A Study on Fertility Perception: An Experience from West Bengal, India

BACKGROUND: Fertility pattern has some influence on health of mother and child as well as it can resist population growth. METHODS: A cross sectional study on fertility perception among married women of reproductive age group, was carried out in 3 blocks and 2 municipality areas of Howrah District of West Bengal, India, covering 12 villages and 4 wards, selected by stratified multistage random sampling, for a period of 6 months from April to September 2009. Two thousand married women were the respondents. RESULTS: Respondents were mainly belonged to poor and below poverty line groups (86.7%), one third (33.4%) were illiterate and just literate group, 66.8% of the respondents belonged to Hindu by religion and 63.4% had history of teen age pregnancy and more than 50% of the respondents were married early (below 18 years). The study revealed that perception about age of marriage, interval between marriage and 1(st) pregnancy and spacing were incorrect in case of 45.8%, 37.6% and 23% of the respondents, respectively. 22.3% and 13.1% of the respondents had no proper idea regarding desired no of children and Family Planning methods, respectively and their knowledge varied with literacy status, age and religion. Majority (67.5%) of the study population received information about family planning methods from health personnel. CONCLUSIONS: Correct Knowledge regarding different components of fertility among Eligible Couples to be enhanced by intervention through Information, Education and Communication (Interpersonal Communication and Mass Media).