus conducted to determine the effect of focused and structured counsellingon knowledge about contraception use for Birth spacing among postpartum females.

Methods:The study was conducted from July 2016 to December 2016 among postpartumfemales aged 18 years and above, in the reproductive age–group and postpartum period within 8 weeks of delivery. A maximum of 160 postpartum females were enrolled in the study using complete enumeration method.A well–structured organised questionnaire was prepared to collect data on the female’s contraceptive choice (before and after counselling), and the reasons behind her post–counselling decision.

Results: The mean age of the study population was 27.86+2.41 years. Unawareness regarding contraceptive method was found to be significantly associated with age, urban residence and lower socioeconomic status (p<0.05). Significant difference was observed in knowledge about health concerns in the context of infertility, weight gain and amenorrhea,knowledge related to contraceptive use in relation to the educational status of postpartum females. After providing structured focused counselling the proportion of confused/in

decisive females dropped down significantly from 25.7% to 8.3%.

Conclusion:Focussed and structured family planning counselling among mothers was found have a profound effect in increasing the knowledge about both modern contraceptives (like injectables) as well as the conventional intrauterine devices during postpartum period.