Factors influencing menstrual regulation and its socioeconomic inequalities among ever-married women in Bangladesh: Findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

ABSTRACT

Despite a significant drop in maternal mortality in Bangladesh, unsafe abortion remains a critical maternal health issue that could be reduced by promoting menstrual regulation (MR). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of MR use among ever-married women as well as to identify the socioeconomic inequalities in MR use in Bangladesh. The latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18 data were used in this study. We used a sub-sample of 12,586 ever-married women aged 15 to 49 years for this study. To identify the determinants of MR, multilevel (mixed-effect) binary logistic regression analysis was used while accounting for potential between-clusters variations. The weighted prevalence of MR was 7.64% (95% CI 7.19 - 8.12). Women of aged 20-29 years (AOR 2.50, 95% CI 1.46, 4.30) and ≥ 30 years (AOR 4.17, 95% CI 2.39, 7.26), from urban areas (AOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.04, 1.47), having one or two children (AOR 1.96, 95% CI 1.25, 3.09) and ≥ 3 children (AOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.40, 3.65), who used traditional contraceptive method (AOR 1.39, 95% CI 1.12, 1.73), and from Barishal division (AOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08, 1.93) were more likely to have MR. Women were less likely to have MR if they were from Chittagong (AOR 0.62, 95% CI 0.46, 0.84) and Mymensingh (AOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.36, 0.73) divisions. MR use was found to be higher among higher socioeconomic status (SES) groups as the concentration index (CIX) value was positive and the Lorenz curve lay below the line of equality (CIX 0.095, p<0.001). Health policy and intervention design should prioritize minimizing socioeconomic inequities concerning MR services.