Men’s Perception of Family Planning Methods in India

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INTRODUCTION India, being the second largest populous country of the world, contributes about 20% of the births worldwide.1 Altough, the country has been experiencing tremendous pressure to control the growth of population, India was the first among all the developing countries which has been implementing official nationwide family planning programs to restrain population growth since 1950.2,3 The acceptance of family-planning program has been influenced by many socio-cultural and demographic factors at levels of individual, family and society.4,5 At the individual level, the positive attitudes of couples towards the use of family planning eventually determine the accomplishment of family planning programs. In the societies, where men are the bread winners and the prime decision makers of the household and family issues, women’s opinion becomes subordinate. Studies have found that, to a married woman, her husband is the most important source of information and he is the most compatible person to discuss family planning issues with her.3 Perhaps, the reason may be men usually exceed women in knowledge and accessibility of information sources.6 Women’s low level of education, low awareness and low autonomy make them dependent on their husband to take decision on family planning, especially in rural areas.7 Hence, in India, for several decades, women’s attitudes and behaviour towards fertility control through family planning has gained much attention of the demographers and social scientists.8 Conversely, men have been paid little attention by the researchers in the family planning issues, though men and women both are biologically partners in reproduction process. In fact for many years men were absent from most of the large sca... ... middle of paper ... ...lik AM, Bukhari IAS, Tahir AR. Male contraception; knowledge, attitude and practice among male population of hansra basti bhawalpur. Professional Med J. 2013;20(4): 591-594. 15. Bawah AA et al., Women’s fears and men’s anxieties: the impact of family planning on gender relations in northern Ghana, Studies in Family Planning, 1999, 30(1):54–66. 16. Char A, Saavala M, Kulmala T. Male Perceptions on Female Sterilization: A Community-Based Study in Rural Centra India. International Perspectives on Sexual and ReproductiveHealth.2009; 35(3):131–138 17. Drennan M. Reproductive Health. New perspectives on men's participation. Population reports, series J: Family planning programs. 1998; Oct (46): 1-35. 18. Roudi F, Ashford L. Men and Family planning in Africa. Washington DC, Population reference Bureau (PRB), Jul 1996; (2) 3-20. Reproductive health training material.

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