Unintended pregnancy among pregnant women living with HIV IN Bahirdar town public health facilities, Northwest Ethiopia
Abstract
Unintended pregnancy is a pregnancy that is untimely or unforeseen at the time of conception but may be wanted later. The burden and negative consequences of unintended pregnancy are serious if it happens among HIV positive women. There was a limited evidence regarding unintended pregnancy among HIV positive women in the study area. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1st to March 1st, 2022. A systematic sampling technique was used to select 408 eligible HIV-positive pregnant women. A structured, pretested interview administered questionnaire and chart review was used to collect the data. Data were entered in to Epidata version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 23 for data analysis. Multivariable logistic regression model fitted to identify factors associated with unintended pregnancy. Statical association was claimed based on the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with its 95 % CI and a p-value of ≤ 0.05. Prevalence of unintended pregnancy among HIV positive pregnant women in Bahirdar town public health facilities was 22.4 % with 95 % CI = 18.2––26.4). Factors significantly associated with unintended pregnancy were, women who did not want more children (AOR = 4.24, 95 % CI: 2.31, 7.77), who don’t know about dual method (AOR = 2.49, 95 % CI: 1.44, 4.30), women taking ARV for more than five years (AOR = 2.29, 95 % CI: 1.32, 3.95) and having non-regular sexual partner (AOR = 0.30, 95 % CI: 0.12, 0.70) were significantly associated with unintended pregnancy. The prevalence of unintended pregnancy among women living with HIV in Bahir Dar town was lower than the global average, but a notable proportion remained affected. Unintended pregnancy was associated with not wanting more children, long-term ART use, and poor knowledge of dual contraceptive methods. Strengthening counseling on dual contraception and promoting safe sexual practices within PMTCT services is recommended to reduce unintended pregnancies and improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Key Points
- Unintended pregnancy prevalence stands at 22.4% in the target population, showing a need for improved contraceptive education.