Young Adults' Attitude Towards Family Planning And Birth Control

Young adults, typically those between the ages of 18 and 26, are a central group in the discussion around family planning and birth control. This period of life is often marked by significant transitions, such as completing education, starting a career, starting a family, or choosing a life partner, and establishing independence. This is a time when individuals are actively thinking about their futures, including whether and when to have children, start a family, and pursue a successful career.

Family planning and birth control are contraceptive methods, treatment of infertility, procedures, devices, and behaviours that allow people to obtain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies (Melanie Menning & Peter Schindler, 2022). Further, family planning also focuses on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). It is a key measure for controlling population growth worldwide and in the country. It allows couples to anticipate and achieve the desired number of children and to determine the spacing between births. (WHO, 3 July 2025).  Family planning and birth control are vital for managing rapid population growth and improving overall health amid the global population's rise.  It helps reduce the health risks for both mothers and infants by preventing unplanned, closely spaced, or high-risk pregnancies. Overall, family planning not only improves health and quality of life but also plays a crucial role in reducing poverty and supporting sustainable development.

 Given the scale of the family planning program in India, there is a need to strengthen coordination across all aspects, including planning, programs, monitoring, training, and procurement. The quality of care in family planning must be a key focus to ensure the program’s success. Despite serious efforts and progress, India has yet to achieve its family planning goals. Research shows that adequate attention to family planning in countries with high birth rates can not only reduce poverty and hunger but also avert 32 per cent of maternal and nearly 10 per cent of childhood deaths, respectively.  An effective contraception allows a physical relationship without fear of an unwanted pregnancy and ensures freedom to have children when desired. The aim is to achieve contraception in maximum comfort and privacy, with minimum cost and side effects (Rakhi Jain & Sumathi Muralidhar, 2011). Family planning programs benefit not only parents and children but also society and the nation, as controlling birth rates reduces population growth. With less population growth, more resources are available for those already in the Indian population; with more resources come longer life expectancy and better health. Hence, the present study aims to assess young adults' attitudes towards family planning and birth control.

3. METHODOLOGY

A simple random sampling technique, a type of probability sampling that selects a subset of participants from a population, was used to identify samples of young adults who were both college and higher secondary students, among working and non-working groups. To assess family planning and birth control among young adults, the sample is identified from Churachandpur District, Manipur. A total of 100 samples (50 boys and 50 girls) aged 18-26 were selected for the study. The random sampling method allowed for an unbiased selection of participants, capturing a diverse range of perspectives and experiences.

The Family Planning and Birth Control Attitude Rating scale, developed by M. Rajamanickam, was used for the present study. The tool comprises 64 statements. The tool is divided into eight dimensions: Population problem, Family planning, Birth control, Fertility control, Birth control method abortion, Contraceptive, Sterilisation, and Age of marriage. The data collected were analysed using the chi-square test, ANOVA, and correlation coefficient.

Table 1: Degree of Attitude (Sterilisation) among Respondents

Table 1 highlights attitudes towards sterilisation among male and female respondents. It shows that 62 per cent of female and 32 per cent of male respondents have a neutral attitude, and 24 per cent of female and 18 per cent of male respondents have an unfavourable attitude towards sterilisation. In contrast, 20 per cent of male respondents and 14 per cent of female respondents have a favourable attitude towards sterilisation. Data indicate that most of the respondents have a neutral attitude 62 per cent, while 21 per cent of them have an unfavourable attitude, and only 17 per cent of them have a favourable attitude towards sterilisation for family planning and birth control. Sian Herbert’s study (2015) found that individuals and couples control the number, timing, and spacing of their children through contraception and infertility treatment. The study examined socioeconomic factors influencing alternative contraceptive choices over sterilisation among married women. The findings of the study are in line with Isabel Tiago de Oliveira. et. al. (2014), Franciele Hellwig and Aluisio JD Barros. (2021) who have highlighted that contraceptive use has risen globally, with female sterilisation accounting for a significant share of family planning in many countries.

Table 2: Degree of Attitude (Age of Marriage) among Respondents

Table 2 The data presents the degree of attitude towards age of marriage among male and female respondents, it is seen that 54 per cent of male respondents and 48 per cent of female respondents are having neutral attitudes towards age of marriage, 28 per cent of female respondents and 20 per cent of male respondents are with the favourable degree of attitude towards age of marriage, whereas 26 per cent of male respondents and 24 per cent of female respondents are having unfavourable degree of attitude towards the age of marriage. In contrast, 51 per cent of respondents hold a neutral attitude, 25 per cent an unfavourable attitude, and 24 per cent a favourable attitude towards the age of marriage. The focus was to understand the association of early marriage and spousal age difference (independent of early marriage) with reproductive and sexual health and autonomy in decision-making among married women before conception. Shantanu Sharma. et al. (2021) found differences in respondents' ages regarding marriage. According to Pipit Feriani et al. (2024), individual factors such as education, age, and attitudes, while community-level influences such as healthcare access and geographic disparities influence attitudes towards marriage.

NS – not significant

Table 3: Comparison of the overall Attitude of Male and Female Respondents towards Family Planning and Birth Control

Table 3 examines the overall attitude of male and female respondents towards Family planning and Birth control. Data indicates that maximum number both male and female respondents are having favourable attitude towards family planning and birth control with Mean ± SD (214.69 ± 15.36) and Mean ± SD (4.92 ± 5.36) followed by average number of respondents having a neutral attitude towards Family planning and Birth control with Mean ± SD (192.30 ± 5.00) and Mean ± SD (193.04 ± 4.92) in case of male respondents an unfavourable attitude can be observed among the least number of respondents having a Mean ± SD value of (172.45 ± 11.80) and in case of female the Mean ± SD (172.69 ± 8.87). The overall score shows that male respondents have a more favourable attitude, with a mean ± SD of 195.10 ± 18.86, compared to female respondents, with a mean ± SD of 193.00 ± 16.28. The t-value (0.596, NS) indicates a non-significant difference. Inara Muhammad Karim. (2023) observed that family planning refers to a couple's decision on when to start a family, the number of children they desire, birth spacing, and contraceptive methods. Dhesi Ari Astuti. et al. (2024) explored effective family planning and population control methods to enhance family development.

NS – not significant, * significant at 1%, ** significant at 5%.

Table 4: Correlation between the Dimensions of Family Planning and Birth Control Attitude among Females