Contraceptive uptake among women attending family planning clinic in a Nigerian tertiary health facility: a 6 year review

Abstract

Background: Maternal mortality can only occur in the presence of a pregnancy. Contraceptive uptake is one of the most important determinants of pregnancy rates and birth rates in the world. Objective(s): To determine the principal trends in contraceptive use between the period of 2004-2009 in the family planning unit of a tertiary health facility in South-Western Nigeria Material/Methods: The record of 1,862 clients attending the Family Planning unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun-State, Nigeria for the period between 2004 - 2009 were reviewed. Information related to the age, marital status, parity and the choice of contraception were obtained and the data analyzed with SPSS version 16. Results: Within the study period, 1,862 women visited the family planning clinic while a total of 12,290 women visited the general gynaecology out-patient clinic; giving a contraceptive uptake of 13.2%. CU-T IUCD was the most commonly used method of contraception (77.9%), followed by the progestogen only injectable contraceptives. Less popular were Condoms, spermicides and female sterilization (1.5%, 0.1% & 0.1% respectively). Single women and women of low parity are more likely to use pills while long acting reversible contraception (injectables and IUCD) are preferred by women with higher parity. Also older women tend to choose methods with less medical side effects (Condoms & IUCD). Conclusions: IUCD is the most popular method of contraception in Ife-Ijesha area of Nigeria. Contraceptive uptake is relatively low among the women.