title: Birth interval: perceptions and practices among urban-based Saudi Arabian women.
abstract: To determine perceptions towards birth spacing, actual birth interval and associated sociodemographic factors, we carried out a cross-sectional study on 436 mothers aged 15-50 years in Al-Khobar. All had had > or = 2 children within the previous 10 years. Only 5.2% preferred a birth interval of < 2 years, 28.2% preferred a 2 -< 3-year interval, while the rest favoured > or = 3 years. Education and employment status were predictors of birth spacing preference. About half were not aware of the physical benefits associated with longer birth interval. Only 26.3% had mean birth interval < 2 years. Age and employment status were significant positive predictors of longer birth interval. Oral contraception was the most popular method adopted for child spacing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. parveenrasheed1@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rasheed
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Al-Dabal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001721:Birth Intervals / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D016014:Linear Models; D008423:Maternal Age; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009790:Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population