Awareness and acceptability of contraceptive methods amongst antenatal patients attending antenatal care clinic at Pravara Rural Hospital (PRH) Loni.

Background: Family planning is one of the most crucial interventions to address maternal morbidity and mortality. It also refers to the use of contraceptives for spacing child birth and achieving the desired family size, which is in turn beneficial for the family and society, from a financial and practical perspective. Usage of contraceptives is also pivotal in maintaining an optimal balance of the national and global population. Objective: This study aims to identify the knowledge, acceptability and practice among antenatal patients attending the antenatal care unit at the Rural Hospital of Pravara. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study has been conducted using a structured questionnaire which was given to the respondents attending the antenatal clinic. Results: The respondents belong to the age group of 18 and 32 years. A high level of awareness was noted among the respondents, but the usage was low. The main reason for not using contraceptives was willingness to conceive (as majority of them had not yet reached their desired family size). Other factors associated with non-usage were apprehensions like fear of side-effects and harmful effects on health (which indicate that intense and in-depth counselling is required to allay the apprehensions). Husband's consent also plays an important role in family planning. Conclusion: Incorporation of family planning and contraception into a greater proportion of households will require trained healthcare professionals to provide detailed counselling to patients. There is also a strong need for media to promote the usage of contraceptives. Additionally, education of women is integral to facilitate the society reaching a more conscientious and enlightened state without any gender bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]