Gender and Adoption of Family Planning Methods a Study of Indian Couples

Abstract

Family planning methods (FPM) are either male specific or female specific, except abstinence. In India, adoption of a FPM by a couple is subjected to gender bias, which is demonstrated in the findings of the previous studies. When a couple decides to adopt a permanent FPM, wife is more likely to adopt it. On the contrary, when a couple decides to practice non-permanent FPM husband is more likely to adopt it. Periodic abstinence is also practiced as a non-permanent method of family planning (FP). It is more egalitarian as it involves the cooperation from both the wife and the husband. The present study attempts to model the choices of male/female specific FPM by the Indian couples, using data from National Family Health Survey-3 (NFHS-3). A conceptual framework comprising of various demographic, socio-cultural and economic factors is proposed to estimate the association between these factors and couple's choice of FPM. The participants of this study are comprised of married women who have been practicing family planning at the time of interview. The violence against wife and wife's exposure to media show the significant association with couple's choice of FPM. Education is found not only to provide wife more leverage to convince the husband for sterilisation but also increases the likelihood of using female specific FPM in case of non-permanent FPM.