Contraceptive prevalence and preference in a cohort of south–east Nigerian women

Figures & data

Table 1 Sociodemographic characteristics of the study population

Variables	Number (total 330), n (%)	Approved of contraception, n (%)	Disapproved of contraception, n (%)
Age (years)
≤19	6 (1.8)	4 (66.7)	2 (33.3)
20–24	80 (24.2)	53 (66.2)	27 (33.8)
25–29	84 (25.5)	63 (75)	21 (25)
30–34	82 (24.9)	54 (65.9)	28 (34.1)
5–39	24 (7.3)	14 (58.3)	10 (41.7)
≥40	54 (16.4)	33 (61.1)	21 (38.9)
Parity
0	57 (17.3)	45 (78.9)	12 (21.1)
1–4	168 (50.9)	115 (68.5)	53 (31.5)
≥5	105 (31.8)	61 (58.1)	44 (41.9)
Marital status
Married	305 (92.4)	201 (86.7)	104 (34.1)
Divorced	4 (1.2)	3 (75)	1 (25)
Widow	4 (1.2)	2 (50)	2 (50)
Separated	2 (0.6)	2 (100)	0 (0)
Single	15 (4.5)	13 (86.7)	2 (13.3)
Educational status
No formal education	14 (4.2)	6 (42.9)	8 (57.1)
Primary	55 (16.7)	30 (54.5)	25 (45.5)
Secondary	171 (51.8)	107 (62.6)	64 (37.4)
Tertiary	90 (27.2)	78 (86.7)	12 (13.3)
Religion
Roman Catholic	182 (55.2)	111 (61)	71 (39)
Protestant	68 (20.6)	50 (73.5)	18 (26.5)
Pentecostal	74 (22.7)	55 (74.3)	19 (25.7)
Islamic	4 (1.2)	4 (100)	0 (0)
Traditional	2 (0.2)	1 (50)	1 (50)
Social class
I	14 (4.2)	10 (71.4)	4 (28.6)
II	46 (3.9)	39 (84.8)	7 (15.2)
III	77 (23.3)	48 (62.3)	29 (37.7)
IV	131 (39.8)	89 (67.9)	42 (32.1)
V	62 (18.8)	35 (56.5)	27 (43.5)

Table 2 Relationship between sociodemographic variables and approval of use of contraception

Variable	Approval of contraception	Disapproval of contraception	OR (95% CI)	P-value
Age (years)
<30	120 (36.4)	50 (15.1)
≥30	101 (30.6)	59 (17.9)	1.40 (0.89–2.22)	0.19
Parity
≤4	160 (48.5)	65 (19.7)
>4	61 (18.5)	44 (13.33)	1.78 (1.09–2.88)	0.03*
Marital status
Married	201 (60.9)	104 (31.5)
Unmarried	20 (6.1)	5 (1.5)	0.48 (0.18–1.32)	0.22
Educational status
Educated	215 (65.2)	101 (30.6)
Uneducated	6 (1.8)	8 (2.4)	2.84 (0.96–8.40)	0.04*
Religion
Roman Catholic	111 (61)	71 (39)
Other	110 (74)	38 (26)	0.39 (0.18–0.84)	0.02*
Social class
≤2	49 (14.9)	11 (3.3)
>2	172 (52.1)	98 (29.7)	2.54 (1.26–5.11)	0.01*

Notes:

* Statistically significant. Values are shown as the number (percentage), unless otherwise stated. Those <30 years of age were 1.40 times more likely to use contraception than those ≥30 years of age (not statistically significant); those who were ≤ parity 4 were 1.78 times more likely to use contraception than those who were more than parity 4 (statistically significant); those who were married were less than half (0.48 times) as likely to use contraception (not statistically significant); those who were educated were more than twice (2.84) as likely to use contraception than those who were uneducated (statistically significant); those who were Roman Catholics were 0.39 times less likely to use contraception (statistically significant); those who were of higher social class, ie, ≤2 were more than twice (2.54) as likely to use contraception than those of lower social class (statistically significant).

Abbreviations: OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval.

Table 3 Sources of information about contraceptive methods

Source of information*	Number (total 330)	Percentage
Friends	128	38.8
Health personnel	100	30.3
Fellow market women	67	20.3
Church	67	20.3
Electronic media	56	17.0
Relatives	10	3.0
Print media	9	2.7

Notes:

* Multiple entries allowed.

Table 4 Reasons for approval and disapproval of contraception

Variable*	Number (total 330)	Percentage
Reasons for disapproval
Contraceptives are harmful	46	13.9
Religious	40	12.7
Husband’s disapproval	12	3.6
No government support	11	3.3
Personal reasons	8	2.4
Contraceptives are abortifacient	6	1.8
Encourages promiscuity	5	1.5
Reasons for approval
Improves health	100	30.3
Need for small family size	98	29.7
Fertility control	81	24.5
Ensure a comfortable lifestyle	51	15.5
Prevents STIs	6	1.8
Personal reasons	2	0.6

Notes:

* Multiple entries allowed.

Abbreviation: STIs, sexually transmitted infections.

Table 5 Reasons for choosing, discontinuing, or not choosing any form of contraception

Variable*	Number (total 330)	Percentage
Reasons for choosing some form of contraception
Personal choice	70	21.2
Husband’s approval	41	12.4
Recommendation by another woman who had used the method	18	5.5
Affordable cost	14	4.2
Safety of a particular method	3	0.9
Approval by religion	2	0.2
Reasons for discontinuation
Desire for more children	37	11.2
Husband’s disapproval	30	9.1
Side effects	24	7.3
Religious beliefs	7	2.1
Cultural beliefs	2	0.6
Reasons for not using contraception
Desire for more children	86	26.1
Religious beliefs	62	18.8
Husband’s disapproval	32	9.7
Side effect	25	7.6
No know reason	11	3.3
Causes abortion	9	2.7
Cultural belief	9	2.7
Personal wishes	3	0.9
Cost	2	0.6

Notes:

* Multiple entries allowed.

Figure 1 Contraceptive awareness, use, and prevalence.

Note: Barrier represents the male condom.
Abbreviations: IUCD, intrauterine contraceptive device; LAM, lactational amenorrhea method.

Figure 2 Sources of contraception.

Abbreviations: PMD, patent medicine dealer; FCP, family planning clinic.