title: Perceptions of couples about contraception in eastern India.
abstract: This community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in sampled villages and municipal wards of Paschim Medinipur District of West Bengal, India among 2,000 respondents, 3/4 were from rural and 1/4 from urban areas, to determine perceptions of couples about contraception. Decision-making about fertility and contraception was mostly made by the husband. Forty-four point three percent of rural and 77.6% of urban women preferred a birth spacing of > or = 3 years. The ideal interval between marriage and first pregnancy was considered to be > or = 3 years in nearly two thirds of women. With increasing literacy level among women, the ideal birth interval between pregnancies also increased. Eighty-nine point four percent of women had correct knowledge of family planning. Only 49.4% of women knew about the Copper-T contraceptive device.
authors.affiliation: Community Medicine, NRS Medical College, Kolkata. malaymundle@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Malay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mundle
authors.forename: Anima
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haldar
authors.forename: Baijayanti
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.forename: Santanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haldar
authors.forename: Sita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: Asit Baran
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Soren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001721:Birth Intervals; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D018454:Spouses; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult