Abstract:
Background: In spite of the massive spending and extensive family-planning promotion, many poor people in the
third world remain reluctant to use modern contraceptive method. Mostly when they use modern contraceptives,
their continuation rates are often low. Reproductive health can improve women’s nutrition; in return better
nutrition can improve reproductive health. Thus addressing the connection between nutrition and reproductive
health is critical to ensure population growth that does not overwhelm world resources.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 15–30, 2014 in Soddo Zuria
Woreda, Southern Ethiopia. A total of 651 currently married women of reproductive age group were selected using
multistage sampling. Probability proportional to the size allocation method was employed to determine the
number of households. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the association between family planning
use and food security status after adjusting for other covariates.
Results: Use of modern contraceptive method was significantly low among food insecure women (29.7 %)
compared to those who were food secure (52.0 %), (P < 0.001). Women from food secure households were nearly
twice likely to use modern contraceptive methods (AOR: 1.69 (CI: 1.03, 2.66)). Similarly, those who had antenatal
care (ANC) visit (AOR: 4.56 (CI: 2.45, 7.05)); exposure to media (AOR: 4.92 (CI: 1.84, 13.79)) and those who discussed
about contraceptive methods with their partner (AOR: 3.07 (CI: 1.86, 5.22)) were more likely to use modern
contraceptive methods. Conversely, women who delivered their last child at home were less likely to use modern
contraceptive methods (AOR: 0.08 (CI: 0.03, 0.13)).
Conclusion: Food insecurity is negatively associated with modern contraceptive method use. Thus food insecurity
should be considered as one of the barriers in designing family planning services and needs special arrangement.
