Early marriage and childbearing are considered to be the norms in many developingrncountries-resulting higher total fertility rates. The prevalence of matemal, infant andrnchild mortality is partially attributed to higher fertility rates. Maternal demographicrnfactors: age, parity (birth order), and birth interval help to determine health risksrnassociated with pregnancy and childbirth. Assessing the magnitude of high riskrnfertility behavior and the incidence of high risk births is crucial for health and familyrnplanning policy makers and service providers. Reproductive health/family planningrnservices can delay or prevent pregnancy and will reduce health risks for the motherrnand child. Thus, the identification of non- users of reproductive health/family planningrnservices on the basis of health risk criteria will help policy makers and servicernproviders to design appropriate intervention strategies including IEC and servicerndelivery.rnThis study has attempted to see health risks (both to the mother and child) related tornage, parity and birth interval; and the use of family planning to alleviate the problemrnin Eth iopia. The 1990 National Family and Fertility Survey (carried out by CSA) datarnhas been used for this purpose. All women interviewed (8757 women) and births thatrnhad occurred five years preceding the survey were treated. However, the result ofrnthis study does not represent areas which were not covered in the survey (Tigrai, thernnomadic areas, North and South Gondar, North and South Wello). The Univariate,rnbivariate and the logistic regression model have been used in the analysis.The results of the study revealed that the largest proportion of women of reproductivernages in Ethiopia fall into: too young « 18), too old (> 34) and too many (four or morernchildren) categories. Moreover, like many other sub-Saharan African countries oldrnmaternal age and high parity; and high parity and short birth interval appeared to bernthe most important multiple risk factors in Ethiopia. These women under the abovernmentioned risk categories will run a risk when they intend to give birth. Children bornrnwithin short birth interval were at an increased mortality risk than those born after anrninterval of 24 months. Twin births and first order births also experience an elevatedrnmortality risk. The use of family planning is believed to reduce mortality risk ofrnchildren. However, the unmet high risk birth need for family planning to avoid highrnrisk pregnancies was found to be higher. Women's education and rural residencernwere identified as the main explanatory variables for unmet reproductive health/familyrnplanning need to avoid high risk births. The study concludes that provision ofrnreproductive health/family planning methods irrespective of sex and residential areas;rnraising the existing legal age at first marriage; and closing the gap in educationrnbetween boys and girls could help to reduce the risk of dying both to the mothers andrntheir children.