Background: The use of contraceptives in the postpartum period is usually neglected by women, which results in an unmet need for postpartum family planning, and unintended or closely spaced pregnancies. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the magnitude as well as related factors of unmet need for postpartum family planning among Saudi women in Riyadh.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Riyadh between August 1st and October 1st, 2018. All women who were less than 12 months postpartum period at the time of the study and residents of Riyadh were included in the study. The study used the systematic random sampling technique to collect data from 400 participants. The research tool consisted of a structured questionnaire. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the factors of unmet need.Results: The mean age of the participants was 30.6 years and the mean age at the time of marriage was 22.1 years. The proportion of unmet need for postpartum family planning among women was found to be 20.5%. Around half (55.8 %) of the participants reported that they had used family planning methods in the past. About 62% of the participants reported using modern contraceptive methods. Our findings reveal that women with a university-level education were 2 times more likely to become pregnant than those with basic education (OR: 2.321, CI: 1.06-5.07, P=0.035). Women who have 3 or more kids 2.51 times likely to experience unwanted pregnancies when compared to women who have a fewer number of kids (OR: 2.55, CI: 1.17-5.56, p = 0.018).Conclusion: The unmet need for postpartum family planning is almost double the global level of unmet need, and higher than many Arab countries. There is a need to educate women about the dangers of unintended pregnancies and increase access to contraceptives in the kingdom.
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