Contraceptive utilization profile and influencing factors among women accessing health care services in a tertiary health facility in Jos, north central Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Despite the prevailing wide spread knowledge of contraception, uptake continues to remain low with high unmet need fuelled by a number of factors.

Methods: This study documents historical account of contraceptive uptake and preferences among 196 mothers attending postnatal clinic in  Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, and examines related demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Results: Contraceptive uptake rate was 61.7% with preferences being condom (24.0%), natural/cyclical (18.6), implant (17.1%), injectable (14.7%), oral pills (14.0%) and IUCD (4.7%). There was significant difference or association between respondents' contraceptive uptake and their  occupational status (pV = 0.0228), more users with increased number of pregnancies (pV = 0.0479) and increasing number of children (pV = 0.0137), and less users with desire for more children (pV = 0.0008).

Conclusion: Respondents' occupational profile, number of pregnancy experiences, number of children and desire for more children were thus strong influence in contraceptive use, and should serve as markers for identifying potential clients at service delivery points. The comparatively high uptake in study indicates health facilities and staff potential roles in the provision of contraceptive services if properly channeled and harnessed. Partners' impact, found low, if harnessed has the potential in enhancing further this service uptake.

Key Words: Contraceptive uptake, influencing factors, Nigeria