Postpartum family planning pattern of lactating mothers in shiraz

Abstract EN

A cohort of 329 lactating mothers who delivered in the 14 maternity clinics of Shiraz during two random consecutive weeks was selected randomly in 1996 and followed at their homes at 11 occasions for a two-year postpartum period.

A semi-structured questionnaire was used to record the mothers knowledge and attitude in a face to face interview and their practice examined by two trained female members of the research team.

Mothers knowledge toward family planning was significantly associated with the level of education (P<0.001).

their friends were the main source of knowledge in using contraceptive measures (64.2%), while health workers (17.0%), mass media (8.2%) and miscellaneous sources (10.6%) played less efficient roles in this respect.

Ideal number of children in general (80% said £2 and 20% ³3) and sons in particular were significantly associated with the duration of marriage and number of living children (P<0.01).

The first two pregnancies with the age at marriage and duration of marriage.

However, it was reversed for third and above pregnancy order.

The number of living children decreased with the age at marriage (P<0.001), which was significantly associated with duration of marriage (P<0.001).

Of duration of marriage affected the number miscarriages and still births (P<0.01).

Use of contraceptive measures among mothers increased enormously 3 months postpartum and continued rather uniformly later on until the end of the study period.

Mothers used natural and hormonal device (IUD) more frequently than other kinds of contraceptives.

The reasons for not using contraceptives or changing birth control measures were unknown to most of the mothers.

The paper concludes that mothers attitude towards family planning was perhaps due to the cultural causes or economic problems which increased the willingness of mothers to use contraceptives.

It seems, that health centers were inefficient in furnishing information to and providing mothers safe contraceptives which may be the reason why most mothers used natural birth control measures which may not be safe enough.