Study on prevalence of unmet need for spacing and limiting and their associated factors among reproductive age group women in rural areas: An analytical cross sectional study

Abstract

Background: Population growth rates are subject to momentum like railway trains. They start slowly and gain momentum. Once in motion, it takes long time to bring the momentum under the control. Objective was to estimate the prevalence of unmet need for spacing and limiting and to determine the association of unmet need for spacing and limiting with sociodemographic factors among married women between the ages of 15 – 49 years in rural areas.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out over a period of one year in the rural areas of Venkatachalam Mandal, Nellore District. The study population comprised all married women aged 15-49 years residing in Venkatachalam Mandal. A total sample of 450 married women in the reproductive age group were included. The association between unmet need for spacing and limiting with sociodemographic factors was assessed using chi-square test.

Results: Among the study subjects (n=338), the unmet need for spacing is 10% (34). According to the study subjects (n=333), unmet need for limiting is 7.8%. Unmet need for spacing showed a statistically significant association with age group, education and occupation of both wife and husband, type of family, socioeconomic status, and age at first delivery, while no significant association was observed with religion, caste, or husband’s occupation. Unmet need for limiting was significantly associated with age group, wife’s education, occupation of wife and husband, type of family, age at marriage, and age at first delivery; however, it showed no significant association with religion, caste, husband’s education, or socioeconomic status.

Conclusions: Unmet need for spacing and limiting was significantly influenced by key sociodemographic and reproductive factors, particularly age, education, occupation, family type, and timing of marriage and childbirth. Strengthening targeted, education-focused and life-stage–specific family planning interventions may help reduce unmet need and improve contraceptive uptake.