International Journal of Women's Health (Jul 2020)

Determinants of Sub-Optimal Birth Spacing in Gedeo Zone, South Ethiopia: A Case–Control Study

  • Muluneh AA,
  • Kassa ZY,
  • Siyoum M,
  • Gebretsadik A,
  • Woldeyes Y,
  • Tenaw Z

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 12
pp. 549 – 556

Abstract

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Abebaw Abeje Muluneh,1 Zemenu Yohannes Kassa,1 Melese Siyoum,1 Achamyelesh Gebretsadik,2 Yewlsew Woldeyes,1 Zelalem Tenaw1 1Department of Midwifery, Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Abebaw Abeje MulunehDepartment of Midwifery, Hawassa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hawassa Tel +251 921 194 571Email [email protected]: Birth spacing is key in ensuring the health of mothers and their children as well as determining population growth. Most of the mothers in developing nations including Ethiopia have been practicing short inter-birth intervals. There is a paucity of studies concerned with suboptimal birth spacing among women in reproductive age in the study area.Purpose: This study aims to identify the determinants of sub-optimal birth spacing among reproductive-age women in Gedeo zone, South Ethiopia.Materials and Methods: A community-based unmatched case–control study was undertaken among 814 reproductive-age women in Gedeo zone, South Ethiopia from October 1 to November 30, 2018. Cases were women practiced suboptimal/short birth intervals (< 33 months), whereas controls were women practiced inter-birth intervals of 33 months and more. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used. A stratified, two-stage cluster sampling technique was used. EpiData version 3.1 and SPSS version 22 were used for data entry and analysis, respectively. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed. P-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. All ethical procedures were considered.Results: Women’s educational status, AOR (95% CI) =0.6 (0.43, 0.96), age at first marriage, AOR (95% CI) = 0.9 (0.85, 0.99), distance from the nearest health facility, AOR (95% CI) = 1.4 (1.04, 1.94), wealth index, AOR (95% CI) = 4.1 (2.66, 6.19), and postnatal care utilization after the previous birth, AOR (95% CI) = 0.4 (0.25, 0.53) were statistically significant with suboptimal birth spacing.Conclusion: Women’s educational status age at first marriage, distance from the nearest health facility, wealth index and postnatal care utilization after the previous birth were the determinants of suboptimal birth spacing.Keywords: suboptimal birth spacing, Gedeo, reproductive age women

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