KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF MODERN METHODS OF FAMILY PLANNING AMONG WOMEN OF CHILD BEARING AGE

1.1 Introduction

Family planning is the process of controlling the number of children wanted in a marriage using contraceptive method, often known as birth control measure. Family planning is also about helping individuals or couples determine the number of children they wish to or not to have. The concept has been around for centuries with different generations across different regions of the world adopting various ways of controlling childbirth and increasing child spacing in order to enable couples give birth to the number of children they can adequately care for. Family planning is considered to be a safer and better approach of child spacing and child bearing when compared to abortion because it adopts a proactive process in helping highly fertile couples and individuals to regulate their fertility and produce the number of children they want in such manner as to prevent maternal mortality and morbidity (Jeoffery, 2004).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

---

1.2 Background of Study

Family planning is not new in the society; it has been well established in developed countries that those under developed countries could not recognize that they are practicing family planning. It was such in the area of study that when a woman put to bed or deliver a baby she is sent to her mother to nurse the baby for one or two years. The period of stay with her mother was meant to breast feed the baby, after which she then return to her husband. This way natural child spacing was taking place without relishing it. However, family planning started in Nigeria because of the obvious problems of brutality means (violent) of born and unborn children. These reasons were based on child jumping that is a child that is unwanted can be dump into the street, gutter, mot, some are found in front of orphanage, bush part and to public toilet.

In 1954, Adeniyi Jones established the first family planning centre in Nigeria she continues without support until 1969 when pathfinder provide fund to sustain the programme. Fortunately for her in 1984 the family planning centre of Nigeria (FCN) was further organized for woman for better services. This include provision of family planning methods to improve maternal mortality and those with health risk 1989, president Ibrahim Babagida limited the number of children to 4 (four) per parent or couple, this programme was very good but could not be sustained because of poor service and management.

In the word of Gribbe, J. (2008) cited in Mabel Oshomah work he opine that “family planning can be better explained as being a situation where people have children by choice and not by change”, to him the happiness of the family squarely depend on the number of children a family has to cater for.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) (2002) conceptive is a drug or device used to prevent woman from getting pregnant, this can sometimes be called birth control according to (FPA) Family Planning Association. It is discussed as a special device that prevents fertilization of egg in the ovum by special device used to limit reproduction, which provide a safe and effective way to regulate fertility of the womb. Family is a unit that comprises of man, wife and children here the man is the head of the family or home he plan and place resources in strategic areas that requires development in the home. If the size of the family determines the happiness of the family according to Gribble .J. (2008), then the male take viable decision as it may affect6 the health of the family and also look forward to having a family he can carter for. Therefore, he has a role to play in family planning as no man would prefer spending his income on sickness or hospital and feeding of children, without proper education, entertainment, proper nutrition, home that will be suitable and comfortable for the family.

Therefore, in Taraba State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Modern Methods of Family Planning among Women of Child Bearing Age in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State.

---

1.3 Statement of Problems

In the study, the researcher postulated the following research problem or identified the following problems;

1. Women is often blame for the size of the family when the number of child is high.
2. Women often complain of lack of support from their spouse or husband.
3. Women do not relate the issues of contraceptive or family planning to spouse or husband until its result in an unwanted pregnancy.

Depreciating standard of living, inadequate facilities due to increase in population demands are also part of the issues that plague our society. From the observation, this research is an attempt to study the factors that influence the attitude of women of child-bearing age towards modern methods family planning.

In general, child spacing provides greater opportunities for nurturing the individual child thereby providing the possibility of preventing complications such as gastrointestinal infections and malnutrition during infancy and early childhood. Family planning may also improve the quality of life and raise the standard of living by decreasing the number of dependents requiring intensive personal care, education, food, shelter, and clothing, among others. Nevertheless, where family planning services may be available, its use may be limited due to a number of factors such as low literacy levels, socio-cultural beliefs favoring large families, and unavailability of services due to dysfunctional health services.

---

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to examine the Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Modern Methods of Family Planning among Women of Child Bearing Age in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To determine the level of knowledge of family planning modern methods among women of child-bearing age;
2. To determine the usage level of modern family planning products and services among women of child-bearing age;
3. To determine the factors associated with modern methods utilization of family planning services among women of child-bearing age;
4. To determine the attitudes of rural women of child-bearing age towards modern methods family planning; and
5. To proffer solution or recommendation that will further improve on the existing use of contraceptive method and to further open the eyes of the male folk in full participation in family planning.

---

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does the health of women influence the attitude of women of child-bearing age towards modern methods family planning?
• What is the level of knowledge of modern methods family planning among women of Child Bearing Age in Ussa Local Government Area, Taraba State?
• What are the attitudes of rural women of child-bearing age towards modern methods family planning?
• What is the usage level of modern family planning products/methods and services among women of child-bearing age?
• What are the factors associated with modern methods utilization of family planning services among women of child-bearing age?

---

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant impact in determining the modern methods of family planning choices among Women of Reproductive Age
• H1: There is significant impact in determining the modern methods of family planning choices among Women of Reproductive Age

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There is no significant factor influencing the attitude of Women of Child Bearing Age towards family planning in Ussa Local Government Area
• H1: There is significant factor influencing the attitude of Women of Child Bearing Age towards family planning in Ussa Local Government Area

---

1.7 Significance of Study

High fertility rate and inadequate spacing between births, can lead to high maternal and infant mortality. An estimated 600 000 maternal deaths occur worldwide each year; the vast majority of these take place in developing countries. World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 13% of these deaths are due to unsafe abortion. Worldwide, where approximately 50 million women resort to induced abortion, frequently results in high maternal morbidity and mortality. Thus, family planning and spacing among births are one of the methods to avoid these deaths.

Promotion of family planning and contraceptive use is highly adopted by the international community as one of the strategy to reduce the maternal mortality and to reach the Millennium Development Goals. Africa characterized by high rate of lack to contraceptive access reaching 57% and this lack lead to unwanted pregnancies, increased demand to abortion and death related to unsafe abortion.

In Nigeria, there is unaccepted high maternal mortality. Moreover, legally, politically and culturally access to abortion create internal dispute, therefore effective contraceptive programming should be the current and future approach to reduce the risk and unwanted pregnancies. Few published data exist concerning use of family planning services in Nigeria especially northern part where we have recently observed high maternal morbidity and mortality in this setting. This study will educate the public as well as provide literature on the subject matter.

---

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of this research is focuses on the Knowledge Attitude and Practice of Modern Methods of Family Planning among Women of Child Bearing Age in Ussa Local Government Area of Taraba State.

---

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

---

1.10 Definition of Terms

Family Planning: This implies the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their birth.

Contraception: Method and practice of preventing conception is the fertilization of an ovum.

Menstruation: The monthly elimination of the blood filled lining of the uterus (womb), which takes about four to five days, depending on individual physiology.

Ovulation: The release of ripe egg cells from the ovary about once a month.

Vasectomy: Cutting of the vascle ferens through which the sperms reach the penis, so that they are not ejaculated.