Determinants of family planning use among married women in bale eco-region, Southeast Ethiopia: a community based study

BACKGROUND: Family planning is the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births. Providing family planning could prevent maternal deaths by allowing women to delay motherhood, space births, avoid unintended pregnancies and abortions, and stop childbearing when they reach their desired family size. Despite the fact that family planning is advantageous for maternal and newborn health and the services and commodities are free of charge, the reason of not using modern family planning methods is unclear in Bale Eco-Region. Therefore, this study assessed the contraceptive prevalence rate and its determinants among women in Bale Eco-Region, Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design (both quantitative and qualitative methods) was conducted from December 2016 to February 2017. Five hundred sixty-seven women were successfully interviewed using structured and pre-tested questionnaire. A multistage sampling technique was employed. Data were entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21. Logistic regression analyses were done and a significant association was declared at p-value less than 0.05. All focus group discussions and key informant interviews were recorded and analyzed thematically. RESULTS: The overall contraceptive prevalence rate was 41.5%. Injectable (48.1%), implants (22.6%) and pills (20.0%) were the most contraceptive methods utilized by study participants. Spousal (husband’s) opposition (38.8%), religious beliefs (17.7%), concern and fear of side effects (14.8%), and distance of family planning service (5.9%) were the reasons for not using contraceptive methods. Having more than seven deliveries (AOR = 2.98, CI = 1.91–6.10, P = 0.000) and having birth interval less than 24 months between the last two children (AOR = 3.8, CI = 13.41–21.61, P = 0.003) were significantly associated with utilization of contraceptive methods. CONCLUSION: Low contraceptive prevalence rate might be attributed by husband opposition, religious beliefs, concern and fear of side effects. Having more than seven deliveries and birth interval less than 24 months between the last two children were determinants of contraceptive use. Family planning consultation opportunities should be created to make male’s involved and to increase their responsibility for family planning use.