Pregnancy Spacing among Saudi Married Women Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
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- Category: Vol. 83, September 2015
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Pregnancy Spacing among Saudi Married Women Attending Primary Health Care Centers in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia, AJAEB MESHAL AL-HARBI and AWAD M. AL-QAHTANI
Abstract
Aim of Study: To assess practices of pregnancy spacing among Saudi women attending primary care centers in Al-Madinah City, Saudi Arabia.
Subjects and Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) of Al-Madinah City. The study population comprised women aged 18-49 years, registered at PHCCs of Al-Madinah during the study period (February-May 2013).
Results: The Mean±SD for age of participants was 31.26± 6.96 years. One third of participants (35.4%) were university graduates while 28.8% had secondary level of education. Almost all participants (99.1%) could describe at least one method for contraception, while 91.9% expressed positive attitude toward pregnancy spacing. About three quarters of participants (75.5%) were using a contraceptive method.
Knowledge, attitude and practice of participants regarding pregnancy spacing were significantly determined by partici-pants' educational level (p<0.001, p=0.007 and p=0.005, respectively). Practice of pregnancy spacing was significantly determined by higher knowledge about contraceptives (p< 0.001) and having a positive attitude toward pregnancy spacing (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Saudi married women aged 18-49 years attending primary health care centers in Al-Madinah good knowledge, positive attitude and high practice regarding contraception. Most users of contraceptive methods continue their pregnancy spacing for 2-5 years. Participants' educational level is a determining factor regarding knowledge, attitude and practice of pregnancy spacing. The role played by health care providers and mass media as sources of knowledge regarding pregnancy spacing needs to be enforced.