Abstract:

Background: Unintended pregnancy is a potential hazard for every sexually active woman as it poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of families globally. Information on Tanzanian women who conceive unintentionally is rarely documented. Understanding the extent of unintended pregnancy and the factors associated is crucial to devise evidence-based interventions. This study aimed to determine prevalence of and factors associated with unintended pregnancy

Methods: This was a hospital-based cross-sectional study. A total of 300 pregnant women were recruited through random sampling and questionnaires were pre-tested and administered. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 software to identify the factors associated with an unintended pregnancy.

Results: The overall prevalence of unintended pregnancy was found to be 73 (24.3%) and those who wanted it at a later time and not at all accounted for 143 (47.7%) and 227 (75.7%) respectively. The prevalence of unintended pregnancies decreased with the use of emergency contraceptives and being married. However, it increases in lower age 15 to 20 years 67.3% (99/147) at first pregnancy, those who have high parity 54.5% (12/22), divorced 57.1% (4/7) and not married 62.7% (37/59). The prevalence was independent of the use of modern contraceptives, the number of sexual partners, and the level of education of the mother.

Conclusion: Unintended pregnancy is one of the major reproductive health problems since approximately over a quarter (24.3%) of the pregnant women attending ANC had unintended pregnancy experience. There is a need to inaugurate a community-based program through increasing knowledge of family planning by designing strategic policy programs aimed at creating more sensitization on reducing the unintended pregnancy reflecting those with young age, high parity, and not married.