Determinants of birth interval among women in reproductive age group in Ethiopia

Background: Birth interval is one of the variables that determine a country’s fertility rate, where a fertility rate is a key indicator of population dynamics that determine the size and structure of the population of a... [ view full abstract ]

Background: Birth interval is one of the variables that determine a country’s fertility rate, where a fertility rate is a key indicator of population dynamics that determine the size and structure of the population of a country. The shorter the birth interval the higher the fertility will be. It is shown that short birth interval is associated with adverse effects on mother, fetal development, neonate, infant and childhood. Ethiopia has planned to reduce the total fertility rate from 7.7 children per women in 1990 to 4.0 per woman in 2015 where ensuring the optimum birth interval could be a means to achieve the desired goal and identification of underling factors associated with short birth intervals is important to plan the actions tailored to ensure the optimum birth interval recommended by the World Health Organization.
Objective: This study was intended to identify determinants of birth spacing among child bearing age group women in Ethiopia.
Methodology: Secondary data analysis of 10482 reproductive age women included in the 2011 Ethiopian Demography and Health Survey of 2011 was conducted. Survival analysis using Kaplan Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazards model was done from April to June 2014.
Results: The median birth interval was 34 months. Mothers having no education , being rural residence, sex of head of house hold being male, mothers who were poorest, poorer, and middle income by their wealth status were associated with increased risk of short birth interval.
Conclusion: The birth interval in rural mothers was significantly lower than urban mothers. Mothers who have lower education (no or primary education), poorest and middle income by their wealth index and head of house hold being male were at increased risk of having short birth interval. Giving emphasis for women empowerment is crucial for mothers to have optimum birth interval.