Knowledge, access, and acceptability of contraceptive methods in young adult married women, Chittagong: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Young women in Bangladesh typically lack access to contraception which leads to high risk of undesired pregnancy, maternal morbidity and mortality also risks of many other concerns. The purpose of this study is to investigate young women's knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) on family planning (FP) and related characteristics in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Study aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of contraceptives of reproductive females aged from 19 years to 26. Methods: We collected information from 319 study participants representing different higher educational institutions in Chittagong who were recruited through convenience sampling. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to gather information about the sociodemographics of research participants, their access to Family planning (FP) services, and their knowledge, attitude, and practice of FP. The influencing factors of FP-KAP were determined using linear regression analysis using SPSS version 27. Results: This study finds that the majority of the women have moderate knowledge (51.1%) and attitude (85.3%) about contraceptives. No one has ever used vaginal condoms, injectables, or male sterilization as a method of birth control. 81.5% population is currently using contraceptives. Major reasons for not using contraceptives are: facing side effects (38.2%), not being comfortable to use (14.70%), not being accessible (14.10%), Conclusion: The study showed that young women are not as ignorant as before in terms of family planning and their comprehensive FP-KAP capability was comparatively better than women of the last decades however, there so much scope to improve. Family planning initiatives among them were limited by a conservative culture and religious beliefs. As a result, boosting FP interventions as well as raising access to vital health facilities and educational opportunities are essential for improving maternal and reproductive health among young women.