Male involvement in family planning: a KABP study of Agra district India. Final report.

Abstract

A survey conducted in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh India examined the knowledge attitudes and practices of 517 men currently married to women 13-49 years of age; 317 of the wives had been interviewed a month earlier enabling comparison of these 2 data sets. Both men and women tended to want 3 children: 2 sons and 1 daughter. 35% of men and 46% of women believed girls should marry before 17 years of age revealing a lack of knowledge of the marriage age law. 65% of men believed husband-wife communication on family size and family planning should always be initiated by the husband. Although 85% of men supported family planning 56% felt it should be initiated only after having 2 children. 20% of women reported contraceptive use. 10% of men reported condom use but this use was confirmed by only 4% of their wives. 79% of acceptors were using contraception to stop childbearing yet 42% were relying on non-terminal methods mainly pills and condoms. Men clearly supported tubectomy over vasectomy believing the former is easier associated with fewer complications and a shorter postoperative recovery period. Overall these findings suggest a need for advocacy of family planning for birth spacing more widespread availability of long-term methods such as Depo-Provera aggressive vasectomy education and promotion of condom use among young couples as a means of protection against sexually transmitted diseases.