Family Characteristics and Reproductive Health Determinants of Contraceptive use among Women of Reproductive Age, attending a General Out-Patients’ Clinic in Nigeria

 

In sub-Saharan Africa, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and low use of modern contraceptives are major reproductive health problems affecting women of reproductive age. However, there is evidence of an increase in contraceptive use over the past decade.

The study was carried out to determine the sociodemographic, family characteristics and reproductive health predictors of contraceptive use among women of reproductive age, attending a General Out- patients’ clinic at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

A descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital- based study conducted with 323 women of reproductive age (15-49 years) for three months. Data were retrieved using a semi- structured questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.

The mean age of the participants was 34.9 ± 8 years. The prevalence of  contraceptive use was 43.7%, and out which, 34.4% accounted for modern methods. The age of the participants, marital status, source of family financing, age of the partner, timing for additional children, relationship with a sexual partner and knowledge of fertile period had significant associations with contraceptives used at 5% level of significance. The predictors of contraceptive use include higher income (OR=1.84, p= 0.023), joint family financing (OR= 11.9, p= 0.013), and those who desired to postpone and do not have plan for pregnancy (OR= 5.2, and OR=5.6, p= 0.001).

The desire to postpone pregnancy to later and women’s empowerment and participation in reproductive health decision making are of importance in predicting the use of contraceptives among women of reproductive age.