Birth Planning: Awareness, Knowledge, and Practice among Urban Youth in Nepal

Ram H. Aryal, National Planning Commission

The aim of paper is to assess the awareness, knowledge, perception and practice of family planning of urban youth in Nepal. Data analyzed in the paper come form the Nepal Adolescents and Youth Adults Survey 2000. The survey's sampling universe included the five largest urban areas of Nepal. One of the major findings is that almost all young adults are aware of at least one method of contraception, and 93 percent of them are familiar with how to use it. Over two third of married youth have discussed family planning with their partners. Forty percent reported ever using a method but only one fourth of them are currently using contraception. It is found that more educated persons tend to participate more in fertility decision making and are more likely to know about and use family planning. It is hoped that overall discussion provides new insights into policy implications for Nepal.