District level baseline survey of family planning program in Uttar Pradesh. Agra.

This report presents the findings from a baseline survey of family planning programs in Agra district in Uttar Pradesh India during May-June 1995. The representative sample of ever married women aged 13-49 years included 2864 individuals from urban and rural areas. Findings on marital status show that about 33% of women were married by the age of 19 years and that 86% were married by 25 years. 74.1% of the entire sample were currently married. The singulate mean age of marriage was 19.09 years for females and 23.97 years for males. The total fertility rate peaked among women aged 20-29 years (63% of total fertility). The total fertility rate was 4.6 in the district. Fertility was higher by 2 children in rural areas and by almost 3 children between illiterate women and high school or further educated women. Family planning knowledge was universal but knowledge of specific methods was much more limited. 66% in urban and 47% in rural areas had ever used contraception. Current use was 49.8% in urban areas and 30.5% in rural areas. Current use was higher among the better educated women and higher caste Hindus. 74% of women with two daughters did not use contraception while 48% of women with two sons were nonusers. 54% of tubectomy recipients and 37% of pill users reported unwanted and unpleasant side effects. Unmet need was estimated at 21% for limiting childbearing and at 15% for spacing. Major reasons for unmet need are identified as future plans for contraceptive use dislike of existing methods lack of services opposition by husbands or family members and menopause. Many reported a belief that family planning methods would result in complications. Only 29% of condom users had a regular source of supply; 59% had an irregular source of supply and 12% never received condoms. 65% of nonusers of contraception intended to use contraception within the year and 23% intended to do so within 1-2 years. 63% of rural women and 59% of urban women who desired additional children had 3 living children. 16% reported unwanted pregnancies. Only 48% who had been pregnant in the last 2 years had received prenatal care. 74% of births during the last 2 years occurred at home; 42% were attended by trained personnel. 34% of children aged 12-23 were not immunized.