title: Unmet need for family planning in Nepal during the first two years postpartum.
abstract: Contraceptive use during the postpartum period is critical for maternal and child health. However, little is known about the use of family planning and the determinants in Nepal during this period. This study explored pregnancy spacing, unmet need, family planning use, and fertility behaviour among postpartum women in Nepal using child level data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys 2011. More than one-quarter of women who gave birth in the last five years became pregnant within 24 months of giving birth and 52% had an unmet need for family planning within 24 months postpartum. Significantly higher rates of unmet need were found among rural and hill residents, the poorest quintile, and Muslims. Despite wanting to space or limit pregnancies, nonuse of modern family planning methods by women and returned fertility increased the risk of unintended pregnancy. High unmet need for family planning in Nepal, especially in high risk groups, indicates the need for more equitable and higher quality postpartum family planning services, including availability of range of methods and counselling which will help to further reduce maternal, perinatal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality in Nepal.
authors.affiliation: Nepal Health Sector Support Programme, Ministry of Health and Population, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal.
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3426-2108
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehata
authors.affiliation: Karuna Foundation Nepal, Baluwatar, Kathmandu 44616, Nepal.
authors.forename: Yuba Raj
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3403-4359
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Paudel
authors.affiliation: Kist Medical College, Imadol, Lalitpur 44705, Nepal.
authors.forename: Ranju
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6087-5077
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mehta
authors.affiliation: Nepal Health Sector Support Programme, Ministry of Health and Population, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dariang
authors.affiliation: Nepal Health Sector Support Programme, Ministry of Health and Population, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal.
authors.forename: Pradeep
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4280-4763
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Poudel
authors.affiliation: Options Consultancy Services Limited, Devon House, 58 St Katharine's Way, London E1W 1LB, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3926-2062
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barnett
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult