Women Health, Empowerment and Its Association with Contraceptive Use

Background: In Bangladesh, the presence of gender disparities impedes women from fulfilling their reproductive requirements, resulting in elevated levels of unintended pregnancies, abortions, and fatalities. Research findings suggest that the empowerment of women has the potential to enhance the proportion of satisfied demand for modern contraceptive methods (MDFPS); however, limited studies have assessed this phenomenon across various aspects of life. Objectives: Our investigation delved into the impact of empowerment on MDFPS utilization among married women of reproductive age (MWRA) in Bangladesh. Methods: We examined data extracted from the 2020 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) involving 4714 MWRA with reproductive requirements residing in 573 different localities. Utilizing principal component analysis (PCA) and the Cronbach’s alpha test, we delved into and evaluated specific and consistently significant elements of women's empowerment within marital unions. Aggregated metrics at the community level were employed to evaluate gender norms and interactions within the societies. Results: Less than one-third (30.8%) of the demand for family planning among MWRA were satisfied with modern methods in general. The components underlying women's agency in marital relationships included participation in household decision-making, freedom in accessing healthcare, and opposition to domestic violence. Conclusion: Empowering women possesses the capacity to diminish gender disparity, enhance women's agency, and boost MDFPS. Such impact could materialize via equitable marital partnerships and just community gender norms and interactions.