Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Despite various strategies and policies which are being played, the total fertility rate in Tanzania has been consistently high and stands at 5.4. It also has a huge unmet need for family planning which is estimated to be 22% among married women age 15–49 and 23.5% among young women age 20-24 (TDHS 2010). Therefore, this study was done to access factors associated with utilization of family planning services among women of reproductive age attending at Butimba district hospital

METHODOLOGY: This was a hospital based descriptive cross-sectional study involving women of reproductive age attending at Butimba district hospital during the study period. Data were collected by the use of piloted pretested structured questionnaires until an adequate sample size was attained.

RESULTS: A total of 227 women were enrolled in a study. 95% had heard about contraceptives, 67% had ever used FP methods, and the most common methods used were implants by 11.8%, injectable by42.1%, pills 27.6% and other methods were less used by respondents.33% had never used family planning, 42.1% were using FP during the study injectable 35.9% was used the most followed by implants 26.6% and the other method were less used by respondents. The reason for non-utilization among the respondents was husband’s opposition (24%), religion’s opposition (16%) ,fear of side effects(31%) ,lack of knowledge (12%) and the remaining reasons for not using accounted for 15%.And for those not using ,66.9 % have a future intention to use family planning and 33.1% have no intention to use family planning in the future.

CONCLUSION: The study showed many respondents have ever heard and the rate of use was also slightly high and common methods used were modern methods compared to natural ones and the reason for not using was mostly due to oppositional approval from husband and religion as well as side effect fear