Prevalence and Determinants of Unintended Pregnancies among Currently Pregnant, Ever-married Women in Rural and Urban...

Unintended pregnancies, whether mistimed or unwanted, are a major public health concern. These pregnancies can negatively impact maternal and child health, as well as the social and economic well-being of families. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Aligarh, North India, to estimate its prevalence and sociodemographic and women-specific correlates.

The sample size for this study was calculated using a 14% prevalence rate of unintended pregnancies, with the formula N = [(1.96)²* P(1-P)]/L², where P represents the prevalence rate (14%) and L is the margin of error (3.5%). After adjusting for the nonresponse rate, the final sample size was determined to be 435 participants, all of whom were included in the analysis. Pregnancy intentions were assessed using the London Measures of Unintended Pregnancy (LMUP) scale, and data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 20.0.

The overall prevalence of unintended pregnancies among the study population was 34%. Several determinants were found to be significantly associated with unintended pregnancies, including women aged over 30 years (AOR: 2.09), rural residence (AOR: 2.32), lower educational levels, having a spouse engaged in unskilled labour, pregnancy before the age of 18 (AOR: 7.42), and high birth order.

The study identified key factors associated with unintended pregnancies, including younger maternal age, rural residence, low education, and low socioeconomic status. Women-specific factors included early marriage and first pregnancy, high birth order, and lack of autonomy.