An analysis of the demand for family planning satisfied by modern contraceptives in Nigeria.

What is it about?

Most women in Nigeria with a demand for family planning, that is the sum of the needs to either space or limit births, have been known to consistently not use modern contraceptives(MC). Concerning this, it was estimated by the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey(NDHS) that only approximately 33.9% of Nigerian married or in-union women, that is those either married or cohabiting with their sexual partners, had their demand for family planning satisfied by the use of MC (mDFPS). This very low mDFPS thus increases the risk of unintended pregnancies occurring, with an associated increased risk of maternal and child death, especially with high-risk pregnancies. Women using MCs to satisfy their demand for family planning will also help them have smaller healthy families, with an associated reduction in the household economic burden. There is thus a need to empirically analyse the factors associated with the increased use of MCs by married or in-union women with a demand for family planning in Nigeria. However, in considering these factors, it is important to note that health outcomes, including modern contraceptive use (MCU), are often said to be contextual in nature. This means that the clusters such as communities in which people reside in, especially when they are usual residents of these clusters, have unique characteristics that possibly influence health outcomes. These characteristics include gender relations, social norms or traditions, cultural and religious laws (CRLs) such as Sharia law and the non-domestication of the Child Rights Act (CRA) within states, socioeconomic characteristics, and the availability/non-availability of infrastructures. These characteristics will therefore differ from one community to another, with people who reside within a community exposed to/affected by similar characteristics as opposed to those who reside in a different community with different characteristics. Thus, those who reside within the same community may behave in similar ways with possibly similar risk/likelihood of a particular health outcome occurring compared to those in a different community. This will result in a between-community variance and a within-community variance in the odds/likelihood/risk of the health outcome being achieved. Therefore, against this background, this quantitative study was carried out to determine the individual and community-level factors associated with Nigerian married or in-union WRA satisfying their demand for family planning with MC.

Featured Image

Photo by Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition on Unsplash

Photo by Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals(SDG) have the 1st indicator of the 7th target of the 3rd goal(SDG indicator 3.7.1) has the demand for family planning satisfied by modern methods(mDFPS). This indicator is thus used to monitor the progress made, or lack of it, by countries in terms of increasing the use of modern contraceptives as part of achieving sustainable development. A global target was placed for each country to achieve 75% coverage in the mDFPS by 2030. Nigeria, with her presently very low mDFPS of 33.9% is thus way behind in meeting this target, especially considering that the second half of the 15-year timeline for the achievement of the SDG targets has already begun. Considering this global target, together with the diverse health and economic benefits of the use of modern contraceptives, there is a need for an increase in the race towards the finish line for achieving the SDG targets.

Perspectives