Abstract
Back Ground: The Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, report indicates that high level with slight decrement of unmet need for family planning among married women that is, 37%, 25%, and 22% in 2000, 2011 and 2016 respectively. One of the consequences of unmet need is unwanted pregnancy with its serious squeal of induced abortion, and ultimately results in high maternal morbidity and mortality. The risk would increase in developing countries considerably (10). Therefore, this study focused on assessing magnitude of unmet need for FP and associated factors among married women of reproductive age group in Shebedino district, Sidama Zone, South Ethiopia, 2019.Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 12 to 28, 2019. Data on married reproductive age groups women were collected using a pre-tested and interviewer administered structured questionnaire from 447 women using systematic random sampling technique. The data were entered using Epi Data version 3.1 and then exported in to SPSS version 20.0 Software for analysis. The result of bi-variable and multi-variable was reported by Adjusted Odd Ratio with 95% confidence. Result: A total of 447 married reproductive age group (15-49 years) women were included in the study with 100 % response rate. Fifty Six (12.5%) 95% CI: 9.5%-15.5%) women had unmet need for family planning [42 (9.4%) for spacing and 14 (3.1%) for limiting]. Age of the respondents [AOR= 6.02, CI: 2.73, 13.27], Age at first marriage [AOR= 9.3, CI: 1.9, 45.42], birth interval, [AOR= 2.9, CI, 1.3, 6.3], Number of alive children, [AOR= 9.3, CI: 1.9, 45.42], and Age at first start to use family planning to control birth (AOR= 3.69, CI: 1.44, 9.45) were identified as a positively associated factors.Conclusion: The level of unmet need for family planning in this study (12.5%) was lower than both the national (22%) and South Regional State (21%). Thus, spacing among births for at least two or more years, enforcing the law on minimum age for the first marriage, involvement of men in shaping reproductive preferences, reducing early marriage and participating relevant stakeholders to minimize mistimed and unwanted pregnancies and unmet need for family planning are recommended.