Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Sleep disturbances are prevalent throughout a woman's life and significantly affect overall well-being. Research worldwide has established a strong link between poor sleep quality and mental health disorders. However, studies examining this relationship within the Ethiopian context remain scarce. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of sleep quality and its association with common mental health disorders among Ethiopian women of reproductive age. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL and African Journals Online and included articles published from inception to February 2025. The quality of eligible studies was assessed using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled effect size of the outcome measures with their 95% CI. Stata version 14.0(StataCorp, College Station, Texas, USA) was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies reported the prevalence of poor sleep quality among women in reproductive age, and the pooled prevalence of poor sleep quality was 54% (95% CI: 0.46-0.63, I(2) = 97.14%, p < 0.001). The finding suggests a strong positive association between poor sleep quality and CMDs. The pooled adjusted odds ratio of poor sleep quality and depression is AOR = 2.78 (95% CI: 1.66-3.90, I(2) = 37.9%), anxiety AOR = 2.65 (95% CI: 1.84-3.46, I(2) = 0.00%), stress AOR = 1.69 (95% CI: 0.83-2.5, I(2) = 56.7%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of poor sleep quality among women of reproductive age is notably high in Ethiopia. This finding underscores the widespread nature of sleep disturbances in this population, highlighting a critical public health concern. Also the findings highlight a significant association between poor sleep quality and common mental disorders (CMDs). Addressing CMDs as a key factor in poor sleep quality interventions and underscores the need for tailored strategies to improve both sleep and psychological well-being in this vulnerable group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CRD42025643365.