https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6525-2645
Abstract
Purpose
In the era of increasing health risks, refusals, discontinuations, and with high unmet needs for modern contraception, assessing knowledge of the ovulation period and identifying its associated factors among reproductive women are crucial to recommend natural family planning methods as an option. So, the aim of this Demographic Health Survey analysis was to assess knowledge of the ovulation period and its associated factors among reproductive women in Ethiopia.
Methods
A secondary data analysis using the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey was done by applying the principles of cross-sectional study design. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were used. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was used to interpret associations, and a significant association was declared at a p-value of <0.05.
Results
A total of 15,683 women aged from 15 to 49 years were included in this analysis. Of them, only 3,699 (23.6%) were found to be knowledgeable about a woman’s ovulation period. Women with age >39 years (AOR=1.77; 95% CI=1.52, 2.06), being urban resident (AOR=1.93; 955 CI=1.76, 2.12), having higher educational status (AOR=4.39; 95% CI=3.77, 5.11), getting family planning counselling within the last 12 months (AOR=1.33; 955 CI=1.20, 1.48), use of family planning (AOR=1.23; 95% CI=1.11, 1.37), being pregnant (AOR=1.22; 95% CI=1.03, 1.46), living with husbands (AOR=1.19; 95% CI=1.08, 1.31), and having menstruation within the last 6 months (AOR=1.30; 95% CI=1.18, 1.42) were factors associated with increased knowledge of the ovulation period among reproductive women.
Conclusion
Knowledge of the ovulation period among reproductive women in Ethiopia was low. Factors significantly associated with knowledge of the ovulation period were identified, and recommendations were forwarded accordingly.
Data Sharing Statement
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Ethical Consideration
During the survey, informed consent was obtained from every study participant. The privacy of the participants was kept by making the questionnaires anonymous. For the purpose of this research output, the publicly available dataset was obtained from the EDHS website (https://dhsprogram.com/) through registering with the DHS website and, as such, no ethical approval was required to share datasets from the EDHS.
Acknowledgments
We are thankful to the EDHS, ICF International, Rockville, MD, USA for providing the 2016 EDHS data for this analysis.
Author Contributions
Both authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation; took part in drafting, critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Disclosure
The authors declare that they have no competing interest.