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Background:

Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility. It secures the well-being and autonomy of women while supporting the health and development of the communities. A midwife can support people having family planning facilities and thus reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity and unnecessary interventions, and improve psychosocial and public health.

Objective:

The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions towards family planning among future midwives in Bangladesh.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted among final year midwifery students (n=141) of 16 public midwifery nursing institutes and colleges of Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was used and data analyzed by descriptive statistics in Excel.

Results:

Almost all respondents agreed on the statement that women should be treated with respect when seeking family planning services. One third disagreed or strongly disagreed that unmarried women should abstain rather than use family planning. Almost half of the respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that women should be free to choose if and when they want to become a pregnant. Majority of the respondents had inadequate knowledge about effectiveness regarding different FP methods and misconceptions regarding hormonal family planning methods.

Conclusion:

This study showed that diverse attitudes related to family planning and women’s right to access family planning services exist among future midwives. The study also found misconceptions regarding side effects of family planning methods and inadequate knowledge regarding effectiveness and appropriateness of different family planning methods.

Clinical implications:

To increase knowledge, midwifery curriculum should have a special emphasis on the effectiveness of different contraceptive methods and effects of hormonal contraceptives, and particularly the link to clinical practice. Value clarification training can be a way to address attitudes in relation to family planning. Further qualitative research should be conducted to gain a deeper understanding of midwifery students’ attitudes and perceptions.