The Determinants of Post-Par tum Contraceptive Use among Currently Married Women in Awassa Town (Southern Ethiopia
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Date
2000-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study is an attempt to explore and learn about the postpartum contraceptive
behavior of women and to identify the determinants of postpartum contraceptive use
in Awassa town, the Capital of Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region
( SNNPR).
The methods used to collect data include a cross-sectional survey, focus group
di scussion and informal interview with service providers. In the survey, a complete
interview was administered to a total of 1142 randomly sampled currently man'ied,
non- pregnant postpartum women who gave live births within the 24 months
preceding the Survey. Six focus group di scussion sessions, involving 42 eligible
women, and informal interview with representatives three major service providing
institutions in the study area, namely: the Awassa Health Center, FGAE and Marie
Stopes International Family Health Clinics, were conducted to generate the
qualitative data for the Study. Descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analytical
techniques were employed to analyze the data.
Results of the study show that of all respondents 52.7 percent were cUlTently using
contraceptive methods. 73.3 percent of the cUlTent users initiated contraception for
spacing bilths. Among all non-contracepti ve users 73 percent intended to use modern
contraceptives in the future. FUlther, of all respondents 27.1 percent wanted no more
children and 48.3 percent desired to space their next births by at least two years.
However, 13.6 percent the respondents are exposed to the risk of unwanted
pregnancy. Obtaining adequate FP-information is a major felt need of the studied
women.
The popular reasons for non- use of contraceptives among women exposed to the risk
of pregnancy were health concern or fear of side effects of contracepti ves and CUITent
breast-feeding status.
The multivariate result shows that postpartum contraceptive use is strongly related
with women's post-pattum amenorrhea status, age, husband's attitude and obtaining
family planning information during child immunization.
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The study recommends the need to devise adeq uate postpartum strategies to
effectively address postpartum women needs for FP- education, coun se ling and other
contracepti ve services. It is also recommended th at lactational amenon'hea method
(LAM) be integrated in the package of postpattum reproductive health services.
Finally, the study suggests the need to encourage men to attend during antenatal and
postnatal counseling sessions in order to enhance their perception of benefits of- FP
and to enable them support fami ly planning needs of their wives .
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Keywords
Married Women