Predictors of contraceptive use among young married women in India: Does pregnancy history matter?

Abstract

Aim: Contraceptive use and its correlates among young women continue to draw research attention due to its implication for fertility reduction, improved maternal and child health, and sexual and reproductive rights. This study explores the association between pregnancy history and contraceptive use among currently married young women (aged 15-24 years at childbirth) in India. Method: Data from the National Family Health Survey (2019-2021) was analyzed through STATA with a significance level of 5%. The births in the last 5 years preceding the survey to the women aged 15-24 years at childbirth (n = 127 954) were considered for analysis. Multinomial logistic regression was used to check the unadjusted and adjusted effects of the pregnancy history on contraceptive use. Results: Young women with a history of mistimed pregnancy had significantly lower odds of using modern limiting methods of contraception (odds ratio [OR] = 0.90, confidence interval [CI] = 0.82-0.98), and those with a prior unwanted pregnancy were more likely to use modern limiting methods of contraception (OR = 1.75, CI = 1.57-1.95). Conclusion: Pregnancy history influences young married women's current contraceptive use in India. Family planning programs may use the contacts with antenatal, delivery, and post-delivery care system as an opportunity to identify women with an unwanted pregnancy, especially those educationally and economically weaker, for targeted information and service delivery. Better counseling of potential young contraceptive acceptors will ensure informed decision-making and increased use of modern spacing methods.

Changes in Socioeconomic Inequalities in Unintended Pregnancies Among Currently Married Women in India

“…There can be several measures through which these unintended pregnancies can be reduced or eliminated. Improving access to quality contraception as an important intervention to reduce or eliminate unintended pregnancy and further a re-emphasis on modern spacing methods of contraception as an intervention to ensure informed decision-making and to avoid possible post-sterilization health problems (Singh et al, 2013 ; Pradhan & Mondal, 2023 ). The increased coverage of government-funded health insurance mechanisms could reduce private out-of-pocket health expenditure and expand healthcare services to uninsured vulnerable people (Behera & Dash, 2020 ).…”

Guiding the Behavior of Young Women in Family Planning and Prevention of Anemia through Peer Group Empowerment as an Effort to Prevent Stunting

“…Adolescent girls who experience pregnancy generally have a thin and very thin Body Mass Index (BMI) and are in a state of Chronic Energy Deficiency (KEK) and anemia (Namasivayam et al, 2023). Low BMI, CED and Anemia in young women are associated with a lack nutritional intake which has an impact on low weight gain if you experience pregnancy which can result in a high incidence of premature birth which is one of the factors for stunting in toddlers (Pradhan & Mondal, 2023).…”