# Immediate Postabortion Family Planning Uptake and Its Associated Factors Among Women Seeking Abortion Services at Health Facilities in East Shewa Zone, Ethiopia: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

## TL;DR

This study finds that 70% of women in Ethiopia use contraception immediately after abortion, with factors like being single and counseling playing a role.

## Contribution

The study identifies key factors associated with immediate postabortion family planning uptake in East Shewa Zone, Ethiopia.

## Key findings

- 70.1% of women used contraception immediately after abortion.
- Being single and receiving counseling were significant factors for contraceptive uptake.

## Abstract

Immediate postabortion family planning uptake refers to the initiation and use of contraceptive methods immediately after an abortion treatment to prevent subsequent unintended pregnancy. Women should wait at least 6 months after having an abortion before becoming pregnant again, according to WHO recommendations, even if they are eager to have a child immediately. Despite this evidence, many postabortion clients leave healthcare institutions without receiving family planning advice or services. Thus, this study was aimed at assessing the immediate postabortion family planning uptake and associated factors among women seeking abortion services.

An institution-based, multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 women seeking abortion services in East Shewa Zone healthcare facilities from March 20 to May 25, 2022. A systematic sampling technique was employed to get a representative sample. Data were entered into EpiData Version 4.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for Social Science Version 26 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were done to identify variables associated with the level of immediate postabortion family planning uptake in the binary logistic regression model. Statistical significance was declared at p value < 0.05. Finally, tables, graphs, and narration were used to present the findings.

In this study, the overall immediate postabortion contraceptive uptake was 70.1% (95% CI: 65.4, 74.6). Being single (AOR = 4.0; 95% CI: 1.8, 8.0), educational status (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.4, 9.7), service received at public facility (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 1.5, 6.1), previous information about family planning (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2, 3.9), previous use of contraceptive method (AOR = 5.4; 95% CI: 2.9, 9.9), and postabortion family planning counseling (AOR = 5.7; 95% CI: 3.1, 10.4) were significantly associated with immediate postabortion family planning uptake.

In this study, 29.9% lacked postabortion family planning uptake. Being single, educational status, service received at a public facility, previous information about family planning, previous use of a contraceptive method, and postabortion family planning counseling showed significant associations with immediate postabortion contraceptive uptake. Therefore, it is necessary to establish effective educational awareness and counseling aimed at promoting postabortion modern family planning uptake among the abortion service-seeking women.