The Factors Related to Unwanted Pregnancy Among Pregnant Women: A Case-control Study in Western Iran

Aims: This study aimed to investigate factors affecting unwanted pregnancy in Hamadan. Background: Various factors affect the occurrence and extent of unwanted pregnancies. Methods: The present case-control study was performed on 901 pregnant women admitted to comprehensive health centers in Hamadan in 2020. The case group included women with unwanted pregnancies and the control group consisted of women who became pregnant in a preplanned manner. Data were collected from the samples using a checklist. Data were analyzed with SPSS24 at a significance level of 5%. Results: This case-control study was conducted on 455 mothers in the case group (with unwanted pregnancies) and 456 samples in the control group. The results of the logistic regression model indicated that the history of abortion, education, stillbirth history, history of contraceptive use, history of unwanted pregnancy, marital satisfaction, emotional relation with the spouse, spouse's opinion about contraception method, age, and the first pregnancy age were the predictors of unwanted pregnancy. Conclusion: To prevent unwanted pregnancies, it is recommended to start the correct training of family planning methods from high school and pursue it continuously after marriage, during pregnancy, and postpartum care.