A survey on knowledge, attitude and practice of married midwives of Kerman city about family planning in 1994

  Midwives are among the trainer's of family planning programs who have direct contact with the group  of women in reproductive ages. This survey was carried out on all married midwives of Kerman city ( n=57) in July 1994, in order to determine their knowledge, attitude and practice about family planning using questionnaire prepared by investigators. Among the respondents: 40.3℅ were technicians,47.4℅ were bachelor's and 12.3℅ were midwives nurses. Mean age of midwives was 32=8.3 years and mean age of their husbands was 35+_8.6. mean duration of their employment was 6+_4 for technicians and bachelors, and 20+_10 years for midwife nurses. Mean age of first marriage was 23.6+_3. Mean age first pregnancy was 24.6+_3.4. mean number of their children was 1.6, and median was 2. Mean of birth spacing between last two deliveries was  months, of which, one third were less than 3 years. All (100℅) agreed with family planning programs, 82.4℅ had used one or more methods of contraception, the most common method being I.U.D (21℅) .all (100℅) were familiar with at least 4 contraceptives methods. Unfortunately about one third of them did not know the correct pattern of using oral contraceptive pills.o verall, knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning in midwives seem to be better than other studied groups,however they are in need of more training programs.