title: Duration and correlates of post-partum abstinence in four sites in Zaire.
abstract: Data on 2223 women with a child less than 25 months of age from four sites of two regions in Zaire were analyzed. The univariate correlates of current abstinence were determined on this population. A sub-sample of 778 women was then drawn for the development of multivariable model of predictors of the duration of abstinence. The median duration of abstinence in the two urban and two rural sites ranged from 4.5 to 8.8 months. The final multivariable model showed that low socio-economic status, rural residence, more living children, prolonged duration of breastfeeding and non-Zairian nationality were all important predictors of prolonged duration of abstinence. The relationship of duration of abstinence to that of amenorrhea is also important. While approx. 18% of the women included in this analysis continued to abstain for at least one month beyond the resumption of menses, the vast majority who did resume relations represent a target population for utilization of an alternate means of pregnancy prevention.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hassig
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Djunghu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinzoni
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mangani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000568:Amenorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D049590:Postpartum Period; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors