Determinants of Unintended Pregnancy Among Currently Married Women in Gozamin Wereda,East Gojjam of Amhara, Ethiopia
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Date
2010-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Context: - It is a universally acceptedfact that unintended pregnancy and births could have
negative consequences/or women, children, families and societies at large. The current study
aimed to examine the level and determinants 0/ unintended pregnancy among selected women in
Gozamen woreda in the Amhara Region
Methods: - A cross-sectional study involving a sample 0/576 currently married women of
reproductive age, whose most recent pregnancy occurred within the last five years prior to the
survey was carried out in three kebeles, selectedli'om the study area. All pregnancies regardless
a/outcome are included in the study Data was col/ected/i'om 554 respondents using a structured
questionnaire. A multistage sampling technique was used to reach the respondents. Both
quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. Descriptive and multivariate statistical
techniques were used in the analysis o/the data.
Results: - About two out 0/ jive women (40.8 percent) reported that their most recent pregnancies
were unintended. High percentage 0/ unintended pregnancy (8 7. 2%) was among respondents
who were not using modem method 0/ contraception prior 10 their most recent pregnancies.
Results of the multivariate analysis indicafed that several demographic, socio-economic and
family planning/clclors influence whether a pregnancy is intended or unplanned Women aged 35
and above (OR: 6.644), those who didn 't use contraceptive prior to the recent pregnancy (OR:
2.047 ), those with no knowledge o/modern contraceptive methods (OR 4.068) and those
married to husbands who do not approve contraceptive methods (OR: 3.962) had a higher
chance 0/ experiencing unintended pregnancy. Furthermore, those married at the age of 18 and
above (OR: 0.321), respondents who have exposure to media (OR: 0.404), women with at leas/
primmy education (OR.' 0 .169), those women working outside home (OR: 0.387) and those
married to husbands working in the non-agricultural sector (OR: 0.172) had lower chance 0/
experiencing unintended pregnancy.Conclus ion and recommendation: - Unintended pregnancy was/ound to be a major reproductive
health problem in the study area resultingji-om the high ul1lnet need/or{amily planning and thu s
deserves priority allentiol1. Policymakers and program planners need to design programs and
services carefidly to reduce unintended pregnancy in the region, especially, services should/ocus
on helping those groups o/women who are identified in the analysis as bein g at increased risk 0/
unintended pregnancy- illiterate, ,older women aged 35 and above, those who go t married at
early age ,those who have less knowledge and practice 0/ co ntraceptive methods and those who
have/ive or more living children and women in rural areas.
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Keywords
Unintended Pregnancy