Contraceptive practices and determinants of current contraceptive use in Borno State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Contraceptive use is poor among women in northern Nigeria, but it is agreed that regulating fertility goes along with  socioeconomic development. It is therefore important to identify the determinants of contraceptive use in Borno state and utilise this for  planning and advocacy.

Method: The subjects were women of reproductive age living in urban as well as rural settings in Borno State,  northeastern Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered enquiring about their socio-demographic characteristics and contraceptive  practices. Logistic regression analysis was use to construct a model for significant determinants of contraceptive use.

Results: There  were 532 respondents, with a mean age of 29.5+7.9 years and a mean parity of 3.4+3.0. Although 77.6% were educated, 68.4% were  unemployed. One hundred and seventy five participants (32.9%) had 4 or more living children while 15.4% had no living child. In 15% of  the cases, the husbands have no formal education. Eighty (33.8%) of the respondent were married into polygamous setting out of which  36 (20%) have 3 co-wives. The prevalence of current contraceptive use was 29.1% and majority of the clients (38.7%) used pills. Previous  contraceptives counselling and education were found to be the strongest determinants of contraceptives use.

Conclusion: Making  contraceptives counselling routine in all our gynaecological consultation and women empowerment through girl child education may  help in the improvement of contraception utilisation. Further research is needed to address the men and co-wives issue with regard to  family planning in our environment.