Acceptance of contraceptive practice by grandmultiparae in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

Five hundred sixty grandmultiparous women were interviewed as to their contraceptive awareness, desirability and use in the three major hospitals in Benin City, Nigeria, between October 1, 1980 and September, 1981. Their parity ranged from 5 to 14 with a mean of 6.7. There was high level of awareness of contraceptive availability and usefulness (65%), but low level of practice (27.1%). The main causes of the low practice level included opposition from husband and other relatives, complications of previous methods used and the desire to have a large family. Oral contraceptives were the preferred method, followed by intrauterine devices. Educational attainment had a positive relationship to acceptance of contraceptive practice. We believe that with more concerted effort at family planning counseling, the community will be rid of the hazards and menace of grandmultiparity.

PIP: 560 grandmultiparous women were interviewed as the their contraceptive awareness, desirability and use in the 3 major hospitals in Benin City, Nigeria, between October 1, 1980 and September, 1981. Their parity ranged from 5 to 14 with a mean of 6.7. There was a high level of awareness of contraceptive availability and usefulness (65%), but a low level of practice (27.1%). The main causes of the low practice level included opposition from the husband and other relatives, complications of previous methods used and the desire to have a large family. Oral contraceptives were the preferred method, followed by intrauterine devices. Educational attainment had a positive relationship to acceptance of contraceptive practice. A more concerted effort at family planning counseling will rid the community of the hazards of grandmultiparity. Questionnaire interviews were used to conduct the study. All the interviews were conducted by medical personnel. 201 subjects were interviewed in late pregnancy, 40 intrapartum and 319 in the early puerperium. Societal pressure to have male children was found to be a hurdle for contraceptive use. Male opposition to contraception, particulary among men in the lower socioeconomic groups, is a problem that needs to be addressed by policy makers. There is an urgent need for a national policy on family planning. As an incentive, there should be mass availability of all types of contraceptive devices free of charge to users or at least highly subsidized. Education influences that age at marriage and 1st childbirth and increases acceptance of contraceptive practice.