What is the impact of husband’s education on unintended pregnancies in southern Ethiopia? A cross-sectional study

Abstract Background: Unintended pregnancy rates are substantially higher in developing regions, have significant health consequences, and disproportionately affect subgroups with socio-economic disadvantage. We aimed to examine if husband’s education is associated with their wife’s unintended pregnancy in southern Ethiopia. Methods: The data source for this study was from a cross-sectional study on iron-folate supplementation and compliance in Wolaita, South Ethiopia. Data were collected from 627 married pregnant women regarding their husband’s educational status, socio-demographic characteristics and if they wanted to become pregnant at the time of survey using an interviewer administered questionnaire. Odds Ratios (ORs) with associated z-tests and 95% confidence intervals and logistic regression analyses were used to identify variables associated with unintended pregnancy. Results: The proportion of unintended pregnancy was 20.6% in this study with husband’s educational status, age, residence, and using family planning methods predictive of unintended pregnancy (all P-values <0.05). In the multivariable regression analysis, the odds of having unintended pregnancy was 60% lower (adjusted OR (95%CI; 0.4(0.18, 0.9)) when husband’s had University or College education compared to no education was after controlling for the age of women (adjusted OR per year older (95%CI); 1.13(1.09, 1.19)) and rural or urban residence (adjusted OR for rural (95%CI); 1.75(0.98, 3.12)) Conclusion: Unintended pregnancies were highest for women with less educated husbands in southern Ethiopia. We also found that being older and living in rural area were independently associated with an increased risk of unintended pregnancy. Strategies for addressing the family planning needs of families where husbands have less education should be the subject of future research.