Women In Northern Nigeria Research Articles

Prevalence and determinants of skilled birth attendance among young women aged 15–24 years in Northern Nigeria: evidence from multiple indicator cluster survey 2011 to 2021

BackgroundChildbirth among adolescents and young mothers has been linked to various complications, including perinatal mortality, preterm births, low birth weight, and infections, which collectively contribute to the high burden of neonatal and maternal mortality. Despite some progress, the prevalence of skilled birth attendance, proven to improve maternal and newborn health outcomes, remains consistently low in Northern Nigeria. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of Skilled Birth Attendance (SBA) among young women ages 15–24 years in Northern Nigeria.MethodsThis pooled cross-sectional study included 6,461 young women aged 15–24 years from 2011, 2016 and 2021 multiple indicator cluster surveys in Nigeria. We used a binary logistic regression model to assess the factors associated with skilled birth attendance at 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with computed adjusted odds ratios (aORs).ResultsThe prevalence of skilled birth attendance among young women in Northern Nigeria increased from 25.6% in 2011 to 33.1% in 2021. Women who were atleast 18 years of age at first marriage had 2.48 higher odds of SBA (aOR 2.48, 95% CI = 1.54–4.00) compared those less than 18 years of age at first marriage after controlling for confounders. Young women from rich household wealth quintile were more likely to utilize SBA (aOR 1.84, 95% CI = 1.11–3.14) compared to young women from poor household wealth quintile. In terms of education, those women who had secondary (aOR = 2.52, 95% CI = 1.77–3.56) and higher education (aOR = 10.01, 95% CI = 2.21–49.31) had higher odds of SBA compared to those with no education. Individual women with media exposure had 59% higher likelihood (aOR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.16–2.19), women who attended 4 or more antenatal care visits during their last pregnancy demonstrated 2.28 times higher odds (aOR = 2.28, 95% CI = 1.67–3.09), while those who reported no intention for their last pregnancy were 37% less likely (aOR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.42–0.96) to utilize SBA.ConclusionA slight increase in the prevalence of skilled birth attendance was observed over the 10-year period. For a significant boost in skilled birth attendance among young women in Northern Nigeria, particular attention needs to be paid to girls’ child education, delay in marriage, economic empowerment of young women, and strategic ways of leveraging trained community health workers (CHIPs) to bring reproductive healthcare close to young women living in rural areas.

Barriers to routine screening for intimate partner violence during pregnancy in Nigeria

BackgroundThe benefits of routine screening for intimate partner violence (IPV) among pregnant women include early identification, prompt management, referral of IPV victims, and creating awareness about IPV. Despite these benefits, the practice of routine screening of IPV remains limited in midwifery settings in low-income countries. The purpose of this study is to identify and describe midwives’ perspectives of the barriers in conducting routine screening of IPV for pregnant women in northern Nigeria. MethodsA case study qualitative descriptive design was used to collect data from ten midwives in the antenatal clinic of a tertiary hospital. Non-participant observation and individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews were used as data collection methods. Thematic data analysis was carried out using Yin's five stage analytical cycle. FindingsThree themes, with related subthemes, emerged from the data: (i) The theme of “Internal” barriers to IPV screening has four subthemes; midwives' personal discomfort in asking IPV- related questions, perceived mistrust of midwives by pregnant women, midwives' own perceptions of IPV as a personal matter, and midwives’ lack of skills to screen for IPV. (ii) “External” barriers to IPV screening subsumes three subthemes: antenatal card related barriers, workload related barriers, and protocol barriers. (iii) “Structural” barriers to IPV screening have two subthemes: lack of space for privacy and lack of resources for managing pregnant women who have experienced IPV. ConclusionKnowing the barriers to midwives’ screening practices is important because it may help in the development of contextually relevant and acceptable screening guidelines for midwives in Nigeria. Education and training of midwives will eliminate the internal barriers while the external barriers will need the intervention of hospital authorities and government to eliminate their effects on screening.

Awareness and Utilization of Antenatal Care Services among Women in Northern Nigeria

Background: Utilization of antenatal care is paramount in achieving the MDG goal, and is a resultant effect of knowledge, and attitude of the women to the services [20-25]. There are expedient factors that have been reported in literatures as affecting the utilization of ANC such as religion, education, cultures and traditions of the people, cost etc. Lack of antenatal care and its underuse can result in a variety of unfavorable pregnancy outcomes, including intrauterine growth restriction, low birth weight, and mother and infant death. This study was done to determine the awareness and utilization of ANC in Sokoto State, Nigeria as part of an effort to achieving the millennium development goal. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, adopting the simple random sampling technique and an interviewer administered semi-structured questionnaire. Results and Discussions: The study finds, after assessment, the percentage of Good utilization, Good knowledge and Good Attitude towards ANC services as 52.3%, 72.6% and 67.0% respectively. Crude percentage of utilization of ANC services was 87.0%. Factors influencing utilization identified were marital status and income, with odds ratio of 6.2 (95%CI: 0.88 – 43.39) and 5.4 (95%CI: 1.60 – 18.30) respectively and having p-values of 0.068 and 0.007. Although the women in Sokoto have knowledge of ANC services, their utilization of ANC services is relatively poor. Conclusion: Out of the 87.0% of uptake of ANC, only 52.3% were assessed to have Good utilization score. There is need for interventions to improve utilization of ANC services among women in Sokoto.

Factors associated with full childhood vaccination coverage among young mothers in Northern Nigeria.

wide regional variation in immunization coverage still persists in Nigeria. Full Immunization Coverage (FIC) for more than 80% of all states in the northern region is lower than 40% relative to their southern counterpart. Studies focusing on young women in the north remain sparse, despite the high prevalence of early marriage and poor health-seeking behavior. This study examines FIC among young women in northern Nigeria. we performed a secondary analysis of the 2013 and 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey on 1,198 women of children aged 12-23 months in 2013 and 405 in the 2018 dataset. Analysis was limited to young women 15-24 years, residing in Northern Nigeria. We used logistics regression to predict factors associated with FIC. the proportion of fully immunized children was low, at 11% in 2013 and 18% in 2018. The coverage for most vaccines was low, except for the oral polio vaccine. The children of mothers who had health card [(aOR=18.1,95% C.I (8.1-40.7)], in 2013 and 2018 [(aOR=12.7, 95% C.I (5.9-27.1)], attended ANC [(aOR=8.6, 95% C.I (2.4-30.9)] in 2013 and had facility delivery [(aOR=2.0, 95% C.I (1.0-4.1)] in 2018 were more likely to be fully immunized. the study found FIC among children of young women in Northern Nigeria was abysmally low. Ownership of health care, antenatal attendance, and facility delivery significantly predicted the odds of FIC. These findings suggest the need for approaches that remove barriers to good health-seeking behavior, especially among young mothers in Northern Nigeria.

Fertility among Northern Nigeria women and associated factors: Negative binomial regression model approach

Objective: The 2020 sustainable development progress report shows that human population growth is a critical barrier to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). There are very few studies on determinants of fertility particularly looking at the northern part of Nigeria that has a relatively high fertility level compared with the southern part of the country. This study therefore is aimed at identifying the factors associated with fertility among women in northern Nigeria. Methods: The data for this study was from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2018. The number of children ever born by women aged 15 – 49 years and other variables who lived in Northern Nigeria were extracted and analyzed using Negative Binomial Regression, where the level of significance was 0.05. Results: There were variations in factors associated with fertility among the geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Age of the respondents, sex of household head, wealth index, religion, ethnicity, use of family planning (FP) method, and child death experience were among the factors associated with fertility. Women with no/lower education, early marriage, being Muslim and Hausa/Fulani ethnic background experienced high fertility (p<0.05). Conclusion: Attention to the factors mentioned above and intervention programmes designed to reduce fertility are indispensable. Education of female children should be given extra attention as this will empower them to be more informed. Hence, achieving SDGs will become a reality.

The Prevalence and Post-Operative Complications of Uterine Leiomyomas in South-Western Nigeria and Northern Nigeria: A Comparative Review

Background: Uterine Leiomyoma are benign tumors which commonly affect women of reproductive age, however only a subset of women has their fibroids clinically detected, symptomatic or warrant surgical treatment. Its removal is associated with complications. To control the occurrence of this complication requires the understanding of the factors associated with the complications. Methods: The study was carried at two large tertiary hospitals in South-western and Northern region of Nigeria. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted among patients in these regions. Information such as sociodemographic characteristics was recorded in questionnaire including retrospective review of case records of all surgically managed cases of uterine leiomyoma (from one hundred and fifty-nine women) was obtained after formal consent from the hospital’s ethics committee. Results: In Both regions of Nigeria, the common presenting complaints from 36-40 years old patients were menstrual irregularities, Abdominal swelling, and infertility. The commonest anatomical position of the nodules were multiple positions and intramural. The majority (79.9%) of the women in South-Western Nigeria presented with multiple leiomyomas. While the majority (48.8%) of the women in Northern Nigeria presented multiple leiomyomas which accounted for almost half of the patients diagnosed in that region. In the South-western region of Nigeria, post-operative complications occurred in 20.9 % of cases with post-operative pyrexia (13.5%), blood loss warranting transfusion (12.8%) and post-operative anemia (10.4%) been the most common complications. While in the Northern region of Nigeria no complications were recorded. Conclusion: Uterine leiomyomas is common in Nigeria and usually presents with menorrhagia, pelvic pain, recurrent miscarriage, and infertility. The surgery may be complicated by post operative pyrexia, blood loss, wound infection and even death. Midline incision, closure of rectus sheet with chromic catgut and myomectomy were associated with postoperative complications in this review. To avoid postoperative morbidities associated with surgical management of fibroid, Pfannenstiel incision where feasible, use of non-absorbable or delayed absorbable sutures and hysterectomy in women who have completed family should be adopted in the Southwestern region of Nigeria. Whereas prevalence of uterine leiomyomas is generally prevalent in the Southwest, there are varying age prevalence’s in the North and Southwest.

The burden of drug abuse: Predictors of prescription drug abuse among women in Northern Nigeria. A systematic review

IntroductionThe North-Eastern, North-Western, and North-Central cities in Nigeria comprise of 19 states, each with its own governor. With over 400 ethnicities in the country, Northern Nigeria is home to many ethnic groups nearly half of whom are the Hausa-Fulani whose main religion is Islam. Practices in Northern Nigeria has favoured polygamy, early child marriage, and a lack of desire for western education while encouraging the strictly Islamic studies especially among the Hausa/Fulanis. Northern Nigeria is also known for its gender inequality and poverty. Prescription drug abuse has become more common in recent years even among women in Northern Nigeria. ObjectivesThis study's objectives include finding out the predicting factors to entry into prescription drug use among women in Northern Nigeria. Highlighting the causes of growing numbers in prescription drug abuse as well as recommending solutions in form of preventative measures. MethodsEight articles were selected after being critically appraised for this study following a set of inclusion and exclusion criteria. For this mixed method Systematic Review (SR), a thematic analysis was used for the results and findings. ResultsThis research shows that some of the factors in the rise of prescription drug abuse among women in Northern Nigeria include: unemployment, insurgency due to the activities of violent extremist organization—Boko Haram—in the Northern region, as well as family dynamics which involves family history of drug misuse, early marriage, and a lack of education. ConclusionUnderstanding the factors influencing women into drug use in Northern Nigeria can help end the cycle. This study suggests recommendations to prompt a decline in the rising numbers of prescription drug use among women in Northern Nigeria.

Internet use, exposure to digital family planning messages, and sexual agency among partnered women in Northern Nigeria: implications for digital family planning intervention

Digital health interventions are gaining ground in conflict-affected countries, but studies on their reproductive health benefits for women are scanty. Focusing on conflict-affected northern Nigeria, this study examined the relationships between Internet use, exposure to digital family planning messages via text messages or social media, and sexual agency – measured as the ability to refuse sex and ask a male partner to use a condom – among partnered women including the rural-urban differentials. Partnered women's data (n= 18,205) from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey were analysed using descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses. 44.6% of women are able to refuse sex, and 31.4% to ask a male partner to use a condom. Internet use was positively associated with women's ability to refuse sex in the northern region and urban areas, and across the region to ask a male partner to use a condom. It was also positively associated with women's uncertainty about asking a male partner to use a condom. Exposure to digital family planning messages was positively associated with women's ability to ask a male partner to use a condom across the region, in both urban and rural areas. However, exposure to digital family planning messages was negatively associated with women's uncertainty in urban areas about their ability to refuse sex. Implications of these findings for digital family planning interventions are discussed.

Guiding Muslim Women in the University: The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria Women’s Programmes in Northern Nigeria

ABSTRACT This article discusses how the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) shapes the way of life of Muslim women in northern Nigeria’s higher educational institutions. The MSSN expects Muslim women to be symbols of piety, home builders and career professionals, and, in line with these objectives, it promotes an Islamic reform that emphasises Western education and the embodiment of prophetic traditions. Many platforms, such as the Sisters’ Circle and Marriage Guidance and Counselling (MAGACO), are used by the MSSN to guide the women on how to achieve this tradition of reform. Through these platforms, the women are engaged on a variety of subjects, such as giving support to acquire Western education, learning the prophetic traditions, and dealing with marital concerns and societal problems that affect their gender. I argue that these platforms enable Muslim women to actively participate in public life and deal with the problems they face in education, religion and marriage. This is demonstrated in their employment in many professional careers, and their ability to stimulate changes, including contesting the notion of women’s education, the women-centred reform orientation of the MSSN, and the government policy on veiling in public schools.

Utilization of insecticide-treated nets and associated factors among childbearing women in Northern Nigeria

BackgroundStudies have explored the correlates of insecticide-treated nets in Nigeria. The few studies that focused on Northern Nigeria mostly examined individual correlates, but largely ignored the community correlates. Also, the persistence of armed insurgencies in the region calls for more research attention. This study examines the utilization and the associated individual and community factors of insecticide-treated nets in Northern Nigeria.MethodsThe study adopted a cross-sectional design. Data were extracted from the 2021 Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey (NMIS). A weighted sample size of 6873 women was analysed. The outcome variable was the utilization of insecticide-treated nets. The explanatory variables selected at the individual/household level were maternal age, maternal education, parity, religion, sex of head of household, household wealth, and household size. The variables selected at the community level were the type of place of residence, geo-political zone of residence, the proportion of children under five who slept under a bed net, the proportion of women aged 15–49 who heard malaria media messages, and the community literacy level. Two variables, namely, the number of mosquito bed nets in the household, and the number of rooms used for sleeping were included for statistical control. Three multilevel mixed-effect regression models were fitted.ResultsThe majority of childbearing women (71.8%) utilized insecticide-treated nets. Parity and household size were the significant individual/household characteristics associated with the utilization of insecticide-treated nets. The proportion of under-five children in the community who slept under mosquito bed nets, and the geopolitical zone of residence were significant community correlates of the use of insecticide-treated nets. In addition, the number of rooms for sleeping, and the number of mosquito bed nets in the households were significantly associated with the utilization of insecticide-treated nets.ConclusionParity, household size, number of sleeping rooms, number of treated bed nets, geo-political zone of residence, and proportion of under-five children sleeping under bed nets are important associated factors of the utilization of insecticide-treated nets in Northern Nigeria. Existing malaria preventive initiatives should be strengthened to target these characteristics.

The prevalence of IGM antibodies to Zika virus in pregnant women in Northern Nigeria.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can result in severe outcomes for both the pregnant woman and the developing fetus. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Zika virus infection among pregnant women who sought healthcare services at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital. Serum samples were collected and analyzed using Enzyme Linked Immunoassay and RT-qPCR methods, while a structured questionnaire was used to gather relevant information about the participants. The results showed that 53 out of the 180 pregnant women tested positive for Anti-Zika IgM antibodies, which represents a 29.4% prevalence rate. Subsequent RT-qPCR analysis found that only 6 out of the 53 positive samples contained Zika virus RNA. Fever and headache were the most commonly reported symptoms related to the infection. These findings indicate a potential outbreak of Zika fever in Northern Nigeria emphasizing the importance for pregnant women to take precautions to avoid getting infected.

Predictors of substance use disorder symptoms among women in Katsina State, Nigeria

BackgroundProblems associated with substance use are on the rise among women in northern Nigeria, creating a need to understand factors contributing to this trend. MethodData on substance use, symptoms of substance use disorder (SUD) using DSM-5 criteria, and risk and protective factors associated with SUD symptoms, including adverse childhood experiences (ACE), were collected in a community-based study of young adult women (M age = 25.76, SD = 4.71 years) from Katsina State. ResultsThe analytic sample included 360 women with valid SUD symptom data. SUD symptoms were correlated in expected directions with the majority of risk and protective factors, including ACE. A hierarchical linear regression analysis predicting SUD symptoms revealed that age, ACE, and peer drug use were uniquely associated with higher levels of SUD symptoms; more education and endorsing a positive relationship with parents was associated with fewer SUD symptoms. Notably, ACE remained a unique contributor to SUD symptom totals in the context of protective factors and additional risk factors, although the association of ACE and SUD symptoms was attenuated. ConclusionsThese data illustrate the enduring impact of ACE on risk for SUD symptoms in women, and the protective role that a positive relationship with parents may play in reducing this risk. Further, these patterns of findings reveal the utility of assessing risk and protective factors across multiple life domains to gain a comprehensive picture of risk for SUD symptoms in women.

Chlamydia trachomatis Seropositivity and Associated Risk Factors Among Women Attending A Northern Nigerian Tertiary Hospital.

Genital Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) is the commonest bacterial sexually transmitted infection globally. Acquisition of Ct infection is affected by biological and behavioural factors. Determine the prevalence of Ct infection and identify risk factors associated with Ct infection in sexually active fertile women in Northern Nigeria. One hundred and fifty sexually active women presenting to the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria were studied. Socio-demographic characteristics and history of risk factors for acquisition of genital Ct were obtained from the participants using a questionnaire. Their sera were tested for the presence of Ct immunoglobulin G using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. The mean ages ± standard deviation of seropositive and seronegative women were 29.1 ± 7.3 years and 28.9 (SD 6.7) years respectively (P = 0.438). The prevalence of Ct infection was 6.7% (10/150). Occupation was associated with Ct seropositivity (P = 0.02). Number of sexual partners, age at coitarche; duration of sexual exposure and previous history suggestive of sexually transmitted infection were not associated with Ct seropositivity (P > 0.05). A low prevalence of Ct was found among fertile women. Lack of regular source of personal income was associated with Ct infection but the sexual behavioural factors studied were not.

Assessment of Perceived Social Support, Quality of Life and Resilience among Pregnant Women in Northern Nigeria

Assessment of Perceived Social Support, Quality of Life and Resilience among Pregnant Women in Northern Nigeria

Intimate partner violence and the spatial pattern of maternal healthcare services utilization among parous married women in northern Nigeria

The low uptake of maternal healthcare services (MHS) in Nigeria is implicated in the country’s poor maternal health outcomes. In northern Nigeria where these outcomes are poorest, not much is known about the contribution of violence within unions on married women’s uptake of MHS. Using data on antenatal care (ANC) utilisation and place of delivery, and their sociodemographic confounders from the Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, this study investigates this relationship. Results of univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses show that 46.4% and 22.1% of the women had at least four ANC sessions and had health facility delivery respectively. At the subregional level however, the North-Central zone had the highest utilisation rates while the North-West zone had the lowest. The prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) ranged from 8.2% (sexual violence) to 16.7% (physical violence) and 35.8% (emotional violence). Subregional analysis of IPV shows that the North-West zone had the lowest prevalence rates. Contrary to some literature evidence, women who experienced IPV in the study area had higher odds of utilising MHS (P < 0.001). When the sociodemographic characteristics of the women were adjusted for, the relationship became statistically insignificant however. The association between the women’s socioeconomic characteristics and their MHS uptake suggests that attention be paid to the wealth and educational status of the population because of their propensity for sustaining the higher uptake recorded. The role of religion in the outcomes further suggests that it be used as a tool to promote the uptake of MHS in the region.

Women as muted voices and silenced subalterns in Razinat Mohammed’s A Love Like a Woman’s and Other Stories

Women, especially in northern Nigeria have become the silenced “subalterns” due to misconceptions about the Islamic religion especially on issues of polygamy, domestic violence, segregation, exploitation, dehumanization and various types of abuses meted on them. This paper seeks to examine how female characters are depicted in Razinat T. Mohammed’s A Love like a Woman’s and Other Stories and the various mechanisms that have situated them into the position of the silenced subalterns. Anchoring on Gayatri Spivak’s “Can the Subaltern Speak” the paper argues that women in A Love like a Woman’s and Other Stories are doubly marginalized and are constantly silenced by men due to the northern tradition and the misinterpretation of the Islamic religion. This paper posits that women are continually held in a vicious cycle: from birth through death, they are given defined roles. More so, the paper surmises that at adolescence, women in Northern Nigeria are forced into early marriages, bastardized under polygamy, politically dehumanized and sabotaged economically in a male-dominated society.

The impact of social cleavages on women’s political participation in Nigeria

Women in Northern Nigeria are secluded in political positions following ethnic differences and religious backgrounds than women in Southern Nigeria, who participate more in public life. The basis for this disparity is the value placed on women in both spheres of interest. The African tradition relegates women to the background and gives the men a voice. The paper looks at the impact of social cleavages and factors responsible for the low participation of women in politics. The research used both a qualitative and quantitative method through face-to-face interviews with five female respondents. The study focused on women participation in politics making Inferences from data collected through interviews. The fear factor, economic and cultural beliefs were among the reasons for the low turnout of women in political participation. The paper concluded that women should support women and create awareness in enlightenment programmes for women in rural areas.

Willingness of Mothers to Receive Reminders for Routine Vaccination Appointments in Northern Nigeria: A Multi-Centre Cross-Sectional Study.

Routine vaccination, a cost-effective means of preventing deadly childhood disease, has a low coverage in Nigeria. The study assessed the willingness of mothers to receive reminder messages for routine vaccination appointments in Northern Nigeria. A multi-centre cross-sectional study involving at least 363 mother-infant pairs per centre from five states in Northern Nigeria. Data collected include the socio-demographic details, responses on parental phone ownership, mothers' willingness to receive reminders for immunization appointments and the reminder type characteristics. Data analysis was done with SPSS. Of the 1952 mother-infant pairs, ownership of at least one household phone was 97.7%. In total, 1613 (82.6%) mothers were willing to receive reminders. A majority (62.2%) of mothers preferred phone calls. A day before the vaccination appointment was the preferred timing (78.1%), and the predominant communication language was the local language for each region.The odds of being willing to receive reminders were 3.1 times, 2.6 times and 1.8 times higher in those with no formal education, primary education and secondary education, respectively, compared with mothers with tertiary education, each p < 0.05. Mothers who delivered at home were significantly less likely to want reminder messages (p = 0.03). Eight of 10 women in Northern Nigeria are willing to receive a reminder for their child. The predominant mode of reminder preferred is phone calls using the local language. Deployment of mobile phone reminders strategy in Northern Nigeria as a means to improve vaccination uptake is feasible. The institution of this strategy can be in collaboration with service providers.

Association between Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain, Physical Activity, and Health-related Quality of Life: A Survey of Pregnant Women in Northern Nigeria

Association between Pregnancy-Related Low Back Pain, Physical Activity, and Health-related Quality of Life: A Survey of Pregnant Women in Northern Nigeria

Factors associated with the knowledge of obstetric danger signs, and perceptions of the need for obstetric care amongst married young women in northern Nigeria.

BackgroundMarried adolescents contribute to poor maternal health indicators in many low-and middle-income countries, where restrictive social norms hinder access to, and utilisation of maternal health services. Addressing these barriers is key to improving health outcomes of young mothers and their children.AimThis study assessed married young women’s knowledge of obstetric danger signs and perceptions of the need to attend obstetric services.MethodsA cross sectional descriptive design, interviewing 1624 randomly selected married young women aged 12–25 years. Data were collected in early 2017 using an interviewer-administered questionnaire on mobile phones, and exported into a statistical software for analysis.ResultsWe found low levels of knowledge of danger signs, especially those pertaining to the post-partum period. Respondents’ age, literacy and household wealth were significantly associated with knowledge of danger signs across the continuum of care. Awareness of danger signs during delivery, was strongly associated with perceptions of need for antenatal care (odds ratio[OR]= 2.269; p < 0.05), and delivery in a health facility (OR = 1.883; P < 0.05). Most respondents believed they must wait for their husband’s approval to attend a health facility when in labour.ConclusionOur findings show that the low levels of knowledge of obstetric danger signs, low perceptions of the importance of facility delivery, and the need to obtain husband’s permission before seeking care, are highly contextualised and reflect the socio-cultural and economic circumstances of married young women in northern Nigeria. Interventions must consider these cultural context, and include a strong male-involvement component.