Maternal pregnancy intention and its association with low birthweight and pregnancy complications in Bangladesh: findings from a hospital-based study

Abstract

Background: The investigation of the potential impact of unintended pregnancy on maternal and child health is important to design effective interventions. This study explored the associations between unintended pregnancy and low birthweight (LBW) and pregnancy complications.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 400 randomly selected women in the postnatal wards of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify associations.

Results: Results of this study indicate that 30.5% of all pregnancies were unintended and 29.3% of babies were born with LBW. Additionally, 79.3% of women experienced any pregnancy complication (AC), 69.5% experienced medical complications and 44.3% experienced obstetric complications (OCs) during their last pregnancy. Unintended pregnancy was significantly associated with LBW (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 3.18, 95% CI: 1.79 to 5.54), maternal experience of OCs (AOR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.03 to 3.28) and AC (AOR: 2.93, 95%: 1.14 to 7.58). Women with unintended pregnancies were at higher risk of developing high blood pressure and anemia during pregnancy.

Conclusions: Women with unintended pregnancies are at increased risk of producing LBW babies and experiencing complications during pregnancy. Therefore, maternal pregnancy intention should be addressed in interventions aimed to reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: Bangladesh; low birthweight; medical complications; obstetric complications; unintended pregnancy.