Measurement of unmet need for family planning: longitudinal analysis of the impact of fertility desires on subsequent childbearing behaviors among urban women from Uttar Pradesh, India
Speizer, I.S.; Calhoun, L.M.; Hoke, T.; Sengupta, R.
Contraception 88(4): 553-560
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 1879-0518 PMID: 23706906 DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2013.04.006Document Number: 573059
The measure of unmet need relies on women's reported fertility desires; previous research has demonstrated that fertility desires may be fluid and not firm. Our study uses recently collected longitudinal data from four cities in Uttar Pradesh, India, to examine whether women's fertility desires and family planning (FP) use at baseline predict pregnancy/birth experience in the 2-year follow-up period. Multivariate models demonstrate that women who were using any method of FP and reported an intention to stop childbearing were the least likely to experience a pregnancy/birth in the 2-year follow-up period. The stated desire to delay childbearing, whether or not the woman was using FP, did not distinguish pregnancy/birth experience. Ninety-two percent of pregnancies/births over the follow-up period were considered "wanted then" suggesting post-hoc rationalization of the pregnancy/birth even among those women who reported a desire to stop childbearing 2 years earlier. More nuanced assessments of fertility intentions may be needed to adequately gauge latent FP needs. Non-users of FP may be ambivalent about future childbearing and the timing of future births; these women may not have an unmet need for FP as typically defined.
Document emailed within 0-6 h
