Spousal Separation and Use of and Unmet Need for Contraception in Nepal: Results Based on a 2016 Survey

Unmet Need for Family Planning and Spousal Separation in Nepal: A Spatial and Multilevel Analysis

Objectives: In Nepal, where increasing numbers of married couples live apart due to migration, progress in reducing unmet need for family planning (UMN) is stagnant. This study aims to identify spatial patterns of UMN of married women and spousal separation in Nepal and explore associations between UMN and spousal separation at individual- and district-levels. Methods: We used 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys data to conduct spatial and multilevel logistic analyses. Results: This study shows evidence of similar geographical patterns in UMN of married women and spousal separation. At the individual level, women living with their spouses had 88% (aOR = 0.12, 95% CI 0.11-0.13) decreased odds of experiencing UMN compared to those living apart from their spouses. While not statistically significant, increasing odds of UMN were observed with higher prevalence of spousal separation at the district level. Conclusion: This study contributes to the existing literature by showing similar geographical patterns of UMN and spousal separation across Nepal and demonstrating both individual and contextual effects of spousal separation on UMN among married women. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Findings from a mixed-methods evaluation of a multi-level adolescent and youth reproductive and maternal health intervention in Karnali Province, Nepal

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Nepal have disproportionately poor reproductive and maternal health outcomes. In response, Save the Children, the Nepal government, and local partners designed and implemented Healthy Transitions for Nepali Youth, a multi-level integrated intervention. The intervention aimed to improve reproductive, maternal, and newborn health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among AGYW, and address gender attitudes and norms in four districts of Karnali Province, Nepal.

METHODS

Married and unmarried AGYW aged 15-24 were engaged in a small group, curriculum-based intervention; husbands and families received home visits, using short videos to catalyze discussion; communities were engaged through dialogue-based activities; and the health system was made more adolescent-responsive through quality assessments, training, and supervision. An external organization conducted a quantitative survey with a sample of 786 AGYW intervention participants at baseline and 565 of the same AGYW at endline. Pooled linear regressions were estimated for each indicator to assess the statistical significance of differences between baseline and endline. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted with AGYW, husbands, families, community leadership, and program implementers. Data analysis was done through STATA 14^th version and NVivo.

RESULTS

The percentage of AGYW currently using a modern contraceptive method increased significantly, and more AGYW believed that their family was supportive of delaying marriage and motherhood at the endline. Young women's knowledge of danger signs during labor increased, and there was a significant improvement in essential newborn care practices immediately after birth. AGYW reported shifts towards more gender equitable attitudes and behaviors, including related to decision-making about reproductive and maternal health.

CONCLUSION

Positive shifts in reproductive, maternal, and newborn health and gender knowledge, attitudes, and behavior were observed among AGYW, their male partners, and families. The results can inform the design of future interventions to effectively reach this critical population.

TRAIL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

C. Singh Y, Karkee R, Khatri RB. Knowledge and practices of modern contraceptives among religious minority (Muslim) women: A cross-sectional study from Southern Nepal

BACKGROUND

Uptake of family planning (FP) services could prevent many unwanted pregnancies, and unsafe abortions and avert maternal deaths. However, women, especially from ethnic and religious minorities, have a low practice of contraceptives in Nepal. This study examined the knowledge and practices of modern contraceptive methods among Muslim women in Nepal.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 Muslim women in the Khajura Rural Municipality of Banke district. Data were collected using face to face structured interviews. Two outcome variables included i) knowledge of and ii) practices of contraceptives. Knowledge and practice scores were estimated using the list of questions. Using median as a cut-off point, scores were categorised into two categories for each outcome variable (e.g., good knowledge and poor knowledge). Independent variables were several sociodemographic factors. The study employed logistic regression analysis, and odds ratios (OR) were reported with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) at a significance level of p<0.05 (two-tailed).

RESULTS

Almost two-thirds (69.2%) of respondents had good knowledge of modern contraceptive methods, but only 47.3% practised these methods. Women of nuclear family (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.38,0.95), and who work in agricultural sector (aOR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.64) were less likely to have good knowledge on modern contraceptives. Women with primary (aOR = 2.59; 95% CI: 1.43, 4.72), secondary and above education (aOR = 4.41; 95% CI:2.02,9.63), women with good knowledge of modern contraceptives (aOR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.66, 4.51), who ever visited a health facility for FP counselling (aOR = 4.40; 95% CI: 2.58, 7.50) had higher odds of modern contraceptives practices.

CONCLUSION

Muslim women had low use of modern contraceptive methods despite having satisfactory knowledge about them. There is a need for more equitable and focused high-quality FP practices. Targeted interventions are needed to increase the knowledge and practices of contraceptives in the Muslim community. The study highlights the need to target FP interventions among socially disadvantaged women, those living in a nuclear family, and those with poor knowledge of modern contraceptives.

Four in ten married women demands satisfied by modern contraceptives in high fertility sub-Saharan Africa countries: a multilevel analysis of demographic and health surveys

BACKGROUND

Demand satisfied with modern contraceptive can be seen on both a health and economic level. Additionally, family planning helps to regulate fertility, prevent unintended pregnancies and their consequences. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the magnitude of demand satisfied with modern contraceptive among married/in-union women in ten high fertility sub Saharan African countries.

METHODS

Recent Demographic and Health Surveys that included a weighted sample of 43,745 women of reproductive age provided the data for this study. All statistical analyses were conducted once the data had been weighted, and Stata version 16.0 was used. A multilevel mixed-effect binary logistic regression model was fitted. To determine statistically significant individual and community-level factors associated with demand satisfied for modern contraceptive, odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval was generated. A p-value less than 0.05 was declared as statistical significance.

RESULTS

Overall, demand satisfied to use modern contraceptive in high fertility sub-Saharan Africa countries was 39.53% (95%CI: 39.06, 39.98). Women aged 25-34 (AOR: 1.34, 95%CI: 1.26, 1.42) and 35-49 (AOR: 1.28, 95%CI: 1.20, 1.38), women education: primary (AOR: 1.35, 95%CI: 1.27, 1.44) and secondary (AOR: 2.05, 95%CI: 1.90, 2.21), husband education: primary (AOR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.18, 1.35) and secondary (AOR: 1.54, 95%CI: 1.43, 1.66), husband residence (AOR: 1.75, 95%CI: 1.60, 1.91), media exposure (AOR: 1.22, 95%CI: 1.15, 1.29), wealth index: poorer (AOR: 1.1, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.19), middle (AOR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.08, 1.28), richer (AOR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.26, 1.49) and richest (AOR: 1.34, 95%CI: 1.56, 1.89), number of children: 4-6 (AOR: 0.48, 95%CI: 0.43, 0.55) and above 6 (AOR: 0.39, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.59), perceived distance to the health facility not big problem (AOR: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.15), urban residence (AOR: 1.18, 95%CI: 1.10, 1.27), high community level poverty (AOR: 0.85, 95%CI: 0.74, 0.97) were significantly associated with demand satisfied for modern contraceptives.

CONCLUSION

Only four in ten married reproductive age women demands satisfied with modern contraceptives in high fertility Sub Saharan African countries. Modern contraceptives should therefore be more widely available, especially in rural areas and for those living away from health facilities. Also, increasing media exposure and education, providing financial support, and making contraceptive access easier for married women from poor households are important interventions that need to be put in place.

Prevalence and determinants of unmet need for contraception among women in low and high-priority segments for family planning demand generation in Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Studies have identified various determinants of unmet need for contraception. These determinants cut across individual, household, community, and health facility levels. Despite this evidence, there remains a lack of information regarding differentials in the prevalence and determinants of unmet need for contraception among women in the low-priority segments (such as women of advanced reproductive age and women living with disabilities) and high-priority segments (such as adolescents, young adults, and unmarried women) for family planning demand generation, hence this study.

METHODS

The study design is cross-sectional. The study analyzed merged data from the individual, and persons recode of the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). The samples analyzed are 5,147 women in the high-priority segment and 7,536 women in the low-priority segment. The outcome variable in the study was unmet need for contraception. The explanatory variables were selected at the individual, household, community, and facility levels. Statistical analyzes were performed using Stata 14. Three multilevel mixed-effects regression models were fitted. Model 1 was the empty model, while Model 2 included the sets of individual, household, and community variables. Model 3 controlled for the facility-level variables.

RESULTS

Findings show a higher prevalence of unmet need for contraception among women in the family planning low-priority segment compared to women in the family planning high-priority segment. Religion and desired family size were the two individual characteristics that significantly predicted the unmet need for contraception among women in the two segments. Sexual autonomy was the only household characteristic that predicted unmet need for contraception in both segments. There were differences in the community characteristics that predicted unmet need for contraception among women in the two segments.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of unmet need for contraception is not the same among women in low and high family planning priority segments. The determinants also differ among women in the two segments. Though, women in different family planning segments have the same contraceptive needs of avoiding pregnancy when not needed, however, getting the needs satisfied requires that existing programs be further examined to develop initiatives that will resonate with each segment of reproductive-age women.

Factors associated with modern contraceptive demands satisfied among currently married/in-union women of reproductive age in Ethiopia: a multilevel analysis of the 2016 Demographic and Health Survey

OBJECTIVES

Regardless of the local and international initiatives, excluding exempting services, demand satisfied for contraceptives remains low in Ethiopia. This circumstance is supposed to be attributed to different level factors; however, most were not well addressed in the previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the magnitude and individual, household and community-level factors associated with demand satisfied for modern contraceptive (DSFMC) methods among married/in-union women of reproductive age.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

A community-based study across the country.

PARTICIPANTS

Randomly selected 9126 married/in-union women had participated using a structured questionnaire.

OUTCOME

DSFMC methods among married/in-union women of reproductive age.

RESULTS

DSFMC methods in Ethiopia was 39.5% (95% CI 38.5% to 40.5%). Women aged 35-49 years (adjusted OR (AOR): 0.43, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.58), Muslim religion (AOR: 0.58, 95% CI0.43 to 0.78), husband lived elsewhere (AOR: 0.42, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.60), joint decision making to use (AOR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.62), good knowledge (AOR: 1.57, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.86) and wealth status of poorer (AOR: 1.56, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.06), middle (AOR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.33 to 2.35), richer (AOR: 1.96, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.59), and richest (AOR: 1.49, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.08), pastoralist regions (AOR: 0.28, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.42), and agrarian regions (AOR: 1.72, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.44) and rural residency (AOR: 0.56, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.82) were factors significantly associated.

CONCLUSIONS

Women's age, religion, the current living place of husbands and women's knowledge were individual-level factors. Household wealth status and mutual decision making to use were household-level factors. Region and residency were households and community-level factors associated with DSFMCs. Increasing the accessibility of modern contraceptive methods to women in rural areas and pastoralist regions, those living separately, engaging religious leaders and men in the programme, would increase their satisfying demand.

Associations between early marriage and preterm delivery: Evidence from lowland Nepal

OBJECTIVES

Preterm delivery (<37 weeks gestation) is the largest cause of child mortality worldwide. Marriage and pregnancy during adolescence have been associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery. We investigate independent associations of age at marriage and age at first pregnancy with preterm delivery in a cohort of women from rural lowland Nepal.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 17 974 women in the Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial. Logistic regression models tested associations of age at marriage and age at first pregnancy with preterm delivery, for primigravida (n = 6 243) and multigravida (n = 11 731) women. Models were adjusted for maternal education, maternal caste, and household asset score.

RESULTS

Ninety percent of participants had married at <18 years and 58% had their first pregnancy at <18 years. 20% of participants delivered preterm. Primigravida participants married at ≤14 years had higher odds of preterm delivery than those married ≥18 years, when adjusting for study design (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.45, 95% CI: 1.15-1.83), confounders (aOR 1.28: 1.01-1.62) and confounders + age at pregnancy (aOR 1.29: 1.00-1.68). Associations were insignificant for multigravida women. No significant associations were observed between age at first pregnancy and preterm delivery.

DISCUSSION

In this population, early marriage, rather than pregnancy, is a risk factor for preterm delivery. We hypothesize that psychological stress, a driver of preterm delivery which is increased among those marrying young, rather than physiological immaturity, drives this association. Further research into the psychological consequences of child marriage in Nepal is needed.

A prospective cohort study to assess the acceptability of Sayana Press among 18-49-year-old women in Nepal

OBJECTIVE

We compared acceptability and continuation of Sayana Press, a subcutaneous formulation of depot-medroxyprogesteone acetate (DMPA) in a Uniject injection system, to intramuscular (IM) DMPA, among both current users of DMPA-IM and new users in Nepal.

STUDY DESIGN

We recruited women seeking injectable contraception at 14 public health facilities in Nepal selected for geographic diversity. We enrolled women who self-selected either Sayana Press or DMPA-IM and used structured interviews to obtain baseline demographics and assess satisfaction and continuation rates at 1, 3, and 6 months.

RESULTS

Seven hundred ninety-four women (71%) selected and received Sayana Press, while 318 women (28.6%) selected and received DMPA-IM. One hundred and seventy-eight (48%) women continuing Sayana Press injection reported that they experienced "no possible side effects" compared to 29 (22%) among DMPA-IM selectors during the previous 6 months. The continuation rate of Sayana Press at 6 months was higher than DMPA-IM (Sayana Press 46.5% vs DMPA-IM 34.4%; p < 0.001). Selection of Sayana Press method (OR_adj. 1.74; 95% confidence interval 1.32-2.3) and approval from husband (OR_adj. 1.59; 95% confidence interval 1.21-2.09) were associated with injection continuation.

CONCLUSION

Sayana Press is acceptable to women in Nepal with the preference for Sayana Press over DMPA-IM (higher proportion chose the method when counseled and given the option, better continuation).

IMPLICATIONS

The potential for self-injection with Sayana Press® may have implications for continuation and opportunity for future research and strategies to roll out this innovative technology must be explored.

Migration and family planning in the state with highest total fertility rate in India

BACKGROUND

This study examined the relationship between male out-migration and family planning (FP) behaviour of women in rural Bihar.

METHODS

Data was collected from 937 currently married women aged 15-34 years from two districts of Bihar, namely Nawada and Gopalganj. Respondents were selected through a multi-stage systematic sampling and were recruited from both low and high male out-migration blocks. Differences in FP outcomes-use of modern contraceptive methods, intention to use contraceptives in next 12 months and access to FP services-were assessed by volume of migration, husband's migration status, frequency of return, and duration of husband's stay at home during visits.

RESULTS

Women with migrant husbands were about 50% less likely to use modern contraceptive methods. Further, the odds of using modern contraceptives was about half among women with migrant husbands if they resided in high out-migration areas (HMA) than low out-migration areas (LMA) (15% vs 29%, AOR: 0·50, p = 0·017). A higher proportion of women with migrant husbands, specifically from HMA, reported greater intention of using contraceptives in next 12 months than their counterparts (37% vs 23%, AOR: 1·83, p = 0·015). Similarly, access to FP services was negatively associated with the volume of male out-migration, specifically for women with migrant husbands.

CONCLUSIONS

The migratory environment as well as the migration of husbands affect contraceptive use and access to FP services among women. Given that a significant proportion of married males leave their home states for work, it is imperative that FP programs in migration affected areas plan and implement migration-centric FP implementation strategies.