Unmet need for contraception and unintended pregnancies among women of reproductive age group: A situation analysis

Background: Family planning includes knowledge, services, attitude, policies and practices which enable individuals to decide whether they want to have child and allow them to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Pakistan with population of 195.390 million with estimated population growth rate as 1.89 is the sixth most populous country in the world. Our objectives were to assess the total demand of family planning, contraceptive prevalence rate, unmet need for family planning and factors associated with unmet need of family planning among women of reproductive age group. Methods: We conducted this cross-sectional study on 355 females of reproductive age attending the out-patient department as patient or attendant. Data were collected using structured questionnaire after the participants' verbal consent. Results: The prevalence of unmet need was 34%. The proportion of unmet need for spacing was 63.6% and for limiters it was found to be 36.3%. Contraceptive prevalence rate was 57%. Total demand for family planning was 92.1%.Almost all study participant had knowledge regarding at least one method of contraception. Unmet need of family planning was found to be significantly associated with age and education status of women. High unmet need was there in women with low education status (p=0.047) and older age group (p=0.003). Main reasons for not using contraceptive was family opposition both family and husband (66.9), and fear of side effects (17.3%). Conclusion: More than one third females had unmet need which strongly points towards the strong influence of various socio demographic factors contributing towards the unmet need.

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Unmet Need for Family Planning and Associated Factors Among Married Women of Reproductive Age in Shebedino District, Southern Ethiopia, 2020

10.21203/rs.3.rs-69351/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Matewos Wotango Wonago ◽

Desalegn Tsegaw Hibstu

Keyword(s):

Family Planning ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Unmet Need ◽

Married Women ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Early Marriage ◽

Age Group ◽

Women Of Reproductive Age ◽

First Marriage ◽

Reproductive Age Group

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.

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