Unmet need for postpartum family planning in Alexandria, Egypt

Peer review under responsibility of Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine.

Available online 8 May 2017

Figures & data

Fig. 1 Total demand for postpartum family planning.

Fig. 2 Distribution of women with unmet need for PPFP according to their desire to get more children.

Table 1 Distribution of studied women with unmet need for PPFP in Alexandria according to their health districts.

District	Women with unmet need for PPFP (n = 223)	Total number of enrolled women
	n (%)	(n = 1370)
El-Montaza	46(20.91)	220
Sharque	18(9.10)	198
Wassat	38(17.19)	221
Gharb	21(11.05)	190
El-Gomrok	22(10.48)	210
El-Agamy	32(20.0)	160
El- Amreya	19(23.47)	81
Borg Elarab	27(30.0)	90

Table 2 Distribution of studied women with demand for family planning according to their socio-demographic characteristics.

Socio-demographic characteristics	Women with Unmet need (n = 223) n (%)	Women with met need (n = 1147) n (%)	Total 1370 n(%)	Chi-square (P value)
Age (years)				1.163(0.281)
≤30	140(15.5)	763(84.5)	903
>30	83(17.77)	384(82.23)	467
Residence				46.53 (<0.001)^* OR = 4.62(2.87–7.43)
Rural	34(44.15)	43(65.85)	77
Urban	189(14.62)	1104(85.38)	1293
Working status
Working	30(11.36)	234(88.64)	264	5.793 (0.016)^* OR = 0.61(0.40–0.91)
Housewives	193(17.45)	913(82.55)	1106
Level of education				15.47 (0.001)^*
Illiterate/read and write	39(27.08)	105(72.92)	144
Basic education	26 (12.44)	153(85.74)	179
Secondary education	63(13.46)	405(86.54)	468
University education	95(16.41)	484(83.59)	579
Husband's level of education
Illiterate/read and write	48(34.78)	90(65.22)	138	95.324 (<0.001)^*
Basic education	71(39.44)	109(60.56)	180
Secondary education	43(10.19)	379(89.81)	422
University education	101(16.03)	529(83.97)	630

* Significant at 5% level of significance.

Table 3 Distribution of women with unmet need for PPFP according to their natal and postnatal history.

Natal and post-natal history	Women with unmet need (n = 223)
	n (%)
Place of last delivery
Public place	64 (28.7)
Private place	159(71.3)
Mode of delivery
Normal vaginal delivery	64(28.7)
Caesarean section	159(71.3)
Menstrual history
Amenorrhea	102(45.7)
Irregular	14 (6.3)
Regular	107 (48.0)
Infant feeding
Breast feeding	169(75.8)
Formula feeding	45(24.2)
Information and counselling about FP in antenatal and post-partum  visits
Yes	107 (48)
No	116 (52)

Table 4 Cited reasons for non-use of modern contraceptives among women with unmet need for PPFP (n = 223).

Cited reason for non-use of contraceptives	Women with unmet need n(%)
Lactation amenorrhea (last for one year)	58 (26)
Fear of side effects/applying procedure	41(18.4)
Lactation (no amenorrhea)	37(16.6)
Pressure from family members (husband and other family member)	35(15.7)
Missed opportunity for receiving a contraceptive or discontinuation without replacement due to health concerns	45(19.2)
Other causes^a	7(3.1)

a Lack of time, infrequent relation and religious causes.

Table 5 Family planning related knowledge among females with unmet need for PPFP.

	No.	%
Lactation is considered a safe method for birth control at one year post partum
Yes	78	35.1
No	97	43.4
Not sure	48	21.5
The best contraceptive method to be used during the period of breast feeding^a
Progesterone only pills	90	40.5
Injectable contraceptives	25	11.3
Sub-dermal implants	9	4.1
Intrauterine devices	141	62.6
The best timing to start using a contraceptive after birth
First 40 days after birth	97	43.5
After return of menstruation	64	28.8
At one year postpartum	30	13.5
After weaning	16	7.1
Don't know	16	7.1
Modern contraceptives have many side effects
Yes	117	52.5
No	106	47.5

a Categories are not mutually exclusive.