Unmet Need for Family Planning and Associated Factors Among Rural Women in Gandaki Province, Nepal: A Cross- Sectional Study
,
Abstract
Introduction: The unmet need for family planning remains a hurdle to reproductive health equity despite, global efforts
to improve access, including in Nepal. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of unmet needs for family planning and
associated factors among rural women in Nepal.
Methods: In 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted among married women of reproductive age in a rural municipality
in Gandaki Province, Nepal. We recruited 310 participants using consecutive sampling. Data were collected through face-to-
face interviews using a structured questionnaire developed from previous literature, validated by experts, and pretested.
Descriptive analysis was conducted for categorical variables, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to
identify factors associated with unmet needs.
Results: The mean age of the respondents was 28.5 ± 5.75 years (range: 17–45 years), and the mean age at marriage
was 21.07 ± 3.32 years (range: 14–34 years). More than 80% of the respondents reported having good family planning
knowledge, with healthcare workers being the primary source of information (74.8%). The unmet need for family planning
was 18.1% (spacing: 16.5%; limiting: 1.6%). The odds of unmet need were higher in Dalit women (AOR 6.66, 95% CI:
1.98–22.40) and women without children (AOR 2.78, 95% CI 1.09–7.13). Conversely, women with a basic education or
below (AOR 0.14, 95% CI: 0.03–0.71) and those with husbands who are engaged in business (AOR 0.32, 95% CI 0.12–0.83)
had lower odds.
Conclusion: This study highlights the significant unmet need for family planning among rural women in Nepal, particularly
among adolescents, Dalit women, and those without children. Therefore, targeted interventions are required to address
these disparities. Continued efforts should focus on improving family planning access in the study area and similar rural
settings, although the findings may not be generalizable to the entire country.
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| Issue | Vol 11 No 3 (2025): . | |
| Section | Articles | |
| Keywords | ||
| Family Planning reproductive health unmet need Nepal | ||
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