Adoption and Utilization of Family Planning Services among Couples in Rural-Urban Communities in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Modern Contraceptive Use Among Couples Has Been Documented To Be A Highly Effective Means Of Improving Maternal Health By Preventing Unintended Pregnancies And Maternal Morbidity. Nigeria Has A High Fertility Rate And Poor Contraceptive Usage, Marred By Social And Economic Dimensions With Other Cultural Norms, Including Gender Disparity. This Paper Presents The Findings Of A Cross-Sectional Quantitative Study Exploring The Adoption And Utilization Of Family Planning Services Among Couples In Rural-Urban Communities In Oyo State, Nigeria. Systematic Sampling Technique Was Used To Select 570 Women And Men Of Reproductive Age In Rural-Urban Communities Of The Oyo State, Using A 54 Semi-Structured Questionnaire Which Included Questions On Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Perception, Socio-Cultural Factors, Adoption, And Utilization Of Modern Contraceptive Services. Of The 570 Respondents, The Mean Age Of The Respondents Was 30.3 ±7.8 Years. Most (63.3%) Of Respondents Were Females, While 36.7% Were Males. The Most Common Family Planning Methods Respondents And Their Spouses Had Heard Injectable (21.2%), The Male Condom (18.6%), And Implants (15.1%), IUD (13.4%), And Pills (13.2%). Spousal Support Is 0.438 Times More Likely To Influence Utilization Of Modern Family Planning Method And Was Statistically Significant (Β=-0.826, Odd Ratio [OR]=0.438, P<0.05). Similarly, Stigmatization Is 1.298 Times More Likely To Influence The Level Of Utilization Of Modern Family Planning Methods (Β=0.261, Odd Ratio [OR]=1.298, P<0.05). It Is Important For Government And Family Planning Programmers To Focus On Programs That Address Stigmatization And Effective Spousal Communication For Improved Modern Contraceptive Uptake.