Understanding male Contraceptive Awareness, Perceptions and Practices in Mizoram

This paper is an attempt to understand men regarding the knowledge, perceptions and use of contraceptive methods in Mizoram, highlighting the often-overlooked perspective of men in the realm of family planning. The research employs univariate analysis to examine the evolving trends in Mizoram, comparing data from NFHS-3 (2005-06) to NFHS-5 (2019-21) to track the changes over time. The results indicate that there is a range of awareness, perceptions and utilization of contraceptive methods. Although knowledge of contraceptive methods is almost universal, this does not necessarily translate into their practical use. The data shows a preference for modern contraceptive methods over traditional ones. The knowledge of modern contraceptive methods has decreased slightly from 99.5% in NFHS-3 to 98.9% in NFHS-5.The percentage of men aged 15-49 who believe that contraception is solely the responsibility of women has fluctuated over the years. The percentage of men using any form of contraception was 37.6% in NFHS-3,19.2% in NFHS-4, and 14.4% in NFHS-5, indicating a downward trend. The results highlight the importance of implementing educational initiatives to correct misunderstandings, enhance the availability of contraceptive services, and encourage well-informed choices related to family planning among men in Mizoram.