Unmet need for family planning among married women in Tanzania: Insights from the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey

Background In Tanzania, unmet need for family planning (FP) presents a major challenge for preventing unintended pregnancies and their associated maternal and child health morbidities. Understanding factors associated with unmet need for FP is critical for effective policy formulation and improving maternal and child health outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of unmet need for FP among women in sexual unions in Tanzania. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using secondary data from the 2022 TDHS. A generalized logistic regression model was used to determine factors associated with unmet need for FP. Odds ratio and 95% confidence Intervals (CI) were computed to estimate the strength and magnitude of association. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results The prevalence of unmet need for family planning was 20.7% (95%CI: 18.9–22.6). For the factors, women aged 25–34 years (AOR = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.35–0.63) and those aged 35–49 years (AOR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.25–0.54) had lower odds of unmet need for FP than their counterparts. Women who were working had lower odds of unmet need for FP compared to their counterparts (AOR = 0.71, 95%CI: 0.56–0.87). The increase in the number of children was associated with a higher likelihood of unmet need for FP (AOR = 1.30, 95%CI: 1.22–1.38). Women with a history of pregnancy termination were 26% less likely to have unmet need for FP than their counterparts (AOR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.53–0.97). Conclusion The established findings of this study indicate that factors such as age, parity, and employment status significantly influence the likelihood of unmet need, with younger and non-working women often facing greater challenges. Addressing this public health challenge necessitates a concerted and targeted approach, focusing on enhancing the accessibility and quality of family planning services, particularly for rural and younger populations.