Knowledge, attitude and practice of contraception among women seeking: abortion care services

Abstract

Introduction: Women coming for abortion are those in whom contraceptive use is most needed. This study was therefore done to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning measures among the women who came for safe abortion services at TU Teaching Hospital

Methods: A prospective, study done for a period of 9 months (17 April 2009 to 14 Jan 2010) in the Family Planning and Comprehensive Abortion Care Centre, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital among the women who came to seek abortion services. The women were interviewed before the procedure and then at follow up at 1 month and at 3 months.

Results: A total of 125 women were interviewed. Most women belonged to age between 20- 29 yrs (57%). Of them 19% were > P3. Only 3 women had not heard about family planning methods, while >50% knew all the methods. Maximum source of information was media (65.6%). Ninety five percent women approved of practicing family planning and 81% intended to use it after the abortion. 81% needed approval from husband for using a contraceptive. Eighty percent of women had used some sort of contraceptives in the past while less than 50% of husband had ever used contraceptives in the past. Fifty seven percent women came for termination of pregnancy because of completed family. Seventy nine percent of women accepted different methods of family planning while 68% were found to continue using them at 3 months follow up.

Conclusion: Long acting contraceptives were less likely to be discontinued. Husbands had an important role in giving permission and deciding the contraceptive method.