Contraceptive use, menstrual resumption, and experience of pregnancy and birth among girls and young women in an internally displaced persons camp in Northeastern Nigeria.

Abstract

In Northeastern Nigeria 600,000 internally displaced girls and women need sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services. We examined the relationships between contraceptive use, menstrual resumption, and pregnancy and birth experiences among girls (ages 15-19) and young women (ages 20-24) in an IDP camp. Data are from a cross-sectional survey collected using three-stage cluster sampling; the analytic sample is 480. Data were analyzed in Stata 14 using logistic regression models. Sixty-three percent of respondents had ever had sex and over half were currently sexually active. Current contraceptive use was 8% and 47% had ever been pregnant. Older respondents and those who had ever had sex were more likely to have heard of a contraceptive method and current use was higher for women with 5 or more births. These findings indicate a need for better contraceptive education for girls before sexual activity and promotion of contraception that accounts for fertility preferences in this setting.