Factors affecting family planning; it’s awareness and practice among women of reproductive age in Ahiaba-Umueze-Owuala autonomous community in Aba, Abia State

Abstract

Background:

Nigeria is one of the most densely populated country in Africa with approximately 1996 million people in a million Km² area and is also the country with the largest population in Africa and is the country with the seventh largest population in the World. Nigeria has one of the  lowest contraceptive prevalence in the world, only about 15% of women  in their child bearing years embrace family planning in Nigeria, hence need for family planning campaign been an important tool in curbing this high rate of population growth in the country.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting family planning, its awareness among women of reproductive age (18-49) in Ahiaba-Umueze–Owuala Community in Aba, Abia state.

Method:

This  Descriptive Cross-sectional study was carried out in Ahiaba-Umueze –Owuala Community in Osisioma Ngwa  LGA  in  Aba, Abia State, among  both married & single (but not pregnant) females of reproductive age (18-49) in the community using a sample size of 400 and by adopting the cluster based sampling technique, each kindred was singly studied and our respondents picked in alternate manner until hundreds of  respondents were picked from each part using a ----sectioned semi-structured Questionnaire which was either self-administered or interviewer administered. The questionnaires were manually sorted and analyzed using SPSS statistical method and data presented in diagrams and all continuous variables presented as mean and median and discrete variables described as percentages.

Results:

Results of the study revealed that the awareness about family planning was low among respondents about 69.3%. This is hugely due to ignorance as a result of poor educational exposure, cultural restriction for the young ones, poor awareness campaign on the subject matter and the remote nature of the locality. Of the 30.7% that is aware of the subject matter, 85.5% felt the husbands should be involved in the family planning decisions. The current rate of family planning among the informed respondents was found to be 35.7% and non- practice was found to be 64.5%, with the reason(s) viz desire for more children, husband disapproval, personal disapproval, fear of side effects, religions among others.

Conclusion:

The knowledge and practice of family planning is low in the study population and based on these findings, recommendations for improving family planning awareness and enhancing practice in the study populations have been indicated so as to curb the rate of population growth which is alarming.