Objective: Assess the prevailing misconceptions and associated factors regarding clinical contraceptives (injectables, IUD, Norplant, tubectomy, vasectomy) in rural Bangladesh.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried in 4 rural sub-districts, the field sites of the Operations Research Project of ICDDR,B. Systematic random sampling was employed and 9861 women, aged 15 to 49 years were interviewed during Nov 98 to March 99 using a semi-structured questionnaire. Women were asked to mention the disadvantages of the method. A response was considered to be a misconception when it was other than the disadvantages mentioned in the literature. Association of the method specific misconceptions with selected factors was assessed using cross tabulations.
Results: More than 50 percent of the women had some misconception and these were highest for IUD and female sterilization. Health problems were most frequently cited. Other misconceptions included upward displacement and infertility for IUD, painful arms, paralysis of hands and infertility for Norplant, loss of libido/ potency, weakness and death for vasectomy and difficulty in doing hard work and death for tubectomy. Misconceptions for Norplant, tubectomy and vasectomy were positively associated with increase in age and among housewives. No association was found with education of the women or husbands. Misconceptions were significantly high among current users of injectables and tubectomy than among never users.
Conclusions and recommendations: Misconceptions regarding clinical contraceptives are high in rural Bangladesh and appropriate measures are needed to address these to raise performance of clinical contraceptives.
Learning Objectives: The participants will be able to know the prevailing misconceptions and associated factors regarding injectables, IUD, Norplant and sterilization in rural Bangladesh
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.