Association between women's autonomy and family planning outcome in couples residing in Isfahan.
BACKGROUND
One of the important factors in the prediction of family planning outcome is paying attention to women's role in decision making concerning fertility and household affairs. With the improvement of women's status and autonomy, their control over fertility is expected to increase. The present study aimed to investigate the association between women's autonomy and family planning outcome of the couples residing in Isfahan.


METHODS
This is cross-sectional study. Two hundred and seventy women of childbearing age, eligible for family planning and residing in Isfahan, were selected through random cluster sampling and they filled a researcher-made questionnaire. Women's autonomy was measured with the questions on their decision-making autonomy concerning household affairs and physical mobility autonomy. The association between women's autonomy and family planning outcome was analyzed through statistical methods.


RESULTS
The results showed that the mean of women's decision-making, physical mobility, and general autonomy was 50. Women's autonomy had a direct significant association with the type of contraception method (P = 0.01) and the length of usage of their present contraception method (P = 0.04) as well as where they received family planning services (P = 0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of data revealed women with higher autonomy used a more efficient contraception method and continued their contraception method for a longer time, which leads to improvement of couples' family planning outcome. Therefore, family planning services should be planned and provided with women's autonomy under consideration.
Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Shahnaz
S
Kohan
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Medical Student Reaserch Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Ferdos
F
Talebian
Department of Medical Education, Medical Education Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Soheila
S
Ehsanpour
Autonomy; Iran; contraception; decision making; family planning; physical mobility; women