Assessment of knowledge regarding birth spacing method among married women visiting outpatient department in selected hospital at Mangaluru

Abstract

Decisions regarding family planning cannot be forced but need to adopted willingly. Countries with many customs and traditions prefer interval method than sterilisation as a method of family planning. Awareness on benefits and ways of family planning will help to control overpopulation, increase life expectancy and reduce the maternal and neonatal mortality. The aim of the study was to identify the knowledge of married women on birth spacing methods visiting the outpatient department of tertiary hospital at Mangaluru. Non-probability sampling technique was used to select 323 married women. The baseline characteristics showed that 36.6% of subjects were in the age group of 32–38 years, 41.9% were Hindus and 65.6% were educated up to SSLC. About 42.9% of the subjects were multigravida and 37.5% subjects were married for <5 years. The findings also revealed that majority of the subjects (78%) were not using birth spacing method at the time the data collection was done for this study and 59.4% did not have previous information on birth spacing methods. About 22% of the subjects had an average knowledge, whereas 78% had good knowledge about birth spacing method. Although many subjects had good knowledge on birth spacing, majority were not using any birth spacing methods. Spreading awareness on birth spacing as well as encouraging them to choose any one method prevents unplanned and untimely as well as high-risk pregnancies.