Modern Family Planning Utilization among Married Rural Women in Ethiopia: The Case of Sululta Woreda, Oromia Special Zone

Abstract

Ethiopia is one of the most populous Sub-Saharan countries characterized by high population growth rate where only 27% of women in the reproductive age group are currently using modern family planning methods. Hence, this study aimed to assess the utilization of modern family planning among married rural women in Sululta woreda of Oromia special zone. A descriptive research design was used, whereby a community based cross-sectional study was conducted among married rural women in the study area. A structured questionnaire was developed and administered to 115 randomly selected married rural women. The collected data were statistically analyzed by using both descriptive and inferential statistics. There is a high degree of awareness about family planning (88.7%) while 13.9% of the sample respondents practiced modern family planning. Injectable contraceptive was the most frequently used method (62.5%), followed by oral pills (25%). The multivariate regression analysis shows that couple’s discussion about family planning (OR = 21.472) and a large number of alive children (OR = 1.588) were found to have statistically a significant relationship with the use of modern family planning. The study revealed that modern family planning utilization was low in the study area and significantly associated with low educational status, the absence of couple’s discussion and the number of alive children. Therefore, the concerned stakeholders should encourage couples to talk freely about family planning, provide information on the benefit of birth spacing, possible side effects of contraception and encourage positive attitudes towards modern family planning use.