BIRTH SPACING AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MOTHERS OF CHILDREN WITH SEVERE ACUTE MALNUTRITION IN ODABULTUM WOREDA, WEST HARARGHE ZONE, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Introduction: Birth spacing is a gap between two consecutive births which refers to resting period that allows the mother time to recover from pregnancy and labor. The World Health Organization recommends a birth interval of at least 33 months before the next child. Although optimal birth spacing (3-5 years), is one of the key strategies to improve nutritional status of children, level of birth spacing among mother of children with severe acute malnutrition is rarely addressed. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess birth spacing and associated factors among mothers whose children was admitted with severe acute malnutrition in OdaBultum Woreda Therapeutic Feeding Center, West Hararghe Zone, Oromia Regional State, from October 5 to December 4, 2020. Methods: A Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted on mothers in reproductive age whose children were admitted to the eight OdaBultum Therapeutic Feeding Center. After stratification of the center into rural and urban areas, sample was proportionally allocated to each stratum. Then; eligible mothers were systematically selected and interviewed using structured questionnaire by trained nurses. Data were checked for completeness and entered using EpiData 3.1, and then exported to SPSS 21 for analysis. Birth interval <33 months was considered short birth interval. Bi-and multi-variable regression was used to identify variables associated with short birth spacing. Associations were described using odds ratio along with 95% CI and p-value <0.05 was used as cut-off point for significant association. Results: A total 404 mothers of children with severe acute malnutrition participated in the study. The prevalence of short birth interval was 59.9% (95% CI= 56.74-63.45). Age at marriage (AOR: 2.46, 95%CI=1.34-4.51), mother educational status (AOR: 2.18, 95% CI=1.72, 4.53) and duration of breastfeeding (AOR: 1.8, 95% CI=1.91-3.31) were found to be significantly associated with short birth spacing. Conclusion and Recommendation: More than half (59.9%) of severe acute malnutrition children mothers had short birth spacing. Community and facility based awareness creation should be conducted on importance of breast feeding duration for >=24 months, Age at marriage and educating females.