Survival Time to Modern Contraceptive Uses from the Resumption of Sexual Intercourse Among Postpartum Women in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: The timing of contraceptive use is important for a woman who intends to avoid pregnancy during the postpartum period and it has key implications for reproductive health outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the time it takes to start modern contraceptive uses from the resumption of sexual intercourse among postpartum women in Ethiopia and to identify its predictors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study using the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) was applied. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 20. Kaplan–Meier estimates were performed to explain time-to- modern contraceptive use. Cox-proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors. The adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) with a 95% confidence interval was considered to declare a statistically significant association. RESULTS: The total weighted sample comprised 1178 women. The median survival time to modern contraceptive use after birth was 4 months. In this study, the risk of modern contraceptive use was 1.29 times (AHR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.04–1.61) higher among urban resident, 1.26 times (AHR: 1.26; 95% CI: 1.09–1.47) higher among women’s attended primary education and 1.19 times (AHR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.02–1.38) higher among women’s accessed media. But, the risk of modern contraceptive use was lower among breastfeeding women by 17% (AHR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.74–0.95). CONCLUSION: The median survival timing of modern contraceptive use from the resumption of sexual intercourse was four months. Women residing in urban area, who attended primary education and accessed to media shorten the time to use contraceptives after birth, whereas women breastfed their infant lengthen the time to use a modern contraceptive. Therefore, the health-care provider should enhance modern contraceptive use through health education and promotion to curb down the four months lag period identified by considering the spotted factors.