CHAPTER
ONE
Introduction
Background of the Study
Family planning allows people
to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved
through use of contraceptive methods and
the treatment of infertility (WHO Factsheet No 351, 2012). Promotion of
family Planning, and ensuring access to preferred contraceptive methods for
women and couples, is essential to
securing the wellbeing and autonomy of
women while supporting the health and
development of communities.
The benefit of family
planning are numerous, including preventing pregnancy-related health risks in
women, such as material mortality which increases as women have more children after the 4th one. By reducing the rates of unintended
pregnancies. Family planning also reduces the need for unsafe abortion. Other benefits according to WHO factsheet no 351 (2012)
include reducing infant mortality,
helping women to prevent HIV/AIDs, empowering people and enhancing education,
reducing adolescent pregnancies and slowing population growth. Concerning
family planning, is key to slowing down
unsustainable population growth
and resulting negative impacts on the
economy, environment, national and regional development efforts.
Globally an estimated 222 million women in developing counties would
like to delay child bearing but are not using any method of contraception. Some
of the reasons are limited choice of methods, access to contraception,
particularly among young people, pooer segment of population fear or experiences of side effects, cultural or
religions opposition poor quality of
available services and gender based barriers etc.
The unmet need for contraception
remains too high thus unequity is fuelled by both a growing population,
and a shortage of family planning services. In Africa 53% of women of
reproductive age have an unmet need for modern concentration. In Asia and Latin
America and the carri bean the levels of unmet needs are 21% and 22%
respectively.
The rapid growth of the
worlds population over the past one hundred
years results form a difference
between the rate of birth and the rate of death. In today’s world, owns to improved nutrition,
sanitation, and enhance care, more children survive their first five years of
life. The combination of a continuing high birth rate and a how death rate is creating a rapid
population increase in many counties in
Asia, Latin America and Africa. Over population refers to the conduction of
having more people than can live on the earth in comfort, happiness and health
and still live a world a fit place for future generation (Kinder, 2013)
It took the entire history of human kind for the population to reach
1 billion around 1810. Just 120 years later, this doubled to 2 billion in 1930,
then 4 billion in 1975 (45 years later). The number of people in the world has
risen form 4.4 billion in 1980 to 5.8 billion. Its estimated that the
population could double again to nearly 11 billion in less than 40 years (2020). This means that
more people are now being added each day than any other time in human history (Kinder, 2013). According to UNFPA estimations the total population is likely to reach 10 billion by 2025 and from to 14
billion by the end of the next century unless birth control use increase
dramatically around the world within the
next two decate (Kinder, 2013).
The commonest population characteristics which have implications for
population growth are birth rates and
death rates and both have fallen in many
places.
However, death rates
have fallen faster than birth rates. It I s estimated that there are about 1.6 births for each death in more
developed nations and 3.3 birth for each death in less developed nations the
results is that the world population
continuances to grow.
In Nigeria, as well other nations in sub-Saharan Africa, the
population growth rate is highest in the world, with an arrange of 2 86%
annually (Mustapha, 2008). Nigeria estimate is about 3.0% (NDHS, 2008) with
such a rate of growth, Nigeria has becomes the most populous country in Africa and occupies prominent
position among the world counties in terms
of population. We are already facing population explosion in Nigeria.
The consequences of over
population/ population explosion are all too obvious. Population grows fastest
in the worlds poorest counties high fertility rates have been strongly correlated with poverty and
high child/ mortality rates. Conversely, falling fertility rates are generally
associated with improved standards of
living, increased life expectance and
lowered infant mortality over population
and poverty have long been associated
with increased diseases death, and, people high packed into unsanitary housing
are inordinately vulnerable to natural
disasters and health problems (Kinder,
2013).
Population control is the
practicing artificially altering the growth rate of the population historically, human
populations control has been implemented by limiting the population birth rate, usually, government
mandate and has been undertaken as a response to factors including higher increasing levels o f poverty,
environmental concerns religions reason
and over population world
wide. Population control movement are
driving reproductive health and family planning programmes. (Kindsen, 2006).
Contraception is one of the major method of populations control.
Population control through
various forms of family planning have been postulated and practiced
throughout history from the earliest
times. Some methods include abstinences contraceptive measures abortions and
even killing of children. Many nations have also been able to control on
stabilize their population and economic polices through various family planning
regulations such as the one child policy of China, privilege given to people
with few chidden in india, mandatory
contraceptive course before marriage
license in Iran and so forth
(Dewey, 2004).
Statement of the
Problem
Many developing counties like Korea, Brazil Columbia, China,
India and Bangladesh have successfully applied family planning programs as a
means of over coming rapid population growth (World Bank Annual report 2004)
Nigeria has also adopted family planning as a strategy to curb the hight rate of population growth that, it is
experiencing now. However the adoption rate of family planning practices is
till low (Duzer Mohammed 2006). Fertility rate in Nigeria in 6.3 for rural and
4.5 for urban (NDHS), 2008 women still
have about 6 children on the average.
According to the USAID report (2009) high fertility is a major factor contributing to the challenges of
meeting the MDGs in Nigeria and African counties, a situation which is more in
the rural areas due to the low literacy level of women and their poor early
power. Nigeria, with a population or of 140 million (NPC 2007) has become the
largest country in Africa in terms of population.
The population growth rate is
3.0%/ NDHS (2008) the result of rapid
and over population is huger, inadequate water supply, increasing number of people in
need of health care, education economic and other amnesties which are not
enough. There are also many social vices even in Auaocha LGA.
Large families are observed
especially where they have only girl children. Nigeria still loses about 150
women daily from pregnancy related causes, in spite of over 30 years of safe
motherhood emphases and intervention (Oguji 2010). The story is the same in
Anaocha LGA. The researcher observed a young poor couple with six children. She
also witnessed the death of two women
form Adazi- Enu in Anaocha LGA as a result of post pattern in haemorrahge after their 7th delivery.
All these made the researcher to wonder if women of child bearing
age in Anaocha LGA have adequate knowledge of family planning and are
practicing it, if so whether they are
using the appropriate methods. This has
prompted the researcher to study knowledge and practices family planning among
women of child bearing age in Anaocha
LGA
Purpose of the
study
KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF FAMILY PLANNING AMONG WOMEN OF CHILD BEARING AGE IN ANAOCHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA ANAMBRA STATE
