Some aspects of family planning in a defined urban population of Jammu (Kashmir).

PIP: A study of the impact of several factors, including family structure, socioeconomic status, and maternal education on the family size and on their acceptance of family planning measures was conducted in the urban community of Jammu (Kashmir) between March 1975-March 1976. 1840 couples where the wife's age was between 15-44 years were studied for their family size and the frequency with which they accepted family planning methods. 59.3% of the couples had more than 2 living children and 42.3% had 4 or more children. Only 32.7% of the couples had accepted family planning methods - Nirodh/condom, 13.2%; tubal ligations, 7.6%; vasectomy, 6.6%; IUDs, 1.2%; oral contraceptives, .2%; and natural methods (coitus interruptus or rhythm), 3.9%. The reasons which the couples offered for not using contraceptive methods revealed a lack of influence upon them of the family planning motivation. A greater acceptance of family planning measures was recorded among the couples where the wife's age was between 26-35 years. While the proportion of acceptance was similar among Socioeconomic Groups 1 and 2, it was much lower among those belonging to Groups 3 and 4. Whereas the proportion of acceptors among those who had 1 living child was 17% it was 36%, 45.2%, and 39.6%, respectively, among those who had 2, 3, 4, or more living children.^ieng