Contraceptive Practices Research Articles

Contraceptive awareness and practices in reproductive age couples: A study from urban slums of Punjab.

Developing countries are characterised by high birth rates and explosive population growth. With a lower contraceptive usage rate among eligible couples and resistance towards family planning methods, the goal of population stabilisation looks distant. The present study was conceived to assess knowledge, attitude and practices regarding contraceptive usage and to identify the barriers in reproductive-age couples in an urban slum area. The present study was cross-sectional in nature and was conducted in an urban slum. Three hundred married subjects were enrolled through a convenient sampling technique. One member of the married couple was interviewed for the present study. Data were collected through a semi-structured proforma. 67% of the participants were using one or another contraceptive. Higher contraceptive usage was seen in more educated participants. Awareness was higher in males regarding contraception. Condom was the most known method for contraception. Three fourth of the participants agreed with two-child norm. Preference for a male child was less than 50% in both genders. Current users of condoms and oral contraceptive pills were 71.8% and 7.1%, respectively. Wanting children, fear of side effects and lack of knowledge were cited as reasons for not choosing family planning methods. With a suboptimal level of awareness and attitude among respondents regarding contraceptive methods, there exists a gap between awareness and practice. Misconceptions regarding contraceptive methods can be allayed through health education, involvement of the community and religious leaders and peer counselling.

Contraceptive Use in Urban Africa: Examining Trends in Rich-Poor Gaps.

Previous studies have documented significant differences in health and reproductive health outcomes between the poor and nonpoor across various countries in sub-Saharan Africa. However, a number of these studies is dated, and the past decade has witnessed significant shifts in health and reproductive health outcomes in many African countries. Using recent data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, this paper updates and extends the literature by examining patterns in contraceptive practice among poor and nonpoor married women in urban settings in 19 African countries. First, we analyze changes in the rich-poor gaps in modern contraceptive prevalence (mCP) in urban Africa over time. We then determine the public source of the supply of modern contraceptives to the urban poor and how that supply may have changed over a 10-year period. The findings show that, in most Eastern and Southern African countries, previous gaps in mCP between the rich and poor married women have disappeared. Countries in Central and Western Africa, however, continue to have significant gaps in mCP between rich and poor women, with urban poor women experiencing only a modest improvement in mCP over the past decade. This paper contributes to our understanding about sub-regional dynamics in reproductive health outcomes in urban settings in sub-Saharan Africa.

Knowledge, practices and barriers in family planning.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, practices and barriers of family planning in child bearing age women.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Obstet-rics and Gynecology unit II Dr. Ruth K.M Pfau civil hospital Karachi from April 2019 to June 2019. During this period 399 women after being discharged from hospital were assessed for knowledge, practices of contraception and presumed barriers for using contraception. The responses were documented on self-designed question-naire.Results: Mean age of candidates was 29.72 ±4.72 years. 66% women were not for-mally educated. 88.7% of women had knowledge about family planning methods and the major source of information was friends and relatives (42%). Only 40.6% women were practicing contraception and majority of them were using barrier method (24.6%). Any method was not used by 59.4% of women due to multiple reasons. The major barrier was fear of side effects (27.6%).Conclusion: Our study population was well aware about contraceptive methods but underutilized due to family pressures .Women education and counseling along with husband and mother in law can improve family planning measures. The government and media should do active measures in spreading information about various availa-ble methods of contraception and their side effects.
 Keywords: Knowledge, Practices, Barriers, Contraception

Pregnancy outcomes and contraceptive use in women with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common chronic autoimmune disorder that has a female predominance and commonly affects women of childbearing age, it is shown to remit during pregnancy in most studies and improve in about half of the patients when assessed with objective disease activity measurements. To assess the pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis prior and after diagnosis and compare it with women with no chronic illness. To evaluate contraceptive practices and correlated contraceptive method efficacy with use of concomitant rheumatic medications. (Methotrexate, leflunomide). A total of 100 female patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis according to ACR/EULAR 2010 classification criteria were compared with apparently healthy female controls matching in age in this case- control study. Data was collected by questionnaires and interview. The questionnaires included demographic data and pregnancy outcomes, mode of delivery, contraceptive methods used by patients with the current use of methotrexate and leflunomide. The mean age for the patients and controls were 38.4+5.1 and 36.7+4.5 years respectively. The live births significantly decreased in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis in compare with controls and before diagnosis (p 0.010, p 0.002 respectively).

Contraception knowledge and practices among students in Lebanese universities.

This study aimed to evaluate the proportion of contraception users among Lebanese youth, and the extent of knowledge and perception on birth control; and to raise awareness and sensitise young adults to sexual health, which remains taboo in Lebanon. The 30-item questionnaire was broadcasted to students in private and public universities in Lebanon, through social media and it collected information on contraception use and student knowledge. Over 30% of responders were medical students, and 41% have ever used contraceptives (mostly women); among which, 52.1% for contraception versus 47.9% for medical reasons. According to responders, the pill ranked high in terms of effectiveness (72.4% of responders perceive the pill as effective), followed by the male condom (69.1%) and the hormonal intrauterine device (29.6%). Some would not use contraception in the future, for religious reasons (30.8%) or for fear of complications (46.2%); indeed, around a third of contraceptive users (all female) have experienced adverse effects. Finally, students expressed concern about long-term complications of contraceptive use (pulmonary embolism/phlebitis, breast/endometrial/ovarian cancer, stroke, depression and myocardial infarction). Though less frequent than in the Western world, contraception use in Lebanon is non-negligible and gaps in university students' knowledge on contraception were identified; which should prompt sexual education and family planning initiatives in Lebanon.

Pattern of Contraceptive Use among the Married Couple of Rural Community in Cumilla District

Background: Bangladesh has experienced a sevenfold increase in its contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in less than forty years from 8% in 1975 to 62% in 2014.Contraceptive practice acceptable moderately in society is said to be associated with socio-economic status, education and other factors. Population stabilization and a gradual lowering of population growth is the basic aim behind contraceptive practice. The population rate of Bangladesh in December, 2018 was 2.01%. The population density is 1252 per km2. Maximum of the population increased in the rural area, because they were not properly used the contraceptive methods. They seldom used contraceptive methods which influenced to increase the population. The purpose of the study is to examine the pattern of contraceptive use among the married couples of the rural area in Bangladesh. The objectives of the study is to determine the extent of awareness regarding contraception among the married persons, to estimate the perception of couples using contraceptive methods, identify the reasons for their adoption & non-adoption and to assess needs of contraceptive methods in rural area. Materials and
 Methods: It was a descriptive type of cross sectional study, which was carried out in some selected villages at Laksham, Cumilla. Study populations were married women in reproductive age and married man. Purposive sampling was done. Sample size was 333. The number was identified on the basis of assumption. Pretested questionnaire and checklist were used for data collection.
 Result: It was found that the age range of the respondents were 16 to 70 years, among the 333 respondents 34.2%were 20 to 29 years of age group, 86% were female &14% male.42.6% respondents were educated up to primary level. Majority of the respondents had 10,000 to 20,000 monthly family income. Among 333 respondents majority 28.5% had 3 children. 65.46% of the respondents were house wife, 80.5% respondents were using different types of contraceptive methods, 62.5% were using OCP, 3% IUCD, 3.9% barrier method or condom, 1.5% were in terminal method. 46.8% discontinue their previous contraceptive methods, 11.1% suffered from irregular period and 5.1% weight gain. 68.5% respondents were satisfied with their current contraceptive method, 36% felt need to adopt the contraceptive methods, 18.6% motivated by health workers, 25.2% influenced by the family members and 0.9% by the media. The number of children directly dependent on the educational qualification and monthly family income and are statistically significant (at p<0.05 and p<0.00).
 Conclusion: Although success of the family planning program in Bangladesh has been widely acclaimed, many challenges still remain. Inter-spousal communication, counseling can ensure the most appropriate contraceptive methods for couples.
 Central Medical College Journal Vol 5 No 1 Jan 2021 PP 35-40

Prevalence of Induced Abortion and Contraceptive Use among University Students in a Tertiary Institution in Nigeria

Abortion can be defined as the termination of a pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus. The main point made by the majority of the definitions of abortion upholds the fact that pregnancy is not wanted. Throughout the world, female students are exposed to the risk of unplanned pregnancies as a result of ineffective or non-use of contraceptives. This may result in failure to complete their education, inability to maintain gainful employment, and inability to make independent marital decisions. Young students’ sexual activities are a communal, municipal, and public health concern. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of induced abortion and contraceptive use amongst female undergraduate students of the University of Abuja. Methodology: The study was conducted at the University of Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative survey was used to assess the prevalence of induced abortion and contraceptive use amongst unmarried female undergraduate students, using a multistage sampling method. The sample size was calculated to be 289. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23, p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant at a 95% confidence level. Results: A total of 325 questionnaires were shared and 318 were filled and adequately answered, giving a response rate of 97.8%. The mean age in this study was 21.8 ± 3.01 standard deviation. There was a prevalence of contraceptive use amongst the respondents in which more than half (165; 51.9%) of the respondents have practiced contraception at one point or the other in their reproductive years while 163 (48.1%) of the respondents said they did not practice any form of contraception. 90 (28.3%) of the respondents have had induced abortion at one point or the other while the remaining 228 (71.7%) have not. The majority (87; 52.7%) of the respondents who practice contraception have also had an induced abortion at one point or the other while about 78 (47.3%) of those who practice contraceptive use had no history of induced abortion. Conclusion: Remarkably, and in contrast to conventional understanding, these results showed that less contraception does not appear to be associated with a higher incidence of abortion. Similarly, more contraception does not appear to be protective against incurring a pregnancy. Recommendation: There should be frequent awareness campaigns and health education on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of contraception by the Students Union Government, school media and publicity team, and non-governmental and charitable organizations targeted on effective contraceptive practice as a means of preventing unintended pregnancies.

118 Contraception practice and knowledge of IUD among teenagers and young women

Purpose: This study investigates the contraceptive methods used by adolescent and young women and their knowledge and attitudes on the IUD. Materials and methods: A structured questionnaire was filled by 100 participants attending a Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology clinic. Questions were asked on demographics, relationships, methods of contraception used and perceived effectiveness with emphasis on the IUD and issues associated with it. Results: Young women in Greece use mainly the condom as a method of contraception and 2/3 of them believe that it is very reliable although one third of them uses it consistently.

Factors Affecting Contraceptive Behavior Among Young Married Couples

Improving reproductive health is central to achieving the Millennium Development Goals on improving maternal health, reducing child mortality and eradicating extreme poverty. This requires that married couples should understand and adopt safe and effective methods of fertility control. Objective: To study the contraceptive behavior of young married couples presenting to fertility and contraceptive clinic – Dept. of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad. Methods: 100 young married couples with age in between 18 to 25 years were enrolled (chosen via non-probability - consecutive sampling) for this cross-sectional analysis. After taking written informed consent, data was collected using an anonymous, self-structured, interview based questionnaire comprising of inquiring regarding basic biodata and sociodemographic details. Detailed history of marital relations, contraceptive knowledge and behavior along with complaints regarding self-perceived barriers to contraceptive use were noted. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version.21 & Microsoft Excel 360. Results: Active contraceptive practice at the time of survey was 31.5% and the only known contraceptive behavior among the couples were either oral contraceptive pills, condoms or abstinence method. Contraceptive practice was more common among more educated individuals, with higher socioeconomic status and those living in a nuclear family and already having at least 1 male child. Contraceptive use was less reported in couples early after their marriage and use was more frequent in later years. Conclusions: There is a dearth of knowledge among young married couples regarding more modern methods of contraception and the contraceptive practice is rather limited. The perception towards contraceptive too can be improved through proper education.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Post-Abortion Contraceptive Utilization and Associated Factors in Ethiopia.

BackgroundPost-abortion contraceptive utilization is the initiation and use of family planning methods at the time of management of abortion or before fertility returns. A significant discrepancy was reported regarding the prevalence and its associated factors of post-abortion contraceptive utilization in Ethiopia. So, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of post-abortion contraceptive utilization and its associated factors in Ethiopia.MethodsPreferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guideline was used. The databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Cochrane library, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and additional searches by using direct Google search, libraries, and preprint were searched. Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) was used for critical appraisal.ResultsA total of 17 studies with 13,075 individuals were included. Of these, 14 studies with 5,719 individuals were used to estimate the prevalence. The pooled prevalence of post-abortion contraceptive utilization in Ethiopia was 63.64% (95% CI: 57.75–69.53). The subgroup analysis reported the highest prevalence of post-abortion contraceptive utilization in a study conducted in Addis Ababa (77.40%), a study published in 2015–2021 (66.15%), and among studies with a sample size >400 (66.84%). The pooled odds ratio (OR) of post-abortion contraceptive utilization for the mothers who had post-abortion family planning counseling was 4.15 (95% CI = 1.30, 13.2), and history of family planning utilization was 4.28 (95% CI = 2.66, 6.89).ConclusionsThe pooled prevalence of utilization of post-abortion contraceptives in this meta-analysis remains low. Post-abortion family planning counseling and the history of the utilization of modern family planning methods were significantly associated with the practice of post-abortion contraceptives. The Ministry of Health should encourage post-abortion family planning utilization, making more efforts on post-abortion contraceptive counseling. Health facilities should work hard to strengthen the family planning counseling service, especially focusing on those who had no previous family planning utilization.

Sexual and reproductive health and rights knowledge, perceptions, and experiences of adolescent learners from three South African townships: qualitative findings from the Girls Achieve Power (GAP Year) Trial

Background: Adolescence is a time of psycho-social and physiological changes, with increased associated health risks including vulnerability to pregnancy, HIV, sexually transmitted infections, and gender-based violence. Adolescent learners, from three townships in South Africa, participated in a 44 session, after-school asset-building intervention (GAP Year), over 2 years providing sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education. This paper explores adolescent learners’ SRH, sexual risk and rights knowledge; perceptions about transactional sex; and contraceptive method preferences and decision-making practices. Methods: The intervention was conducted in 13 secondary schools across Khayelitsha, Thembisa, and Soweto, South Africa. A baseline survey collected socio-demographic data prior to the intervention. Overall, 26 focus group discussions (FGDs): 13 male and 13 female learner groups, purposively selected from schools, after the intervention (2 years after baseline data collection). Descriptive analyses were conducted on baseline data. Qualitative data were thematically coded, and NVivo was used for data analysis. Results: In total, 194 learners participated in the FGDs. Mean age at baseline was 13.7 years (standard deviation 0.91). Participants acquired SRH and rights knowledge during the GAP Year intervention. Although transactional sex was viewed as risky, some relationships were deemed beneficial and necessary for material gain. Negative healthcare provider attitudes were the main barrier to healthcare service utilisation. There was awareness about the benefits of contraceptives, but some myths about method use. The injectable was the preferred contraceptive method, followed by the implant, with equal preference for condoms and oral pill. Conclusions: An afterschool intervention at school is a viable model for the provision of SRH and rights education to learners. Recommendations include the need for risk reduction strategies in the curriculum, dealing with misconceptions, and the promotion of informed decision making. Endeavours to ensure health services are youth friendly is a priority to limit barriers to accessing these services.

Multilevel Influences on Providers' Delivery of Contraceptive Services: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis.

Introduction:Access to a full range of contraceptive services is essential for quality health care. Contraceptive provision practices of primary care providers play an important role in patients' decision-making about their reproductive health care. Understanding the multilevel factors influencing contraceptive care delivery in primary care settings is critical for advancing quality care. This study offers an in-depth examination of influences on providers' delivery of contraceptive services across multiple primary care specialties and practice settings to identify issues and strategies to improve care.Materials and Methods:Twenty-four in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted in 2017 with primary care providers, including family physicians, gynecologists, pediatricians, and nurse practitioners from academic settings, private practices, and health centers. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed thematically.Results:Providers described a complex set of influences on their provision of contraception across multiple ecological contexts. Seven major themes emerged from the qualitative analysis, including six types of influence on provision of contraception: organizational, individual provider-related, structural and policy, individual patient-related, community, and the lack of influences or barriers. Providers also discussed the sources they access for information about evidence-based contraception counseling.Conclusions:A diverse set of providers described a complex system in which multiple concentric ecological contexts both positively and negatively influence the ways in which they provide contraceptive services to their patients. To close the gaps in contraceptive service delivery, it is important to recognize that both barriers and facilitators to patient-centered contraceptive counseling exist simultaneously across multiple ecological contexts.

Exploring Contraception Attitudes, Beliefs, and Practices Among Refugee Women [A41

INTRODUCTION: In order to improve patient care and education efforts, there is a need to have more insight into the attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding contraception among refugee women. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study among refugee women in California. All participants provided informed consent. The focus groups included questions about general women’s health, prior experiences with health care professionals in the United States, and attitudes towards, as well as experience with, birth spacing and contraception. In addition, we asked refugee women to evaluate the appropriateness of MyPATH, a web-based reproductive goals decision-support tool. RESULTS: Sixty-two refugee participated in focus groups. Participants ranged from 20-50 years and came from Congo, Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Iraq, and Syria. Limiting family size while in the United States was more important than in participants’ home countries given economic burdens and lack of family support. Side effects, misconceptions that contraception contributes to cancer and infertility, and impact on menses were major concerns with utilizing contraception. Many participants desired in-person female interpreters for reproductive health visits. Participants were receptive to the web-based reproductive goals decision support tool MyPATH, but preferred being able to ask questions in person during low technology reproductive-health education sessions at community centers. CONCLUSION: The refugee women in this study were interested in using contraceptives to limit family size due to economic strain. Participants reported concerns about side effects that impacted their current contraception use. The women preferred contraceptive education in their community centers.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Contraception in Rural Area of Vidarbha

Knowledge of use of contraceptives is necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancies and for optimal spacing, especially when it comes to rural populace. It is essential to create awareness and educate them regarding the proper usage of contraceptives and facilitate their usage. Family planning has two main objectives; firstly, to have only the desired number of children and secondly, proper spacing of pregnancies. India has undergone fertility transition and important feature of this transition is the fact that contraceptive use has spread to even uneducated women. Family planning is widely discussed topic on the national stage, with lot of government machinery to help implement it, yet there exist lot of disparity in its execution. In our study, the knowledge of contraception was upto 60%, while its acceptance was seen in 50% of the population, knowledge of contraceptives was very much likened to the level of education the populace has received as well as due to efforts of mother and child health and family planning services in the rural area, lack of use contraceptives was mainly attributed to fear of side-effects, which were mainly due to hearsay. Our study highlights the fact that even though our study was based in rural area, it involved women belonging to all stratas of society, and women had more predilection towards temporary methods of contraception rather than going for permanent contraception. It is concluded from the present study that 60% women had knowledge and were aware of the contraceptives but lacking information about their availability at health care centers.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception among female students of Dilla secondary and preparatory school, Dilla town, Gedeo zone, Ethiopia, 2019

Back ground: Family planning is recognized not only as an important intervention to improve the health of women and children, but also as a human right. The basis of action in family planning should allow individuals to freely and responsibly adhere to and determine the number and spacing of their children. The use of modern family planning depends on the place of residence and region. 25% of currently married women between the ages of 15 and 49 are using the latest methods of family planning at SNNPRG. The use of modern contraceptives increases with education. 57% of married women with secondary education and above use modern methods compared to 22% of uneducated married women. Objectives: The general objective of this study is to assess the current knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception among female students in Dilla secondary and preparatory school, Dilla town, Ethiopia. Methods: From May to June 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted at Dila Middle School and Preparatory School in Dilla Town, Ethiopia. This study included a total of 263 study subjects. The data were collected by the Principal Investigator using a self-administered questionnaire. The data was analyzed by SPSS20. Methods: From May to June 2019, a cross-sectional study was conducted at Dila Middle School and Preparatory School in Dilla Town, Ethiopia. This study included a total of 263 study subjects. The data were collected by the Principal Investigator using a self-administered questionnaire. The data was analyzed by SPSS20. Conclusions and recommendations: Although most interviewees have a good knowledge; their attitudes and practices are very low. It is recommended to carry out contraceptive education in Dilla Middle School and Preparatory School, and to educate the community on contraceptive methods in gathering areas such as mosques, churches. Keywords: Knowledge; Attitude; Practice; Contraception; Female high school students.

Comparing methods of long-acting reversible contraception: A qualitative study of Delaware women's perceptions of intrauterine devices and the implant

ObjectiveTo distinguish Delaware women's perceptions of the intrauterine device (IUD) relative to the subdermal arm implant (implant) as well as to compare their perceptions of various IUD types. Study DesignIn this qualitative study, we conducted in-depth interviews with 86 self-identified women between 16 and 44 years old who resided in the state of Delaware. We used quota sampling to ensure a diversity of perspectives using age, socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, and county of residence to do so. We analyzed the data for content and themes using deductive and inductive techniques. ResultsOf the 47 participants who would use long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), 36 favored IUDs over the implant, and 11 felt more comfortable with the implant. Participants’ perceptions were primarily influenced by device side effects, body placement, and the removal process. Those favoring a specific IUD prioritized the presence of exogenous hormones, device size, and maximum duration of use. Thirty-nine women would not use IUDs or the implant, citing safety risks and the availability of "simpler" methods. ConclusionsClinicians often use tier-based descriptions when counseling patients about contraception, particularly when emphasizing the similar efficacy levels of LARC devices. Participants in our study did not perceive LARC as a homogeneous category; rather, they consistently differentiated between IUDs and implants as well as between IUD types. Such findings demonstrate the need to understand which device features inform these distinct preferences and how providers’ contraceptive counseling practices can be adjusted in response. ImplicationsGiven these findings, scholars should compare and further distinguish across methods, including IUDs, whenever possible. The findings also reinforce the benefits of stocking a variety of LARC devices at clinic and practice sites and encouraging provider counseling that emphasizes method-specific concerns and features. Doing so centers users’ needs and preferences.

Association of traditional marital practices with contraceptive decision-making, couple communication, and method use among couples in rural Maharashtra, India

In India, traditional social practices around marriage, such as non-involvement of prospective brides in choice of partner and timing of marriage, child/early marriage, dowry and purdah, compromise women’s agency at the time of marriage and may also affect contraceptive practices in marriage. This paper examines the associations between traditional marital practices and contraceptive behaviours, including women’s control over contraceptive decision-making, couples’ communication about contraception, and ever use of contraceptives, among married women aged 18–29 years (N = 1,200) and their husbands in rural Maharashtra, India. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between these marginalising social practices and family planning behavioural outcomes, adjusting for demographic and parity confounders. Wives who were the primary decision-makers on who to marry had higher odds of ever having communicated with their husband on pregnancy prevention (AOR 1.76, 95% CI 1.16-2.68), and ever using modern contraceptives (AOR 2.19, 95% CI 1.52-3.16). Wives who were the primary decision-makers on when to marry also had higher odds of ever having used modern contraceptives (AOR 1.86, 95% CI 1.21-2.93). Women’s involvement in marital choice may facilitate couples’ engagement related to family planning, possibly via the establishment of better communication between partners.

Awareness and Practice of Contraception among Women Coming to Civil Hospital Karachi

Objective: To determine the awareness and practices of contraception among women coming to Civil Hospital Karachi. Methods: A total of 196 women of reproductive age (15 to 49 years) attending the labor room, emergency room and outpatient department of Civil Hospital Karachi from 25th of November 2020 to 26th of May 2021 were included. We included Previously delivered as well as undelivered married females who were able to communicate in local language. Data was collected regarding awareness medium and husband’s willingness or role regarding contraception. Results: The average age of the patients was 25.91±4.48 years. Median number of children was 1 [range=1-5] and average pregnancy interval was 11.13±3.49 months. Most of the female (81.12%) were Muslims. There were 112 (57.14%) female who had previous experience of contraception. Awareness and practices of contraception among women was 87 (44%) and 107 (55%) respectively. Conclusion: According to the findings of our Study, 44% of women are aware of and use contraception, whereas 55% of women use contraception. A large part of this is due to a lack of knowledge about its benefits, a lack of resources, and insufficient information about the various ways. Keywords: Contraception, Family planning, contraception practices.

Contraceptive practices and contraceptive counselling in high-performance Portuguese athletes

We present an observational, prospective, descriptive study of answers collected through an online self-assessment questionnaire in High Performance Portuguese Athletes aged 18 years old or over. The main objective was to evaluate contraceptive practices, menstrual patterns and contraceptive counselling in these athletes. Overall, 115 women aged between 18 and 39 years were studied, from 18 different sports. In our sample, most athletes used some type of contraception. Most believed that they had a better performance after menstruation and that starting contraception did not interfere with their performance. However, a high number of athletes believes that contraceptives are contraindicated for sports.

Attitude, Knowledge and Practice of Contraceptive Methods in Rural Areas

Introduction: Promotion of family planning has been shown to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and promotes women empowerment. Contraception is regarded as an important preventive measure against unintended pregnancies. Although contraceptive methods are freely available in Family Planning centers, the utilization is low. Aims And Objectives: To assess the attitude, knowledge and practice of contraceptive methods in rural areas Material and Method: The study was carried in Pak Rd Crescent Medical and Dental College, Dinanath. Duration was 6 months from 1 July 2021 till 31 December 2021. It was a descriptive study. Sample size was 1200. Postoperative patients including caesarean section and spontaneous vaginal delivery and patients coming in outpatient department including antenatal and patients with gynecological problems were included. The women were interviewed regarding knowledge of contraceptive methods and choice to decide these methods. Most of them had knowledge but less number of women agreed to decide family planning method. Results: Usually women who gave interview were between age 31 to 40 years 37.6% and21 to 30 years 33.1%. Maximum parity 2 -4 were 47.1% and P 5 and above were 44.7%. 69.3% of them were illiterate. 86.4% women had knowledge of IUCD, 91.8% regarding COCP and 91.1% about injectable contraceptives.95.6% knew about male condoms. For the practice of contraceptive methods, maximum demand was of male condoms 13.8%, COCP 9.5%, IUCD 4% and injectables 4.6%. The reasons for not practicing family methods were husband and family pressure 30.1%, different myths about contraception 27.2%, family not complete 17.6%, cultural reasons 14.6%, lack of knowledge 8.8% and need for male gender 4.5% Conclusion: Although most of the ladies had knowledge of contraceptive methods but they were reluctant to practice them. Motivation of husband and mother in law is important factor to achieve positive attitude towards contraception. Counselling against myths and false belief is essential. Keywords: IUCD intra uterine contraceptive device, COCP combined oral contraceptive device