Unmet need for family planning among married women in urban areas of Jember Regency, East Java, Indonesia: Does gender equality matter?

Unmet need for family planning is important to assess as an indicator for achieving universal access to sexual and reproductive health services. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of gender relations on unmet need for family planning. We conducted a cross-sectional study with a randomly selected sample of 92 married women in Sumbersari District, Jember Regency, Indonesia. We collected data through structured interviews conducted between January and March 2023, and the data was analysed with univariate, bivariate and multiple logistic regression. The unmet need for family planning among the married women was 33.7%. Married women who had 3-4 children and low education were at greater risk of unmet need for family planning (OR 9.2; 95% CI 3.22-26.28 and OR 11.7; 95% CI 2.3-60, respectively). Married women who experience unequal gender relations with their husband were more at risk of unmet needs for family planning (OR 10.3; 95% CI 2.97-35.55) as well as women who agree with the husband's beating of his wife (OR 8; 95% CI 2.53-25.80). Gender inequality was a determinant of the unmet need for family planning among married women living in urban areas. Therefore, it is necessary to improve women's empowerment programs to reduce unmet need family planning among married women.