FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ATTITUDE OF WOMEN TOWARDS FAMILY PLANNING IN NIGERIA

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ATTITUDE OF WOMEN TOWARDS FAMILY PLANNING IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The goal of this research is to identify the elements that influence women’s views regarding family planning in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State. The study specifically seeks to determine the impact of education, health, religion, culture, women’s age, and income on women’s attitudes toward family planning.

This study looks at various contraceptive techniques, the importance of family planning, and the benefits of family planning. Simple random sampling was used to pick the subjects. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed to participants from the target demographic, which were chosen at random from five communities in Egor Local Government: Uselu, Uwasota, Osasogie, Evbareke, and Osakpamwan. The acquired data were examined using a percentage approach, and the results revealed that:

1. Women understand the importance of family planning in their lives.

2. Family planning allows couples to genuinely plan their family toward a higher quality of life.

Recommendations were given based on data analysis findings, including the following:

1. There should be educational programs to educate people about the importance of family planning.

2. To encourage more people to undertake family planning, incentives should be provided to couples who do so.

CHAPITRE ONE

INTRODUCTION

The Study’s Context

Family planning, as the name implies, is the process of having a specified number of children at intervals acceptable to individuals or couples in order to promote the health and welfare of the family. Family planning is not a new concept in the world, and it is also applicable in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Individuals and families have attempted to control their fertility throughout history by utilizing herbs, abstinence during ovulation, prolonged breast feeding, and living with parent in-laws to avoid sex or polygamy.

Historically, most communities have had policies that encourage a large population. Historically, Africa’s low level of economic growth and great reliance on agriculture have resulted in a number of circumstances that support high fertility. Furthermore, religious and cultural traditions favor big families since children are expected to aid their parents financially and to ensure a form of family immortality through the continuity of the family name, according to Namboze J.M.E. (1985).

African women have long played important roles in agricultural production, albeit as wives and mothers with limited rights as subordinates to the males in the home. Women’s position is further undermined by polygamy because they have restricted opportunities. Child bearing is thus a significant way for them to attain prestige at the society level through the number of offspring reared.

Children are also required for farm labor and potential old age security, which they provide in later life, particularly for their mothers, because women are frequently denied inheritance rights or forfeit right to use land upon the death of their husband; and they require children, particularly sons, to ensure that someone cares for them in their old age. Furthermore, a man’s health and integrity are frequently assessed by the number of wives and children he has, and because African religion was widely practiced, it was believed that ancestors were anticipated to reincarnate as descendents through childbirth.

Women have realized that cooking, housekeeping chores, earning a living, bearing and raising children are all difficult responsibilities that eventually deteriorate the health of both mother and kid. Many parents today recognize that having a large family can be tough in terms of feeding, clothing, and providing a good education for everyone. Due to the alarming number of abandoned infants caused by teenage pregnancy, criminal abortions, and death, a group of elites in Lagos introduced family planning in 1956. This elite group founded the marital guidance counselors, which later collaborated with the international Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN).

Dr. Adeyemi Jones established the first family planning clinic in Ibadan in 1958, but it did not continue due to a lack of money. The Family Planning Council of Nigeria was established in 1959, and it eventually evolved into the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN). Since the vastness of child bearing has gradually led to population explosion, many individuals and groups have objected and urged that parents should reduce their family size, making family planning a moral, social, and political concern. The International Planned Parenthood Association, the Pathfinder Fund, the International Training for Health Programme, the World Health Organization, and others are examples of such organizations.

Some leaders have spoken out in various ways about the importance of family planning. According to Delano (1990), quoting Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere in 1959, “giving birth is something in which mankind and animals are equal, but rearing the young and especially educating them for many years is a unique gift and responsibility of man.” As a result, rather than focusing on the amount or gender of children, it is critical for man to prioritize caring for children and the ability to properly care for them.” Despite the fact that our forebears believed in large families, as previously indicated, birth control measures were also in use in the past. This manifested itself in the form of sex taboos (frowning at pre-marital intercourse), abstinence, the wearing of magical charms and talismans made from the lions’ worm, and even the usage of a child’s tooth or cat’s liver to protect against unexpected pregnancies and subsequent abortion.

Davis (1992) agreed with the above strategy, noting that our forebears recognized the necessity for child spacing through conventional means that were appropriate for their circumstances at the time. While researching the encyclopedia, Delano (1990) discovered the oldest known family planning theories in the ancient Egyptian Petri papyrus, written around 1850 BC, and the Ebers papyrus, written around 1550 BC, which discussed some techniques of contraception. Fertility controls were a source of concern even in Greece and Rome.

Up to the late 17th century, old knowledge was incorporated into the writings of scientific doctors and served as a scientific basis for contraception. It should be emphasized that contraception was used in the past to protect the health of both the child and the mother.

However, when compared to modern contraceptives, several of the old methods’ preparations and applications appear bizarre. Modern methods of birth control arose as a result of extensive study in an effort to reduce difficulties, produce effective and non-harmful, convenient, dependable, pleasurable, easily available, and capable of meeting the needs of people and couples. On this note, famous birth workers like as Jeremy Bentheam of England and Margaret Sawyer of the United States are renowned and remembered for supporting the cause of birth control in various countries and at various points in history.

In this study, attempts will be made to determine what women in the Egor Community understand about the concept of family planning, methods of contraception commonly used, specifically the effect of education, income, religion, culture, age, and health on women’s attitudes toward family planning; and dealing extensively with the importance and benefits of family planning.

Problem Expression

Various individuals, national and international organizations such as the World Health Organization, Population Reference Bureau, and others have warned of the dangers of population growth and have advised couples to reduce their family size.

Depreciating living standards and inadequate facilities due to increased population demands are also concerns that afflict our society. According to the observations, this research is an attempt to investigate the elements that influence women’s attitudes toward family planning.

The Goal of the Research

The goal of this study is to conduct a survey to determine the impact of education, age, culture, religion, income, and health on women’s attitudes toward family planning.

Research Issues

Various challenges and research questions were noticed while dealing with this research topic. They are as follows:

1. Does education alter women’s attitudes about family planning?

2. Does women’s health influence their attitudes toward family planning?

3. Does culture influence women’s attitudes toward family planning?

4. Does income alter women’s attitudes toward family planning?

5. Does a woman’s age influence her attitude toward family planning?

6. Does religion alter women’s attitudes toward family planning?

The Importance of the Research

This research will help both women and society as a whole. They will benefit greatly from the information provided in this project effort once more. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the growth, development, expansion, and knowledge of family planning and its value to society as a whole.

To also give recommendations to address the highlighted misconceptions that hinder family planning practice.

Limitations of the Research

This study is limited to women in Edo State’s Egor Local Government Area. Its goal is not to assess the effectiveness of family planning, but rather to discover what factors influence women’s attitudes regarding family planning. It does not include the treatment of adverse effects or procedure failures.

Term Definitions

Family Planning: The ability of individuals and couples to predict and achieve their desired number of children, as well as the spacing and timing of their births.

The fertilization of an ovum is a method and practice of avoiding conception.

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

Ovulation is the monthly release of mature egg cells from the ovary.

Vasectomy: Removal of the vascle ferens, which allows sperms to enter the penis without being ejaculated.

Tubalization is the cutting of the female fallopian tube to prevent egg cells from entering the uterus.