Prevalence, trends, and determinants of short birth intervals among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia: Evidence from the 2000-2016 demographic and health survey

Short birth intervals are associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes for mothers and children. The World Health Organization recommends an inter-birth interval of at least 33 months. This study examines the prevalence, trends, and determinants of short birth intervals among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia. Data from the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Surveys (2000-2016) with a weighted sample of 37,686 women were used. Binary logistic regression analysis determined the factors predicting short birth intervals. Over 40% of women experienced a short birth interval over the years. The key predictors of short birth intervals included age, antenatal care, household wealth, ideal number of children, marital status, media exposure, religion, survival of the preceding birth, year of survey, place of residence, and region. Improving family planning services as well as targeted awareness campaigns, especially in the Afar and Somali regions, are essential to promoting optimal birth spacing in Ethiopia.