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).