Met and unmet need of family planning and associated factors in a remote rural area of Sindh, Pakistan

Objectives: To determine the met and unmet need of family planning among married women of Taluka Golarchi, District Badin, Sindh, Pakistan. Secondary objective was to assess the knowledge and practices of modern contraceptive methods and associated factors. Methodology: It is a cross sectional community based survey done from 1st May to 31st May 2008 in Taluka Golarchi, District Badin, Sindh, Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was used to interview 300 eligible women of reproductive age. Stratified cluster sampling was done to collect information on met and unmet need of family planning, knowledge and practice of modern contraceptive methods and associated factors. Results: Nearly two third of respondents were housewives and illiterate. Most of them 71% (213) were multiparous having more than four children. Current contraceptive practice was 42%, out of which 39% were using modern methods of contraception. Oral contraceptive pills were commonly used method. Unmet need of Family planning was 19%. Lady Health Workers were the prime source of knowledge and provision of family planning methods. Husbands' cooperation and approval is influential factor for modern contraceptive use. Fear of side effects is the main hurdle for non use of modern contraceptive methods. Conclusion: Modern methods of contraception are gaining popularity in rural Sindh. In addition to sustained lady health worker programme, involvement of males should be incorporated in future family planning initiatives.