The Pattern And Determinants Of Birth Interval Among Married Women Of Reproductive Age Group Maichew Town South Tigray.

Background: Ethiopia is one of the populated African countries with total fertility rate of 5.4rnand annual population growth rate of 2.6. Birth spacing is an important factor for regulating thernfertility of country’s population and it is in turn determined by reproductive behaviors and sociodemographicrnfactors which have direct and indirect effect on the health of the mother and child.rnThe mean birth interval of Ethiopia is 33.8 months which is below the recent healthierrnrecommended range of 3-5 years by OBSI and the proportion of short birth interval is 56%.rnObjectives This study aimed at assessing the pattern and determinants of length of birth intervalrnas well as the mean duration of birth interval in Maichew town.rnMethodology: For this study, 605 eligible women (women who had at least two children) werernselected by using simple random sampling technique. Sub-kebelles were randomly selected afterrnlisting and census was done on the selected sub-kebelles and sampling frame was prepared andrnthe eligible women were selected by simple random sampling. Data was processed and analyzedrnusing EPI Data and SPSS version 11computer soft-wares. In order to investigate the effects ofrncovariates on the dependent variable, logistic regression was used.rnResult: The median birth interval of the study population was 34.6 months (2.84 years). Anrnexamination of the birth interval distribution by duration categories (< 36 months and >36rnmonths) reveals that 357(59%) of women have intervals shorter than 36 months. In multivariaternanalysis, educated women, women with high and moderate social status, women with educatedrnpartner and those who usually breastfeed longer and use contraception were found to have longerrnbirth intervals.rnConclusion and recommendations: Dissemination of information on the normal birth intervalrnin health facilities is low and the effort to increase the length of contraceptive use is less asrnmajority of mothers only use less than two years. Therefore, dissemination of information aboutrnrecommended interval and provision of comprehensive family planning services should bernconsidered. Cooperative effort to improve women’s economic independency and decisionrnmaking power to increase maternal social status has to be conducted. Finally female education asrnwell as male education should be encouraged by concerned local stakeholders

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