Table 2 Sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics of childbearing women in 35 SSA countries, 2010–2021
Characteristics | Weighted frequency | Weighted percentage | Proportion of suboptimal birth spacing (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|
Residence | Â | Â | |
 Urban | 71,989 | 32.56 | 39.76 (39.39, 40.12) |
 Rural | 149,109 | 67.44 | 46.37 (46.12, 46.62) |
Distance to a health facility | Â | Â | |
 Not a big problem | 128,326 | 59.85 | 42.45 (42.18, 42.72) |
 Big problem | 86,073 | 40.15 | 46.35 (46.02, 46.68) |
Decision on healthcare utilization | Â | Â | |
 Has participation | 127,054 | 57.49 | 41.86 (41.59, 42.13) |
 No participation | 93,960 | 42.51 | 47.66 (47.34, 47.98) |
Age at marriage | Â | Â | |
  ≥ 18 year | 112,755 | 51.00 | 42.42 (42.13, 42.71) |
  < 18 year | 108,343 | 49.00 | 46.26 (45.97, 46.56) |
Nature of marriage | Â | Â | |
 Monogamy | 167,664 | 75.86 | 43.92 (43.68, 44.16) |
 Polygamy | 53,361 | 24.14 | 45.48 (45.07, 45.89) |
Current age | Â | Â | |
 15–24 | 28,636 | 12.95 | 62.13 (61.57, 62.69) |
 25–34 | 96,921 | 43.84 | 45.22 (44.91, 45.54) |
 35–49 | 95,541 | 43.21 | 38.07 (37.77, 38.38) |
Women’s education |  |  | |
 No formal education | 92,820 | 42.98 | 47.68 (47.36, 47.99) |
 Primary education | 73,505 | 33.25 | 43.56 (43.20, 43.92) |
 Higher education | 54,773 | 24.77 | 39.32 (38.90, 39.73) |
Working status | Â | Â | |
 Unemployed | 72,166 | 32.66 | 46.88 (46.52, 47.24) |
 Employed | 148,777 | 67.34 |  |
Husband education | Â | Â | |
 No formal education | 82,996 | 37.55 | 47.57 (47.24, 47.91) |
 Primary education | 64,429 | 29.16 | 44.47 (44.08, 44.85) |
 Higher education | 73,528 | 33.28 | 40.35 (39.99, 40.71) |
Media exposure | Â | Â | |
 Exposed | 144,775 | 65.56 | 42.00 (41.75, 42.26) |
 Not exposed | 76,069 | 34.44 | 48.40 (48.05, 48.75) |
Household health | Â | Â | |
 Male | 188,561 | 85.28 | 44.77 (44.55, 44.99) |
 Female | 32,536 | 14.72 | 41.76 (41.23, 42.23) |
Household wealth | Â | Â | |
 Rich | 85,886 | 38.85 | 39.10 (38.77, 39.44) |
 Middle | 44,793 | 20.26 | 44.49 (44.03, 44.96) |
 Poor | 90,419 | 40.90 | 48.54 (48.23, 48.86) |
Ever used contraceptives | Â | Â | |
 Yes | 113,870 | 51.50 | 38.86 (38.57, 39.14) |
 No | 107,228 | 48.50 | 49.83 (49.54, 50.13) |
Unmet need for contraception | Â | Â | |
 No | 169,492 | 76.67 | 43.40 (43.17, 43.64) |
 Yes | 51,578 | 23.33 | 47.27 (46.84, 47.69) |
Birth order | Â | Â | |
  ≤ 3 | 91,556 | 41.41 | 42.39 (42.06, 42.71) |
  ≥ 4 | 129,542 | 58.59 | 45.62 (45.36, 45.89) |
Ideal number of children | Â | Â | |
  ≤ 5 | 118,969 | 53.81 | 39.77 (39.49, 40.05) |
  ≥ 6 | 102,129 | 46.19 | 49.29 (48.99, 49.60) |
Couples fertility preferences | Â | Â | |
 Concordant | 76,641 | 35.36 | 42.23 (41.89, 42.58) |
 Discordant | 150,115 | 64.64 | 45.58 (45.32, 45.84) |
History of pregnancy loss | Â | Â | |
 No | 182,546 | 82.57 | 42.26 (45.03, 45.49) |
 Yes | 38,526 | 17.43 | 39.76 (39.27, 40.25) |