Publication:

An exploratory study on knowledge and practice regarding family planning and immunization among women attending MCH clinic

Background Globally, an estimated 300,000 maternal deaths occur annually owing to causes associated with pregnancy, of which nearly 75% were preventable. Each year, modern contraceptives help women prevent 215,000 pregnancy-related deaths (including 66,000 from unsafe abortions), 2.7 million infant deaths and the loss of 60 million years of healthy life. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective health interventions available, saving millions of children from illness, disability and death each year. The burden of infectious diseases has been reduced primary due to immunization.

Methods A cross-sectional study regarding knowledge and practice of family planning and immunization was conducted in a Maternal and Child health (MCH) clinic of Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara. The sample consists of 100 married women of reproductive age group (15-49) years having under five children coming to the clinic using purposive sampling technique.

Results Knowledge regarding family planning methods were oral contraceptive pills/depot/implant (84%) followed by intrauterine contraceptive device (77%), condom (65%), natural methods (80%), permanent method (92%). Condom was most commonly used among temporary methods. More than 4/5th of the respondents were aware about vaccines as per schedule of Nepal. But 5% of the respondents had neither given any vaccine to their baby and nor taken any dose of tetanus toxoid vaccine during their previous pregnancy.

Conclusions Still 14% of the respondents were not aware about any methods of family planning and 19% does not know about the vaccines as per schedule of Nepal. So there is a need to increase awareness about the different types of family planning methods and immunization.