Publication:

Married women’s empowerment and associated factors on achievement of their ideal number of children in Dilla Zuria woreda, Gedeo zone, Southern-Ethiopia: a community based cross sectional study

Background Women’s empowerment in health care decision has been recognized as an important dimension to their access to reproductive health service and for better maternal and child health outcomes. However, the effect of women’s empowerment on achievement of their ideal number of children remains relatively unexplored in the context of Ethiopia. Hence, this current study aimed to explore the impact of women empowerment on their ability to achieve their ideal number of children among married women.

Methods Community based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to February 1, 2015 among married women aged 15-49 years in Dilla Zuraia Woreda, Gedeo Zone. Systematic sampling technique was used to select a total of 592 study participants. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were used for gathering data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 20.0 statistical package.

Results This study demonstrates that 82.8% of women achieved their ideal number of children that they need to have in their whole life. About (69.4%) of married women had empowerment to achieves their ideal number of children. Women’s empowerment as measured by household decision making and attitude towards gender role were positively associated with women’s ideal number of children. The finding that empowerment as measured by household decision-making and gender role attitudes was less influential in predicting achievement of ideal fertility than husband‘s desires of children. Our study also suggests education was associated with a smaller ideal number of children.

Conclusions Our study documents showed low empowerment, but strong association between women empowerment and achievement of their ideal number of children. The findings suggest different targeting strategies to improve women’s status, as well as men’s awareness and involvement in sexual issues via women’s empowerment.