Study of Unmet Need for Family Planning In ImmunisationClinic of A Teaching Hospital at Patiala, India

Abstract

Background: Meeting unmet need for contraception is one of the components of Reproductive and child health (RCH) programmes .In 1994, at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo, the international community set the goal of ensuring universal access to reproductive health care by 2015. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in the Immunization Clinic, Government Rajindra Hospital, Patiala (Punjab) among 1000 married women of reproductive age group to find the extent of unmet need and factors affecting it.Results: 16% of women of reproductive age had unmet need. The overall unmet need was low at the beginning of reproductive age, but it increased and reached a peak in late twenties and then declined. Maximum unmet need was after the birth of one (19.93%) child; more in illiterate women (23.26%), in females belonging to joint family (18.49%) and in the rural areas (19.02%).Conclusion: Unmet need is higher in more fertile age group; therefore family planning programme should focus this age group, target illiterate people, and rural areas.