"Unmet need for family planning" in women refers to:

NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 10 Prelims-2026

Explanation

The term "unmet need" specifically refers to the gap between a woman's reproductive goals (wanting to space or limit births) and her contraceptive practice (not using any method).
This group includes sexually active, fertile women who either want to postpone their next birth for at least two years or want to stop childbearing altogether but are not using contraception.
According to India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS), this is a critical indicator used to assess the effectiveness of family planning programs and identify populations requiring services.
Addressing this unmet need is a primary goal of public health initiatives to reduce unintended pregnancies and improve maternal health.

Option A: This describes women with a 'met need' for spacing births. They are using contraception to align with their family planning goals, even if they desire more children in the future.
Option C: This describes reproductive coercion or partner opposition, which is a significant reason or barrier that leads to an unmet need. However, it is not the definition of the state of unmet need itself.
Option D: A woman who is pregnant and satisfied with the pregnancy does not have a current need for contraception. The concept of unmet need applies to non-pregnant, fecund women.

Visual 1: Infographic: A flowchart illustrating how women are categorized into 'met need', 'unmet need for spacing', and 'unmet need for limiting' based on their fertility, reproductive desires, and contraceptive use.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Definition of Unmet Need for Family Planning as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Community health nurses use the 'unmet need' statistic to identify and prioritize populations for family planning counseling, education, and services.
Addressing unmet need is a key strategy to reduce rates of unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and maternal mortality, directly impacting national health goals.
Understanding the reasons for unmet need (e.g., lack of access, fear of side effects, partner opposition) allows nurses to provide tailored and effective counseling.

How to Approach the Question

This is a definition-based recall question common in community health nursing.
First, identify the core term in the question stem: 'unmet need for family planning'.
Analyze the term: 'Unmet' implies a need that is not being satisfied. 'Family planning' relates to controlling the number and spacing of children.
Evaluate each option against this analysis. The correct option must describe a situation where a desire to prevent pregnancy exists, but no action (contraception) is being taken.
Option B directly matches this logic: a desire to delay or stop childbearing (the need) combined with not using contraception (the 'unmet' part).
Eliminate other options by identifying what they describe: Option A is 'met need', Option C is a cause of unmet need, and Option D is a situation where the need is not currently applicable.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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