FERTILITY DESIRE AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY AT PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN MEKELLE, TIGRAY, ETHIOPIA, 2024: CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Fertility desire is defined as having motivation or intention to give birth by individuals in their future life irrespective the number of children. Fertility desire has undesirable effect on the transmission of human immunodeficiency virus to the partner due to unsafe sex, vertical transmission to the children and there will be also disagreement with the strategies developed for elimination of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in countries including Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the prevalence of fertility desire and its associated factors among women attending antiretroviral therapy at public hospitals in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2024. Methods and Materials: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among 355 women and participants were selected using systematic random sampling method. The data were collected from August 1, 2024 to August 30, 2024 using pre-tested and interviewer administer questionnaire. Few variables were recorded from participant’s card. The data were analyzed using statistical package for social science version 27. Binary logistic regression method of analysis was used. All variables with P-value <0.25 in bivariate were included in the multivariable binary logistic regression analysis. The strength of the association was interpreted using an adjusted odds ratio with its 95% confidence interval. Statistically significant variable was declared at P-value < 0.05. Finally, the data were presented with texts, tables, figures, and graphs. Results: This study included 355 women, of them 345(97.2%) responded to the study. The prevalence of fertility desire was 182(52.8%, 95% CI: 46.6%-59.1%). Being single 69.3% (AOR: 0.307, 95% CI: O.111-0.84), being widowed 91% (AOR: 0.09, 95% CI: 0.038-0.214), being divorced 76.7% (AOR: 0.233, 95% CI: 0.109-0.497), number of women’s child 50.8% (AOR: 0.492, 95% CI: 0.382-0.632) and knowledge of women on prevention mother to child transmission 24.5% (AOR: 0.755, 95% CI: 0.608-0.938) were negatively associated with fertility desire. Conclusion and recommendation: This study revealed that more than half of participants had fertility desire and factors associated with it were marital status, number of women’s child, knowledge of the women on prevention mother to child transmission. All stakeholders should take into account the prevalence of fertility and its associated factors while serving the women living with human immunodeficiency virus and counsel the women to decrease their interest on the number of children and promote knowledge on the prevention of mother to child transmission.