The Pattern and Determinants of Birth interval among Married Women of Reproductive age Group, Maichew Town, South Tigray.
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
Background: Ethiopia is one of the populated African countries with total fertility rate of 5.4
and annual population growth rate of 2.6. Birth spacing is an important factor for regulating the
fertility of country’s population and it is in turn determined by reproductive behaviors and sociodemographic
factors which have direct and indirect effect on the health of the mother and child.
The mean birth interval of Ethiopia is 33.8 months which is below the recent healthier
recommended range of 3-5 years by OBSI and the proportion of short birth interval is 56%.
Objectives This study aimed at assessing the pattern and determinants of length of birth interval
as well as the mean duration of birth interval in Maichew town.
Methodology: For this study, 605 eligible women (women who had at least two children) were
selected by using simple random sampling technique. Sub-kebelles were randomly selected after
listing and census was done on the selected sub-kebelles and sampling frame was prepared and
the eligible women were selected by simple random sampling. Data was processed and analyzed
using EPI Data and SPSS version 11computer soft-wares. In order to investigate the effects of
covariates on the dependent variable, logistic regression was used.
Result: The median birth interval of the study population was 34.6 months (2.84 years). An
examination of the birth interval distribution by duration categories (< 36 months and >36
months) reveals that 357(59%) of women have intervals shorter than 36 months. In multivariate
analysis, educated women, women with high and moderate social status, women with educated
partner and those who usually breastfeed longer and use contraception were found to have longer
birth intervals.
Conclusion and recommendations: Dissemination of information on the normal birth interval
in health facilities is low and the effort to increase the length of contraceptive use is less as
majority of mothers only use less than two years. Therefore, dissemination of information about
recommended interval and provision of comprehensive family planning services should be
considered. Cooperative effort to improve women’s economic independency and decision
making power to increase maternal social status has to be conducted. Finally female education as
well as male education should be encouraged by concerned local stakeholders
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The Pattern and Determinants of Birth interval