Abstract:
Back ground: The socially defined gender roles of men and women gauge the power balance
between the two sexes. In developing countries most communities afford inferior positions to
women. In effect women are either under collective decision-making with their partners or
completely rely on the male partner’s decision on issues that affect their reproductive live.
Studies to reveal the extent women involved in modern contraceptive decision making and
comparative difference between urban and rural areas with contributing factors were scanty.
Hence identifying the major barriers of married women’s decision-making power on
contraceptive use and exploring the effect of women’s socio-economic and decision-making
status on their contraceptive behavior has significance for planning contextually appropriate
family planning interventions.
Objective: The study is to determine current modern contraceptive practice and decision making
power among married women in Tercha Town and surrounding rural areas of Dawro zone,
SNNPR, 2010
Methods: Community based comparative cross-sectional study design with both quantitative
and Qualitative data collection technique has been employed from March to April 2010. The
respondents were 699 married women’s with in child bearing age who were identified by using
prior census and sampled using simple random sampling technique.
Result: Current modern contraceptive practice among married women in the Town is 86% and
72.8% in rural setting. Married women who reside in urban area privileged to decide on use of
MC method two and a quarter times more likely than their rural counterparts. Having better
knowledge about modern contraceptive methods, gender equitable attitude, better involvement in
decisions related to children, socio-cultural and family relations in the Town and, better
knowledge, fear of partner’s opposition or negligence, involvement in decisions about child and
economic affairs in the surrounding rural areas were important and significant contributing
factors for better decision making power of women on the use of modern contraceptive methods.
Conclusion: high level of current MC practice with reduced urban rural difference as compared
to regional & national figures. Urban residents have better power to make decisions on MC than
rural counterparts and contributing factors were differing for both settings.
