The frequency of unintended pregnancy-associated factors among Iranian women in the poor part of the capital, Tehran.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Unintended pregnancy is considered one of the critical indicators of community health as being a risk factor in unsanitary abortions, miscarriage, and insufficient prenatal care. This study aimed to determine the frequency of unintended pregnancy and the related factors in married women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted on 1013 married women aged 15-49 who were referred to health centers in the South of Tehran. To analyze the data, single and multiple logistic regressions were used.

RESULTS

About 50% of participants had already experienced at least one unintended pregnancy. Analysis showed the following predictive factors for unintended pregnancy: being within the age range of 26 to 40 (AOR, 95% CI = 1.91; 1.25-2.90), being over 40 years of age (AOR, 95% CI = 1.96; 1.04-3.71), spouse education level of high-school or lower (AOR, 95% CI = 1.64; 1.11-2.42), first marriage age range of 21 to 30 years (AOR, 95% CI = 0.64; 0.47-0.88), use of the DMPA method as contraception (AOR, 95% CI = 3.42; 1.16-10.06), history of tubectomy (AOR, 95% CI = 4.45; 1.99-10) and history of vasectomy (AOR, 95% CI = 4.61; 1.18-17.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Training and distribution of free contraceptive methods would be much more effective and less expensive than paying for costly illegal induction of abortion and unwarranted complications due to abortion.

IMPLICATIONS

Vulnerable women who are referred to health centers to receive health services should be trained in contraceptive methods and be informed of the probability of unintended pregnancy with each contraceptive method and the consequences of self-induced abortion.