Abstract:
Background:-unmet need for family planning and unintended pregnancy is a serious health
problem in developing country. From the stand point of women’s reproductive health rights,
unmet need for family planning and unintended pregnancy was considered as one of the
indicators for violation of such rights and one of the several basic rationales for women
empowerment. The status of unmet need for family planning and unintended pregnancy and
associated factors was not explored in the study area. Therefore, the aims of this study was to
provide information on the magnitude of unmet need for family planning and un-intended
pregnancy and associated factors in the study area to fill literature gap and inform policy
intervention.
Objective: to assess the prevalence of unmet need for family planning and occurrence of
unintended pregnancy and associated factors among women in Daro Labu district.
Methods: - Multistage Cross-sectional study involving quantitative data collection method
was carried out from may 1-5/2014.S ample of 532 of women in a reproductive age group
participated in the study. Information was collected on: Age, parity, Educational status,
Religions, socio-demographic characteristics, Ever use of contraceptive and on relevant
explanatory variables on unmet need. This data was collected using a structured and pretested, close and open ended questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS for window a statistical
soft ware's. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis was carried out to see the
association between independent and dependent variable.
Results From the total of 532 women's, 519 (97.5 %) responded to the questionnaire
administered. Unmet need for family planning was 36.8% (26.4% for spacing and 10.4% for
limiting). Eight two (47 %) perceived that their pregnancy was unintended 59 (34%)
mistimed and 23(13%) unwanted). The independent variables associated with unmet needs
for family planning at (P value<0.05) by both bivariate and multivariate analysis were:
educational status, wealth, decision about contraceptive practice, knowledge of
contraceptive method and exposure to media. Unintended pregnancy was also associated with
educational status, parity and exposure to media (P<0.04).
Conclusion and recommendations :- In this study educational status, wealth, decision about
contraceptive practice, knowledge of contraceptive method and exposure to media were
identified as factors affecting unmet need for family planning. Similarly unintended
pregnancy was associated with educational status, parity and exposure to media. As the
issue of unmet need for family planning and Unintended pregnancy is a public health, gender
and a population issue; effectively addressing these problems could help in multidimensional
improvements and could pave the way to achieve MDGs. Therefore, Zonal and District
health offices, , and other concerned body should take appropriate actions on the factors
identified affecting unmet need and unintended pregnancy.
