Abstract

Background: India is world’s 2nd largest populated country. It is first to introduce
family planning services. IUCD is most effective, safe, long acting and do not interfere
with coitus. Immediately or within 72 hours after delivery of placenta in a health care
facility is convenient for those who are in outreach area, where family planning facilities
are less available. Aim & Objective: To determine choice of contraception preferred by
multiparous women following vaginal birth in a tertiary hospital in Andhra Pradesh,
India.
Materials and Methods: It is a retrospective observational study. Sample includes 321
multiparous women who underwent vaginal delivery at a tertiary care hospital,
Dr.PSIMS&RF, vijayawada during April, 2020 to March 2021. This study determines
the ‘informed choice’ of contraception opted by couples who have atleast 2 live children
after vaginal delivery.
Results: In this study, we observe that a majority of multiparous couples after vaginal
delivery prefer LAM (59.5%) followed by female permanent sterilisation (30.84%). Of
those undergoing female sterilisation 4.23% are 18-19yr; 83.89% are 20-25yr. Inspite of
progress in reproductive health and family planning in India, early marriages and early
pregnancies are still in a rising trend. There is increased need for contraceptive use at
an early age. Prevalence of female sterilization was 39%. In the present study,
prevalence of male sterilization was 1.2%.
Conclusion: All antenatal, must be counselled for better alternate contraceptive options
from the antenatal period. Health education should be directed to couples rather than
to women only. Since, there are more of young married couples, more spacing methods
and alternate contraceptive methods should be promoted rather than sterilisation