Despite rapid increase in contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) during the last two decades, the CPR is still far below than the desired level in Bangladesh. Data from the 1996-1997 BDHS show that 16 percent of currently married women represent "unmet need" for family planning services. The contraceptive-use behaviour of lactating mothers is an important aspect in this regard. The present lack of attention to postpartum family planning service provision is a serious loophole of the national family planning programme. The paper depicts about the contraceptive behaviour of lactating mothers and the programmatic implication of the findings.
Primary data gathered through the longitudinal surveillance system of the Operations Research Project, namely the Sample Registration System, were the basis of the analyses, conducted to explore the usage behaviour of contraceptives within the lactating mothers of Mirsarai and Abhoynagar rural sites for the period of July 1997 to June 1998. The sample size was 2800 and 3400 for Abhoynagar and Mirsarai respectively.
On average, twenty percent of all eligible women were found to be lactating mothers. More than ninety percent of lactating mothers under contraception belonged to supplementationbased breastfeeding categories.
Sixty percent of the lactating mothers were found to be non-contraceptors. The majority of them were found to be "unmet need" cases. The findings, therefore, suggests for adoption of a comprehensive promotional programme aimed to lactating mothers. This would contribute to reduced fertility through enhanced contraception of lactating mothers and, also, contribute to better maternal and child health. ___________________________
Learning Objectives: The attender will: 1) learn about the unmet need for contraception in Bangladesh 2) how the issue of unmet need can be addressed 3) be able to describe the contraceptive habits of postpartum women in Bangladesh 3) learn why most women in Bangladesh supplement their babies when they breastfeed 4) know why the Contraceptive Prevalence Rate needs to reach 70 % in Bangladesh
Keywords: Breast Feeding, Contraception
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Centre for health and population research, ICDDR,B
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.