Determinants and Magnitude of Unintended Pregnancy Among Selected Married Women in Hawassa Town, SNNPRS
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Date
2008-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Reducing the number of unintended pregnancies promotes not only fertility reduction
program but also reproductive health mainly by reducing the number of times a woman is
exposed to the risk of pregnancy and child bearing in adverse circums tances.
Determinants and magnitude of unintended pregnancy is clUcial in attempts of attaining
the goal of reducing unintended pregnancy through any kind of interventions . In this
regard, this research paper examines the determinants and magnitude of unintended
pregnancy among selected married women in Hawassa town.
A cross-sectional descriptive study was camĀ·ed out on 630 selected married women,
whose most recent pregnancy occurred between January, 2006 and January, 2008.
Snowball sampling technique was used to reach at respondents. The method employed
was interviewing and focus group discussion s.
The findings show that 36 percent oJ pregnancies are estimated to have been unintended.
This result is comparable with the national average, which was 35 percent. 22 percent
had reported ending the pregnancy in induced abortion. Of the variables considered in the
study, number of living Children, age at first marriage, educational level and age of
respondents were f ound to be significantly as sociated with unintended pregnancy.
In conclus ion, the research result shows that respondents of low age at first marriage,
large number of children, and pregnancy at early reproductive age are at increased risk of
unintended pregnancy. Hence, family planning services should focus on helping those
particular groups of married women found to have been exercising unintended pregnancy .
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Keywords
Married Women