Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

Table 5.9 Knowledge of fertile periodPercent distribution of women by knowledge of the fertile period during theovulatory cycle, according to current use of periodic abstinence, Zambia 2001-2002–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Users of Nonusersrhythm/ of rhythm/natural naturalfamily family AllPerceived fertile period planning planning women–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Just before her period begins 11.0 16.3 16.3During her period 3.8 1.7 1.7Right after her period has ended 35.9 30.5 30.6Halfway between two periods 42.9 22.3 22.5Other 0.0 0.5 0.5No specific time 2.2 6.3 6.3Don't know 4.2 22.3 22.2Missing 0.0 0.1 0.1Total 100.0 100.0 100.0Number 64 7,594 7,658Among all women, only 23 percent reported the correct fertile period, i.e., a woman is most likelyto conceive half way between two periods. Users of natural family planning methods are moreknowledgeable about their ovulatory cycle; 43 percent of users of natural family planning correctlyidentified the middle of the cycle as the fertile time, compared with 22 percent of non-users of themethod. It should be noted that the precision of this estimate is limited by small sample size.5.9 SOURCE OF SUPPLYInformation on where women obtain their contraceptive methods is important to family planningprogramme managers for strategic planning purposes. All current users of modern contraceptive methodswere asked the most recent source of their methods. The results are shown in Table 5.10. Generally, mostcurrent users of contraception (61 percent) obtain their contraceptive methods from public institutions,most of which are government health centres. Private medical institutions are the second most commonsource (20 percent) of contraception, while non-medical sources are the least common (17 percent).There has been a shift away from reliance on private medical sources for contraceptive methods.The proportion of current users relying on private medical sources has declined from 36 percent in 1992to 24 percent in 1996 and to 20 percent in 2001-2002. Reliance on public sources has increased slightlyfrom 56 percent in 1992 to 60 percent in 1996 and to 61 percent in 2001-2002.The pill and injectables are commonly obtained from public sources (67 percent and 83 percent,respectively), while male condoms are usually obtained from other sources (46 percent), mainly shops(35 percent). Female sterilisation, on the other hand, is obtained primarily through private medicalsources (58 percent) compared with 40 percent through public sources. There has been an increase in theproportion of women sterilised at private medical centres from 51 percent in 1996 to 58 percent in 2001-2002, and a reduction at public medical centres from 49 percent in 1996 to 40 percent currently.80 │ Fertility Regulation