Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Contraceptive Methods Among Reproductive-Age Women: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study explores how well reproductive-age women in North India understand and use contraceptives, finding moderate awareness but significant misconceptions.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into contraceptive knowledge gaps and barriers among women in a specific Indian hospital setting.

Findings

Condoms and oral contraceptive pills were most recognized, but fears of infertility and reduced sexual pleasure were common misconceptions.

Women with two children had significantly lower contraceptive knowledge compared to those without children.

Lack of information and fear of side effects were the main barriers to consistent contraceptive use.

Abstract

Introduction

According to the United Nations, the global population has escalated from 2.5 billion in the 1950s to eight billion in 2022, thus necessitating effective family planning. Despite various public health initiatives, misconceptions persist, thus requiring further exploration of contraceptive awareness.

Objective

This study primarily assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward contraceptive methods among reproductive-age women attending All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, a tertiary care family planning clinic in North India. The secondary objectives included evaluating social factors influencing contraceptive usage, exploring reasons behind non-utilization, and identifying primary information sources among participants.

Material and methods

A cross-sectional survey of 400 women aged 17-49 years was conducted from June to November 2023 among attendees of a tertiary care hospital using hospital-based convenience sampling after obtaining informed consent. Data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire that underwent content validation through expert review by five specialists from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a tertiary care hospital in North India. Knowledge was assessed using a composite score (maximum score = 7), while attitudes and practices were evaluated using Likert-scale items. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. For logistic regression, the knowledge score was dichotomized using the median value as the cutoff to identify factors associated with contraceptive awareness.

Results

The mean knowledge score was 2.80 (SD = 1.59), indicating moderate awareness. Condoms and oral contraceptive pills were most recognized. Television (71.5%) and friends/relatives (68.5%) were primary information sources. Common misconceptions included fears of infertility (42%) and reduced sexual pleasure (30%). In multivariate analysis, women with two children had a significantly lower proportion of knowledge adequacy than nulliparous women (p < 0.001). Among users, 54% reported consistent contraceptive use unless planning pregnancy; main barriers were lack of information (50.5%) and fear of side effects (40.6%).

Conclusion

Although awareness of contraceptive methods among the study population was moderate, misconceptions and fears regarding their use persisted. These findings highlight gaps in accurate knowledge and underscore the need for targeted educational interventions, particularly among families with fewer children, with an emphasis on partner-inclusive counselling. As a hospital-based cross-sectional KAP study, the results provide a descriptive overview of prevailing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to contraception and help identify common misconceptions that may hinder the use of contraceptives. These insights could help in aiding context-specific awareness programs aimed at improving contraceptive use and supporting informed reproductive choices.

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