Family Planning Uptake in Kagera and Mara Regions in Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Community Survey

In Tanzania, 27.1% of all women of reproductive age are currently using modern contraception and 16.8% have an unmet need for family planning. We therefore examined factors associated with family planning uptake after giving birth in two regions of Tanzania. The survey, which collected information beyond that collected in the Tanzania Demographic Health Survey, used a two-stage, stratified-cluster sampling design, conducted in April 2016 in Mara and Kagera regions in Tanzania. A total of 1184 women aged 15–49 years, who had given birth less than two years prior to the survey were included. Logistic regression mixed effect modelling was used to examine factors associated with family planning uptake. A total of 393 (33.2%) women used family planning methods and 929 (79%) required prior approval from their partners. Participation of men in utilization of maternal health care was low, where 680 (57.8%) women responded that their partners accompanied them to at least one antenatal care (ANC) counselling visit and 120 (10%) responded that their partners participated in family planning counselling. Women who did not want to disclose whether they had discussed family planning with their partners, strikingly had the highest percentage of using family planning methods after birth. Factors independently associated with family planning uptake included: having discussed family planning with the partner (aOR 3.22; 95% CI 1.99–5.21), having been counselled on family planning during antenatal care (aOR 2.68; 95% CI 1.78–4.05), having discussed family planning with a community health worker (CHW) (aOR 4.59; 95% CI 2.53–8.33) and with a facility health care worker (aOR 1.93; 95% CI 1.29–2.90), having primary or higher educational level (aOR 1.66; 95% CI 1.01–2.273), and being in union (aOR 1.86; 95% CI 1.02–3.42). Educational interaction with community and facility health workers, as well as having a supportive partner as facilitator increased uptake of family planning. This needs to be prioritized in regions with similar socio-cultural norms in Tanzania and beyond.