Skip to main content

Intended postpartum contraceptive use among pregnant and puerperal women at a university teaching hospital

Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics volume 280, pages 987–992 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To assess the intention to use postpartum contraceptives and factors influencing use.

Method

A total of 423 consecutive consenting women attending the pregnancy and puerperal clinics at a university teaching hospital were interviewed using structured questionnaire.

Results

The prevalence of previous contraceptive use was 35.5%. Fifty-four percent of the respondents intended to use contraceptives after delivery, though 3% were yet to decide. Condoms (38.3%) followed by intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) 11.5%, were the most preferred choice of postpartum contraceptives. However, spermicide (0.4%) was the least preferred. Advanced age and high parity significantly predicted intention to use postpartum contraceptives (P = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Also high level of respondent’s education and family planning counseling by doctors and nurses increased the intention to use postpartum contraceptives (P = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively).

Conclusion

Family planning counseling and education play a vital role in increasing the use of contraceptives in the postpartum period.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  1. World Health Organization (WHO) Family Planning Reproductive Health: health information package of the WHO African Region AFR/INF/99.1

  2. Ogbonna C, Pam IC (2006) A cross sectional study on contraceptive use among married women in Jos, Plateau State. Nig Med Pract 50:107–109

    Google Scholar 

  3. Barber SL (2007) Family planning advice and postpartum contraceptive use among low-income women in Mexico. Int Fam Plann Persp 33:6–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Cwiak C, Gellasch T, Zieman M (2004) Peripartum contraceptive attitude and practices. Contraception 70:383–386

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Levitt C, Shaw E, Wong S, Kaczorowski J, Springate R, Sellors J, Enkin M (2004) Systematic review of the literature on postpartum care: selected contraception methods, postpartum Papanicolaou test and rubella immunization. Birth 31:203–212

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Oye-Adeniran BA, Adewole IF, Umoh AV, Oladokun A, Gbadagesin A, Ekanem EE, Yusuf B, Odeyemi KA, Iwere N, Mahmoud P (2006) Community based study of contraceptive behaviour in Nigeria. Afri J Reprod Health 10:90–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Kennedy KI (1996) Postpartum contraception. Clin Obstet Gynaecol Int Pract Res 10:1–25

    Google Scholar 

  8. Gray RH, Campbell OM, Apelo R, Eslami SS, Zacur H, Ramos RM, Gehret JC, Labbok MH (1990) Risk of ovulation during lactation. Lancet 335:25–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ogbonna C, Pam IC (1999) Postpartum contraception: a study of a cohort of nursing mothers in Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau State. Nig Q J Hosp Med 9:293–295

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lwanga SK, Lemeshow S (1991) Sample size determination in health studies: a practical manual. World Health Organization, Geneva (WHO), pp 1–25

  11. Obisesan KA, Adeyemo AA, Fakokunde BO (1998) Awareness and use of family planning methods among married women in Nigeria. East Afr Med J 75:135–138

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Population Reference Bureau (2003) 2003 World Population Data Sheet of the Population Reference Bureau.

  13. Newman SJ, Goldberg AB, Aviles R, Molina de Perez O, Foster-Rosales AF (2005) Predictors of contraception knowledge and use among postpartum adolescents in El Salvador. Am J Obstet Gynecol 192:1391–1394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Tehrani FR, Farahani FKA, Hashemi MS (2001) Factors influencing contraceptive use in Tehran. Fam Pract 18:204–208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Ameh N, Sule ST (2007) Contraceptive choices among women in Zaria, Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract 10:205–207

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. United States Department of Health and Human Services (2003). Use of Contraception and of Family Planning Services in the US. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. National Centre for Health Statistics. 1982–2002. A Fact Sheet for Advance Date No. 350

  17. Fikree FF, Khan A, Kadir MM, Sajan F, Ralhbar MH (2001) What influence contraceptive use among young women in urban squatter settlement of Karachi, Pakistan. Int Fam Plann Persp 27:130–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Harper C, Callegari L, Raine T, Blum M, Darney P (2004) Adolescent clinic visits for contraception: support from mothers, male partners and friends. Perspect Sex Reprod Health 36:88–92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Onuzurike BK, Uzochukwu BSC (2001) Knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning amongst women in a high density low income urban area of Enugu, Nigeria. Afri J Reprod Health 5:83–89

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest statement

None.

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos/Lagos University Teaching Hospital, PMB 12003, Lagos, Nigeria

    Omololu Adegbola

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria

    Adeyemi Okunowo

Authors
  1. Omololu Adegbola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adeyemi Okunowo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Omololu Adegbola.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Adegbola, O., Okunowo, A. Intended postpartum contraceptive use among pregnant and puerperal women at a university teaching hospital. Arch Gynecol Obstet 280, 987–992 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1056-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1056-6

Keywords

  • Family planning
  • Postpartum contraception
  • Pregnant women
  • Puerperal women