Factors influencing unmet needs for family planning among currently married women in Nepal

Abstract

Background: Family planning is one of the most cost-effective interventions available, but still there exists unmet needs for family planning. Women are said to have unmet needs for family planning if they want to stop or delay child bearing, but are not using any methods of contraception. According to Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2001 data the prevalence of unmet needs in Nepal was 27.8%. Unplanned or unwanted pregnancy may result in abortion which in most of the cases occurs in unhygienic conditions in Nepal taking many lives each year. Purpose of the study: To determine the unmet needs of family planning in Nepal and identify the factors responsible. Methodology: The secondary data of NDHS 2006 was used and the study was done on 8,244 women who were married at the time of survey. An analytical study was done to find the association between unmet needs and explanatory variables and was assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Also the linear trend was tested. Results: There were total 26% unmet needs for family planning (10% spacing and 16% limiting). There was significant association (p<0.05) between unmet needs and explanatory variables such as age (decreasing, p<0.001 for linear trend), place of residence [rural (OR=1.04; CI=0.91-1.19)], religion [Muslims (OR=1.97; CI=1.51-2.57)], education, (decreasing, p<0.001 for linear trend), parity (increasing, p<0.001 for linear trend), wealth index (decreasing, p<0.001 for linear trend) and exposure to media [newspaper (OR=1.19; CI=1.01-1.41), television (OR=0.97; CI=0.85-1.10) and radio (OR=1.20; CI=0.99-1.45)]). No significant association was found with age at first marriage. Conclusion: One quarter of the women still have unmet needs for family planning. The factors influencing unmet needs should be consider while formulating a family planning program. Thus, family planning program should prioritize rural, uneducated, young and underprivileged women.