Reproductive characteristics and contraceptive method choices of Nigerian women requesting terminal fertility control

A choice of a safe and acceptable contraceptive method is an important concern for women who have completed their child-bearing intentions. This paper focuses on 557 women (mean age 35.9 years, mean number of living children 5.8 +/- 1.4, and mean number of living sons 3.1 +/- 1.3) who indicated some desire to limit childbearing, and were seen at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Family Planning Clinic in 1986/7. During this period, a wide and free choice of contraceptive methods, including the new subdermal levonorgestrel implant method (NORPLANT) and female surgical sterilization, was offered. Contraceptive method choices of women requesting terminal fertility control are: IUD 56%, injectables 15.3%, female sterilization 11.5%, pills 8.6%, NORPLANT 8.1%, others 0.5%. Comparing terminal and nonterminal contraceptors, almost equal proportions adopted the IUD, 56% vs. 60.5%, while terminal contraceptors adopted the injectables and NORPLANT in significantly higher proportions. Within subgroups by contraceptive method, mean age and mean number of living children and of sons are not significantly different, though younger women tend to adopt the pill. Method choice of NORPLANT and tubal ligation was favoured by previous contraceptive use, but not by spousal approval. Years of education had a positive influence on the choice of NORPLANT. The program implications of these findings regarding selective counselling of terminal contraceptors, provision of long-lasting reversible contraceptive methods, and facilities for surgical sterilizations for men and women are discussed.