Dynamics of Contraceptive Use in Rural Community of India (An ICMR Task Force Study) Balwan S. Dhillon*, Malabika Roy** Div. of Reproductive and child Health, Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India

Keeping in view comprehensive reproductive health care, information from rural married 117,465 women aged 15-44 regarding their contraceptive knowledge, practices and utilization of services was carried out. From among the current contraceptive users all users of IUD, OC and acceptors of a permanent method in last one year (14,276) were interviewed and a systematically selected sample of 17,082 non users. Results reveal that overall contraceptive prevalence was 45.2%. Among the current users, the contraceptive had been availed mainly from either PHC (31.5%) or hospital (42.1%). A large majority of women (70.5%) used a family planning method for the first time only after completing their desired family size. Among the never users, 73.5% mentioned at least one modern method of family planning and 64.3% mentioned the service source available. Fewer women mentioned spacing methods as compared to female sterilization. The main reason given for not using any family planning method was “family not complete” (34.6%). There is need for informed counseling for all eligible women for contraceptive use to promote small family norm by policy makers and field workers to increase acceptance of family planning and efforts should be made to make people aware of the benefit of small family norm.