Prevalence of unintended pregnancy and its associated factors: Evidence from six south Asian countries

AIM: Unintended pregnancy is a significant public health concern in South Asian countries because of its negative association with the socioeconomic and health outcomes for both children and mothers. The present study aimed to explore the prevalence of unintended pregnancy and explore its determinants among women of reproductive age in six South Asian countries. METHODS: Nationwide latest demography and health survey data from six South Asian countries, including Bangladesh (2014), Pakistan (2017-2018), Nepal (2016), Afghanistan (2015), Maldives (2016-2017) and India (2015-2016) were pooled for the present study. Multivariate analysis was performed to explore the association between unintended pregnancy and its associated factors. RESULTS: Amongst the total women (n = 41,689), overall, 19.1% pregnancies were reported as unintended (ranging from 11.9%…