Associated factors of first-birth interval among women in reproductive age, addressing maternal and child health

Tania Dehesh,Paria Dehesh,Neda Malekmohammadi

doi:10.1186/s12978-022-01346-5

Tania Dehesh, Paria Dehesh + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01346-5

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Abstract

BackgroundThe first-birth interval directly influences family size and maternal and child mortality. The objective of this study is to investigate factors associated with the time of the first-birth after the first marriage among women in Iran.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, the first birth history of 1350 women aged 15–49 years was collected in Kerman (southern Iran) in 2018. To assess the predictor variables of the first-birth interval and calculate the adjusted hazard ratios, multivariate Cox regression was used. The P-value < 0.05 was considered as significant. The statistical analysis of data was performed using SPSS version 22.ResultsThe average of the first-birth interval was 2.5 ∓ 0.8 years. Woman’s age at marriage (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.32–2.48), husband’s age at marriage (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.62–2.03), age at the first menstruation (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.24–2.53), being rural residents (HR 2.041, 95% CI 1.26–2.95), and having engagement period (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.52–3.05) were associated with short first-birth interval, and woman’s BMI (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.54–2.77), woman’s university educational level (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.35–2.57), husband’ s university educational level (HR 1.39, 95% CI 1.32–2.51), contraception use (HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.12–2.86) and income sufficiency (HR 2.25, 95% CI 1.12–2.96) were associated with long first-birth interval.ConclusionsBeing a rural resident is the most influential predictor of short first-birth interval and income sufficiency is the most influential predictor of long first-birth interval.

Highlights

Population studies include reviewing the dynamics and spacing of births [1]
The knowledge about importance of first-birth interval (FBI) should be more announced for couples by health services in order to help them manage their child-spacing and fertility
Data on FBI is one of the most important fertility data due to certain reasons: first, FBI is considered an important event for most couples and so is unaffected by recall lapse; second, it is not affected by the erratic fluctuations of postpartum period [5]

Summary

Introduction

Population studies include reviewing the dynamics and spacing of births [1]. Total fertility rate, which is the average number of live births that would be born to a woman over her reproductive life if she experiences the current age-specific fertility rates throughout her lifetime [2]. The fertility pattern can be measured by several indicators such as the first-birth interval (FBI) after marriage [3]. The birth of the first child is recognized as the most important determinant of the fertility rates and population size, in population studies [6]. The average time interval between marriage and the first birth is 2.7 years in Iran [10] 2 years in china, and 14.5 months in Tanzania [11, 12]. The first-birth interval directly influences family size and maternal and child mortality. The objective of this study is to investigate factors associated with the time of the first-birth after the first marriage among women in Iran.

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