Frequency of Unintended Fertility and its Associated Factors in Married Men

Abstract

Background and purpose: Unwanted fertility is rarely studied among men.The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of unintended pregnancy and its related factors in married men in South of Tehran, Iran. Materials and methods: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted in 507 married men aged 23-49 in 2017. Demographic characteristics of the participants, their fertility history and knowledge on this issue were recorded. To analyze the data, single and multiple logistic regressions were conducted. Results: The majority of participants reported history of pregnancy in their wives (95.1%). Approximately 37% of married men experienced at least one unwanted pregnancy. Adjusted multivariate logistic regression showed that being married more than once (AOR [Adjusted Odds Ratio], 95% CI= 2.74; 1.07-7.13), low level of comfort in the use of contraceptive methods (AOR, 95% CI= 10.06; 1.95-51.9), more than two live births (AOR, 95% CI= 2.49; 1.60-3.88), having three children and more (AOR, 95% CI= 6.70; 3.51-12.79), and doubts about marriage durability (AOR, 95% CI=0.25; 0.08-0.81) were associated with unwanted pregnanies . Conclusion: More focus on the factors associated with male experiences of unintended pregnancy could reduce this problem. Providing care for fertility and sexuality, trainings on the correct use of contraceptive methods to men in healthcare centers could also be of great benefit in reducing the rate of unwanted pregnancy and illegal abortions, especially in socioeconomically vulnerable populations.

Keywords

• unwanted pregnancy
• married men
• tehran