Predictors of unmet need for family planning among all women of reproductive age in Ethiopia

INTRODUCTION: Contraception is a good indicator of the extent to which couples have access to reproductive health services. Survey data on unmet need can provide overall direction by helping to pinpoint the obstacles in society and weaknesses in services that need to be overcome. This study is significant as it provides strong policy recommendations for the design and implementation of economic and non-economic interventions into family planning utilization by all eligible women. OBJECTIVE: To Identify Predictors of Unmet Need of Family Planning in Ethiopia. METHODS: A national level survey by performance monitoring and accountability (PMA 2020), which conducted between March and April 2016 among 7552 all women of 15–49 years were utilized. Stata® version13 were used for survey data for analysis using weighted frequency to give equal chances for enumeration areas represented. Binary and multivariate logistic regression employed. P-value < 0.05 were used to declare independent predictors of unmet need for family planning in Ethiopia. RESULT: 7494 women responded to the interview giving response rate of 99.2%. Overall unmet need for family planning was 1, 214 (16.2%) of which 772 (10.3%) was for spacing and 450 (6.0%) for limiting. Overall unmet need was 540 (7.2%) in urban and 1431(19.1%) in rural areas of the Ethiopia. Statistically significant predictors with this were found to be women’s age 0.73 AOR [95% C.I 0.6–0.9], being lower wealth 0.22 AOR [95% C.I 0.07–0.6] as compared to lowest, parity 2.1 AOR [95% C.I 1.4–2.9], number of children at first use of contraceptive 1.1 AOR [95% C.I 1.03–1.19], having final say with provider 0.03 AOR [95% C.I 0.003–0.23] as compared with own decision making. CONCLUSION: Unmet need of family planning in Ethiopia was generally high especially with significant disparity in residence and regional states. Socio-demographic factors (age and wealth status) and obstetric factor (parity) were found to be significant factor. Informed decision making for provision of contraceptives and enhancing women’s awareness starting their childbearing life with family planning were recommended.