ABSTRACT
In general, people in North India tend to marry young. 1 Despite the government-run family planning (FP) programme available through the health care system, most young married couples are either unable or reluctant to seek FP services and products due to behavioural, cultural and gender barriers. This, along with the socio-cultural trend of early marriages, early childbearing and closely spaced births among young married women, leads to signifi cant missed opportunities for provision of FP services and messages.
