CONTRACEPTIVE AWARENESS AND PRACTICE AMONG NURSING MOTHERS ATTENDING A CHILD WELFARE CLINIC IN A TERTIARY HEALTH FACILITY

Deji Samson Ayo*, Emmanuel Ebeneezer Eyitayo and Bamidele James Olusegun

ABSTRACT

Contraceptive awareness with practice remain a major method of birth control which improves family health. This study assessed contraceptive awareness and practice among nursing mothers attending a child welfare clinic. The study design was a cross-sectional survey conducted in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Nigeria. One hundred nursing mothers who came to the clinic for immunization of their children were recruited for the study. Interviewer administered questionnaire were administered for data collection on the awareness and practice of contraception among respondents. Data was analyzed using IBM Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS)version 20. Summary statistics were presented using frequencies, table. Most respondents 74 (74.0%) were between the age range of 25 -34 years. Majority, 93 (93.0%) were married living with their families, 88, had tertiary education background, 47, had 2 children to nurse. Most of the respondents, 78, got their information about contraceptives from health facilities. Majority, 97, reported awareness of the use of various contraceptives, while only 17 among the respondents actually practiced one form of contraception or the other. The proportion of awareness about various contraceptives varied among respondents, 69 were aware of condom usage, injectables, 55, Pills, 50, IUCD and implants, 32, vasectomy, 20. Conclusively, While majority of the respondents were aware of the use of contraceptives as a means of birth control, only very few actually practiced it in their families. Much work need to be done to persuade women to adopt contraceptive usage which stand to improve the overall health of their family members.

Keywords: Contraceptives, Awareness, Practice, Mothers.