Background: Contraceptive use is poor among women in
northern Nigeria, but it is agreed that regulating fertility goes
along with socioeconomic development. It is therefore important
to identify the determinants of contraceptive use in Borno state
and utilise this for planning and advocacy.
Method: The subjects were women of reproductive age living in
urban as well as rural settings in Borno State, northeastern
Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered enquiring about their
socio-demographic characteristics and contraceptive practices.
Logistic regression analysis was use to construct a model for
significant determinants of contraceptive use.
Results: There were 532 respondents, with a mean age of
29.5+7.9 years and a mean parity of 3.4+3.0. Although 77.6%
were educated, 68.4% were unemployed. One hundred and
seventy five participants (32.9%) had 4 or more living children
while 15.4% had no living child. In 15% of the cases, the
husbands have no formal education. Eighty (33.8%) of the
respondent were married into polygamous setting out of which 36
(20%) have 3 co-wives. The prevalence of current contraceptive
use was 29.1% and majority of the clients (38.7%) used pills.
Previous contraceptives counselling and education were found to
be the strongest determinants of contraceptives use.
Conclusion: Making contraceptives counselling routine in all
our gynaecological consultation and women empowerment
through girl child education may help in the improvement of
contraception utilisation. Further research is needed to address
the men and co-wives issue with regard to family planning in our
environment.