Contraceptive practices and unmet need among young currently married women in the rural areas of Empowered Action Group (EAG) states of India: facts and factors

Ranajit Sengupta, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Hemkhothang Lhungdim, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

India is the first country in the world to launch a national programme in 1952,with emphasis on family planning. The paper examines differentials in practice of contraceptive methods; reasons, differentials and factors influencing unmet need among currently married rural women (age 15-24) in the EAG states of India. The data are from (DLHS-II) of Reproductive and Child Health Programme (2002-2004) in India. Bi-variate and Multi-variate analysis was carried out. Unmet need is maximum in Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (nearly 40 percent). Wife’s education (odds 1.301), son ever born (odds 2.886), and medium standard of living (odds 1.114) significantly increases unmet need for limiting. Electronic media (odds 0.894) significantly reduces unmet need. Among Muslims unmet need significantly increased (odds1.235). From policy point of view, education, economic status (SLI), and exposure to media need to be addressed to increase contraceptive use and to reduce unmet need in the eight EAG states.