Unmet Need for Family Planning Among Married Women in Bangladesh: A Decade of Progress and Persisting Disparities
Sabina Yasmin, Farjana Afrin Koasha, Md. Rakibul Islam, Md. Hazrat Ali, Mohammed Nazmul HuqABSTRACT
Objectives
Unmet need for family planning continues to be a critical barrier to achieving reproductive health goals in Bangladesh, despite advancements in health infrastructure and services. This study examines trends and determinants of unmet need for family planning among married women of reproductive age using data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS) spanning 2011 to 2022.
Methods
We analysed nationally representative BDHS datasets from 2011, 2014, 2017–18, and 2022 ( n = 16,551; 16,795; 18,885; 18,987 married women aged 15–49). Unmet need (spacing/limiting) was the binary outcome. We described trends and subgroup differences, tested bivariate associations ( χ 2 ), and fitted separate multivariable logistic regressions for each survey year to estimate adjusted odds ratios (95% CIs). Division‐level disparities were mapped, and a Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition (2022) quantified the explained versus unexplained components of rural–urban gaps.
Results
Over the past 12 years, the unmet need for family planning has consistently decreased; however, notable disparities persist across geographic divisions, wealth quintiles, and educational attainment. Women with minimal education and rural residency were likelier to report unmet needs; women from affluent homes, metropolitan locations, and those exposed to family planning knowledge via mass media were less likely.
Conclusions
These results highlight the need for thorough, context‐specific interventions to close the gaps in family planning programs, guaranteeing proper access and advancement towards sustainable development goals in reproductive health.