Study on Determinants of gender preference and use of family planning methods among married women of the reproductive age group in the Urlabari Municipality of Morang District, Eastern Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Son preference is predominant in developing countries, especially South Asian countries and its effect is most visible when the fertility is on transition. Nepal is a country in South Asia where the fertility has declined and son is valued highly. Objectives: To find out the effects of gender preference on the use of family planning and to identify the determinants of gender Preference. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among the 350 married women of reproductive age group (15–49 years) in Urlabari Municipality of Nepal. Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Chi-square test was applied to measure the association between socio-demographic characteristics, Fertility Profile and use of contraceptive methods with gender preference, and binary logistic regression was applied to identify the determinants of gender Preference. Results: The husband’s education has been illiterate (79.3%) have seen more gender preference as compared to those below SEE (71.7%) and above SEE (66.9%) but the difference was not significant. The study population belong to the labor (85.7%) was seen insignificantly more gender preference in comparison to other occupational groups. The study populations have desired children as ≤2 have found significantly more gender preference (73.0%) than those having desired children as >2 (57.9%) (P = 0.022). The study population having last child as male (75.1%) was found significantly more gender preference than those as female (63.8%) (P = 0.023). The married women not using natural contraceptives (75.7%) was found significantly more gender preference than those using natural contraceptives (62.5%) (P = 0.008). The women whose desired children ≤2 are 2.4 times more gender preferences as compared to those desired child are <2 (P = 0.007). Those women who are using natural practice for family planning for gender preferences are 2.2 times more than those not using natural practice (P = 0.002). Conclusion: The study concludes that the women desiring less number of children, sex preference compared to non-preference in the first child, and those not practicing natural family were found to be the determinant of gender preference.