Fertility,knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) study in relation to family planning in a selected population of the Armed Forces

A study was carried out among the civil and military population in Poona, India, to determine their knowledge, attitude, and practices in relation to family planning and the fertility rates of women aged 15-44 in the following catagories: 1) total and age specific marital fertility rate; 2) order of birth of the children born during the previous year; 3) average number of living children per couple; and 4) percentage of currently pregnant women. 251 civilian wives and 230 military wives were interviewed. Both total marital fertility rates and age specific marital fertility rates were high among the Service families, due perhaps to the predominance of young people in the military. Most of the live births occurring in the previous year were of the 1-3 order. Similarly, the average number of children per couple was low, only 1.7, although the number of children in completed families (4.4) was not too much lower than in civilian Poona families (4.8) and in India in general (5.5). Nearly 2/3 considered 3 children the ideal, although the desire for boys was intense and could lead couples to seek more than 3 children. Only 10% favored abortion on demand. More Service than civilian families knew about and practiced family planning, though the number practicing was only 27.8%. The most widely known methods were sterilization, the condom, and the IUD. The image of family planning among the civilian population was of family limitation, whereas some Service personnel regarded it as a means of child spacing. Practice of family planning was highest among Junior Commissioned Officers, the more literate, and those in the 30-34 age group. There was a positive correlation between family planning practice and number of living children. It is recommended that fertility statistics on military personnel be maintained annually. Further, as it was discovered that 20% of the military wives were currently pregnant, the family welfare planning staff and maternal health services and the Military Hospitals have a good opportunity to provide service for both the limitation and spacing of families.