Factors associated with low contraceptive use amongst vulnerable mothers in South West State, Nigeria

Young mothers tend to be more prone to high maternal and perinatal risks and are thus deemed vulnerable to adverse sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) in terms of their right to choose contraceptives of their choice to enhance their maternal well-being and childbirth spacing should be well discussed. Achieving sufficient SRHR may be averted if the use of family planning by disadvantaged groups is not given required attention.

This study aimed to identify and analyse the factors associated with the low use of contraceptives amongst vulnerable women in the South West region in Nigeria.

The study area was purposively chosen to capture contraceptive use amongst vulnerable women in Osun State, Nigeria.

A primary data collection was done in three senatorial districts of Osun State, Nigeria, with 140 respondents each to give a total of 420 respondents. Collected data were analysed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate measures.

The result showed a magnitude of association and relationship at both levels of analyses. Living arrangements and family types were 89% and 88.3%, respectively, associated with family planning use. In the same vein, living arrangement and family types were also statistically significant at p 0.05with an odds ratio of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.1184-0.4583) and an odds ratio of 0.35 (95% CI: 0.1756-0.6970) with family planning use, respectively.

We concluded that policies and interventions to accelerate and encourage contraceptives use amongst vulnerable mothers in South West, Nigeria should be targeted at those whose husbands lived elsewhere and those whose husbands have more than one wife.