Factors influencing the reproductive health of women in rural areas of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

Background: A woman’s health is an integral part of any country. There are numerous factors that influence a woman’s decision of her reproductive health. A better understanding of these factors could help address gaps and barriers influencing the reproductive health choices of women in rural areas.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was carried out among women of ages 18-45 years in rural areas of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh to study factors influencing the reproductive health choices of women in rural areas of Ujjain. 300 women were asked comprehensively about their reproductive health via a semi structured questionnaire which comprised of domains from their menarche history to their menopausal history. Data was analyzed and chi square test was used to find factors influencing the reproductive health choices of women.Results: The median age of the participants was 30.8 years (IQR: 25, 36). Around 61% of the participants were aware of the family planning methods but only 29% of the participants used modern contraceptive methods. Age, educational background of participants, employment, partner education were all factors significantly (p<0.05) associated with the reproductive health choices of women.Conclusions: The reproductive health of   women was shown to be significantly associated with her education, her employment status, her age, and her partner’s education. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness among women, their partners and, the family members about importance of the reproductive health of a woman.