Abstract
Background: The contraceptive prevalence of Nigeria is low. Post partum contraception (PPC), especially in the immediate post period, may improve our contraceptive prevalence rate. Objective: To determine the level of awareness and willingness to use post partum contraception by antenatal attendees of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). Methods: This is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based prospective study in consented antenatal attendees of the UPTH between the 1st of June and 31st of August 2020. Pretested questionnaires were administered on the respondents by trained assistants. Their socio-demographic data and information on their awareness and willingness to use post partum contraception were entered into excel spread sheet and analyzed with SPSS version 20.0. Chi-square test of variables were done and P<0.05 was taken as significant. The results were presented in tables of frequencies and percentages. Result: Two hundred and seventy-one antenatal attendees of the UPTH participated in this study. Their mean parity was 2.65 with a standard deviated of 1.25. Of the total number of respondents, 299(99.26%) had at least a secondary education, 156 were aware of post partum contraception; giving a prevalence of 57.56%. Two hundred and six (76.01%) expressed willingness to use post partum contraception if counseled and offered. Husbands support for the use of contraception was 69.37%. Conclusion: There was poor awareness of post partum contraception in the UPTH antenatal attendees. However, the expression of willingness to use this method of contraception was high.
Highlights
Antenatal care is a period when set of organized interventions are carried out to cater for the health of woman and her fetus for ultimate safe delivery outcome; and prepare the couple for other needed necessary care in the post partum period
Early initiation of Family planning (FP) in the post partum period is crucial to guaranteeing health and wellbeing of the mother and their babies bearing in mind that this period poses additional risk with adverse reproductive outcome to the mother [3]
About half 156 (57.56%) of the respondents have heard of post partum contraception during the antenatal sessions (Table III); but only 67 (24.72%) of this number had heard of immediate post partum contraception (Table II)
Summary
Antenatal care is a period when set of organized interventions are carried out to cater for the health of woman and her fetus for ultimate safe delivery outcome; and prepare the couple for other needed necessary care in the post partum period. One of these needed necessary care, is an essential component of the antenatal care and the post partum period up to but not limited to the 1st one year. Planning (FP) is defined as the prevention of unintended pregnancy following the first year of childbirth [1]. Contraception allows the couple the human right potential to decide if and when to have children and attain their desired family size. Post partum contraception (PPC), especially in the immediate post period, may improve our contraceptive prevalence rate
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