Determinants of contraceptive method-choice in rural Bangladesh

Multinomial logit regressions were used for modeling the contraceptive method choice where the programmatic, demographic, and sociocultural factors were included as the independent variables. Contraceptive use was positively associated with home visitations of the female family planning field workers who distribute pills and condoms. The association was stronger for pills than for other methods. Injectable and intrauterine device (IUD) use was higher among the women who visited the fixed-site service centers than among those who did not visit the centers. Injectables and IUDs were more likely to be used by relatively young mothers or those with fewer children, whereas permanent and traditional methods were more common among older mothers or those with more children. Pills, condoms, and traditional methods were used more by educated women, whereas injectables and permanent methods were used more by uneducated women. The national family planning program can be more effective if it undertakes information dissemination activities on the availability of clinical methods at the fixed-site service centers and the proper use of pills and condoms. Improved management and quality of services at the fixed-site service centers will increase the use of services at these centers, thereby raising the acceptance of injectables and IUDs. (Author abstract)