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| Experts at the Pre-Conference, 5th Nigeria Family Planning Conference in Abuja |
According to the speakers, if the needed attention was given to the high rates, it would help curb maternal deaths in the country as well as improve better health and economic indices in the country.
The Country Director, IPAS Nigeria, Hauwa Shekarau, in her presentation, ‘Accessing Family Planning Commodities of Choice: Barriers and Perception’, said the high rates have been attributed to a number of barriers to access to contraceptives.
Shekarau added: “According to Demographic and Health Survey 2014, an estimated 23 per cent of women aged 15 and 19 years have begun childbearing, of which 17 per cent have had their first child and 5 per cent are pregnant with their first child.”
She continued that 32 per cent of teenagers in rural areas have begun childbearing, as opposed to 10 per cent in the urban areas in Nigeria.
“This survey shows disparities within the geopolitical zones as follows: Northwest (36 per cent), Northeast (32 per cent), North Central (19 per cent), South South (12 per cent), South East (8 per cent) and South West (8 per cent),” she disclosed.
According to the study, she says the statistics reveal a direct relationship between the level of education and rate of early pregnancies. “The northern part of Nigeria, with the lowest literacy rates have the highest rates of early pregnancies”.
She spoke further that the explanation given is that the higher the level of education, the higher the level of contraceptive use and awareness about risks and complications associated with early pregnancy. “There is also correlation between poverty levels and early pregnancies”.
Shekarau said that early, frequent and unplanned pregnancies as well as unsafe abortions could result in maternal deaths. “One of the most basic means of avoiding maternal deaths and unsafe abortion is by preventing pregnancy. Family planning is one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve this”.
Barriers to accessing family planning
However, the expert said there are barriers to accessing family planning commodities and services. “UNFPA 2017 reveals that one of the major barriers to accessing FP commodities is gender relationships”.
Her words: “Gender stereotypes are still prevalent in Nigeria, where social norms often reinforce a power structure in which men are seen as breadwinners and women mainly as caretakers.
“Such views can lead to gender-based violence, lack of access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women and to fathers, limited involvement in contraceptive choices and child development.”
Some of the barriers to family planning commodity listed include: unnecessary costly examinations and laboratory test requirements as a precursor for accessing hormonal contraceptives, providers biases and beliefs.
She said: “Lack of access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and youth friendly centres, where youths can easily access these modern contraceptives, remains a concern in Nigeria.”
The Country Director, also, gave other barriers like the high cost of supplies and limited numbers of outlets from which to obtain contraceptive supplies.
Accordingly, Shekarau affirmed: “Lack of sexuality education programmes in schools(and poor quality of programmes where they do exist) and cultural norms that limit the use of contraception is also a barrier to accessing FP commodities.”
She, therefore, advised that to overcome these barriers, there should be increased knowledge and sensitisation; adequate funding and release of funds; strengthening and equipping health facilities; ensuring contraceptive availability and ensuring availability of data.
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