Evaluation of the London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP) among a nationally representative sample of pregnant and postpartum women Ethiopia

Objectives

Rigorous measurement of pregnancy preferences is needed to address reproductive health needs. The London Measure of Unplanned Pregnancy (LMUP), developed in the UK, has been adapted for low-income countries. Psychometric properties of LMUP items remain uncertain in contexts with limited access to and use of health services.

Study design

This cross-sectional study examines the six-item LMUP’s psychometric properties among a nationally representative sample of 2855 pregnant and postpartum women in Ethiopia. Principal components analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) estimated psychometric properties. Hypothesis testing examined associations between the LMUP and other measurement approaches of pregnancy preferences using descriptive statistics and linear regression.

Results

The six-item LMUP had acceptable reliability (α = 0.77); two behavioral items (contraception, preconception care) were poorly correlated with the total scale. A four-item measure demonstrated higher reliability (α = 0.90). Construct validity via PCA and CFA indicated the four-item LMUP’s unidimensionality and good model fit; all hypotheses related to the four-item LMUP and other measurement approaches were met.

Conclusions

Measurement of women’s pregnancy planning in Ethiopia may be improved through use of a four-item version of the LMUP scale. This measurement approach can inform family planning services to better align with women’s reproductive goals.

Implications

Improved pregnancy preference measures are needed to understand reproductive health needs. A four-item version of the LMUP is highly reliable in Ethiopia, offering a robust and concise metric for assessing women’s orientations toward a current or recent pregnancy and tailoring care to support them in achieving their reproductive goals.