Knowledge and Associated Factors of Postpartum Contraceptive Use Among Women in the Extended Postpartum Period in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Background

The choice of a postpartum contraceptive method and the timing of its initiation depend on the woman’s knowledge regarding postpartum contraceptives use. Also, women’s perception towards family planning is reliant on good knowledge and has a great influence on their attitudes and practices. There is limited information on the knowledge and associated factors of postpartum contraceptive use among women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and associated factors of postpartum contraceptive use among women in the extended postpartum period.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 5, 2018 to December 5, 2018 among postpartum women in six health institutions in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to identify the determinants of knowledge of postpartum contraceptive use. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. P-values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance.

Results

Out of 403 participants, 299 (74.2%) had good knowledge on postpartum contraceptive use. Being urban residents (AOR=2.95, 95% CI=1.34–6.48), previous modern contraceptives use (AOR=5.15, 95% CI=1.16–22.88), health facility delivery (AOR=4.10, 95% CI=1.20–13.98), and counseling about family planning during PNC (AOR=3.80; 95% CI=1.52–9.51) were significantly associated with good knowledge.

Conclusion

This study showed that the knowledge of women regarding postpartum contraceptives was relatively low. Therefore, increasing institutional delivery service and counseling about family planning during the postpartum period should get more focus to address the knowledge gap of postpartum mothers.

Keywords:

• knowledge
• postpartum
• contraceptives use
• Ethiopia

Abbreviations

AOR, adjusted odds ratio; ANC, antenatal care; CI, confidence Interval; FP, family planning; PPFP, postpartum family planning; PNC, postnatal care; SPSS, Statistical Package for Social Science.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of University of Gondar, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institute of Public Health. Formal letters of cooperation were written to the different health institutions in Gondar Town and Gondar Woreda Health Offices. The head of each health facilities also wrote a letter of permission to the immunization focal person. The ethical review committee of University of Gondar has identified the study procedure to cause less than very minimal risk after assessing the proposal document and, therefore, verbal consent was obtained from each woman for participation. Hence, verbal informed consent was approved by the IRB of University of Gondar. Moreover, the study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The benefit of the study was explained to the respondents. Participants were informed that they had the right to withdraw from the study at any time. The study participants were interviewed in a separate room keeping their privacy.

Consent to Publication

Not applicable.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to acknowledge the Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar. The authors would also like to thank all health facility staff, data collectors, supervisors, and all mothers who participated in this study for their commitment in responding to the interviews.

Author Contributions

All authors (BDM, AAG, and AML) made substantial contributions to the conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest for this work.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.