Aleni M, Mbalinda S N, Muhindo R
Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Muni University, +256 P.O. BOX, 725 Arua, Uganda.
Department of Nursing, Makerere University, +256 P.O. BOX, 7062 Kampala, Uganda.
Int J Reprod Med. 2020 Jan 4;2020:1326596. doi: 10.1155/2020/1326596. eCollection 2020.
Evidence suggests that both short and long birth intervals are associated with poor maternal and child health outcomes. However, current studies suggest that a number of births still occur at short intervals. The aim of this study was to document birth intervals and associated factors among women of reproductive age in rural Uganda.
This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 296 women aged 15-49 years attending young child clinic at Yumbe Hospital who had at least two successive live births. Data was collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire. Birth interval was categorized according to the WHO-recommended birth interval of ≥24 months and <24 months.
Of the 296 participants, 86.6% desired a birth interval ≥ 24 months with a desired median birth interval of 36 months. The actual median birth interval was 22 months. Slightly more than half of the women (52.4%) had short birth intervals. Factors which were likely to be associated with short birth intervals included being younger (15-24 years) (AOR = 4.39, 95%CI = 1.49-12.93, = 0.007), not planning to have another pregnancy (AOR = 0.33, 95%CI = 0.18-0.58, = 0.001), not deciding together with husband when to have the next child (AOR = 3.10, 95%CI = 1.53-6.28, = 0.002), not always using contraceptives before the next pregnancy (AOR = 0.28, 95%CI = 0.12-0.64, = 0.003), and lack of influence of husband on when to have the next child (AOR = 2.59, 95%CI = 1.44-4.64, = 0.001).
Prevalence of short birth intervals is still high in rural Uganda (52.4%), although majority (86.6%) of the women desire optimal birth intervals. Factors which were likely to be associated with short birth intervals included young maternal age, not using contraceptives, and lack of male involvement in child spacing activities. Therefore, to optimize birth intervals, focused child spacing strategies targeting young women and men are needed.
有证据表明，生育间隔过短和过长均与母婴健康不良结局相关。然而，目前的研究表明，仍有许多分娩发生在较短的间隔内。本研究的目的是记录乌干达农村育龄妇女的生育间隔及其相关因素。
这是一项横断面研究，对296名年龄在15 - 49岁、在尤姆贝医院幼儿诊所就诊且至少有两次连续活产的妇女进行了调查。数据通过访谈员 administered 问卷收集。生育间隔根据世界卫生组织推荐的生育间隔≥24个月和<24个月进行分类。
在296名参与者中，86.6%的人希望生育间隔≥24个月，期望的中位生育间隔为36个月。实际中位生育间隔为22个月。略多于一半的妇女（52.4%）生育间隔短。可能与生育间隔短相关的因素包括年龄较小（15 - 24岁）（调整后比值比[AOR]=4.39，95%置信区间[CI]=1.49 - 12.93，P = 0.007）、不打算再次怀孕（AOR = 0.33，95%CI = 0.18 - 0.58，P = 0.001）、未与丈夫共同决定何时生育下一胎（AOR = 3.10，95%CI = 1.53 - 6.28，P = 0.002）、在下一次怀孕前不经常使用避孕药具（AOR = 0.28，95%CI = 0.12 - 0.64，P = 0.003）以及丈夫对何时生育下一胎缺乏影响力（AOR = 2.59，95%CI = 1.44 - 4.64，P = 0.001）。
在乌干达农村，生育间隔短的患病率仍然很高（52.4%），尽管大多数妇女（86.6%）期望有最佳生育间隔。可能与生育间隔短相关的因素包括产妇年龄小、不使用避孕药具以及男性未参与生育间隔活动。因此，为了优化生育间隔，需要针对年轻女性和男性制定有针对性的生育间隔策略。
