Project Materials

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE ATTITUDE OF WOMEN TOWARDS FAMILY PLANNING IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The goal of this study is to identify the variables that affect women’s attitudes towards family planning in Edo State’s Egor Local Government Area. The study specifically aims to determine how women’s attitudes towards family planning are influenced by their age, income, religion, health, education, and culture. The varieties of contraceptive methods, the significance of family planning, and its advantages are all covered in this research project. Simple random sampling was used in the selection of the subjects. Subjects of the target population, educated women who were chosen at random from five communities within the Egor Local Government—Uselu, Uwasota, Osasogie, Evbareke, and Osakpamwan—were given a total of 100 questionnaires. The results of the percentage-based analysis of the data revealed that: 1. Women are aware of how family planning affects their families. 2. Couples have the chance to genuinely plan their family towards a higher standard of life through family planning. Based on the results of the data analysis, the following recommendations were made: 1. Education programs should be established to inform individuals about the importance of family planning. 2. To encourage more people to use family planning, incentives should be offered to couples who already do so.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study 

As its name suggests, family planning is the process of having a certain number of children at intervals that are acceptable to individuals or couples in order to improve the health and welfare of the family. Family planning is not a novel concept worldwide, and this is also true in Edo State’s Egor Local Government Area.

By employing herbs, abstinence during ovulation, prolonged breastfeeding, and living with parent-in-laws to avoid sex or polygamy, people and families have attempted to control their fertility throughout history.

In the past, the majority of municipalities had policies that supported a big population. Historically, a number of variables that promote high fertility have been brought about by Africa’s low economic growth and strong reliance on agriculture.

Furthermore, religious and cultural traditions promote big families because children are expected to support their parents financially and to secure a sort of family immortality by continuing the family name, according to Namboze J.M.E. (1985).

Although their main responsibilities are as mothers and spouses with limited rights as the males’ servants in the home, African women have historically played significant roles in agricultural productivity.

Due to their restricted opportunities, women’s position is further undermined by the practice of polygamy. Therefore, having children is a significant means for them to rise in society by raising a large number of children.

Children are also necessary for farm work and for the potential security they offer in old age, particularly for their mothers, who frequently lose their right to inherit or to use land after their husbands pass away. They require children, particularly sons, to make sure that someone will take care of them when they get older.

Additionally, a man’s integrity and health are frequently assessed by the number of wives and children he has, and because African religion was widely practiced, it was thought that ancestors were supposed to reincarnate as descendants through childbirth.

Women now realise that taking care of the home, cooking, and raising children is a difficult task that progressively deteriorates the health of both the mother and the children. Many parents now understand that raising a large family might make it more difficult to feed, clothe, and educate them all.

A group of Lagos elites instituted family planning in 1956 in response to the startling number of abandoned children brought on by adolescent pregnancies, illegal abortions, and fatalities.

The marital guidance counsellors, an organisation founded by this elite group, subsequently communicated with the global Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN).

Dr. Adeyemi Jones opened Ibadan’s first family planning clinic in 1958, but it closed because of financial difficulties. The Nigerian Family Planning Council was established in 1959, and it subsequently changed its name to the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN).

Due to the population boom caused by the large number of children being born, many people and organisations have voiced their displeasure, arguing that parents should reduce the size of their families and making family planning a moral, social, and political problem.

These organisations include the World Health Organisation, the International Training for Health Program, the Pathfinder Fund, and the International Planned Parenthood Association, among others.

The necessity of family planning has been discussed by several leaders in a variety of ways. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania stated in 1959 that “giving birth is something in which mankind and animals are equal, but rearing the young, especially educating them for many years, is something which is a unique gift and responsibility of man,” as cited by Delano (1990).

For this reason, rather than considering the quantity or sex of children, it is crucial that men focus on raising children and being able to care for them appropriately.

In the past, birth control methods were also used, despite the fact that our ancestors, as previously mentioned, supported large families.

This showed up as abstinence, sex taboos (such as frowning during premarital intercourse), the wearing of talismans and magical charms made from the worm of the lioness, and even the usage of a cat’s liver or a child’s tooth to ward off unintended pregnancies and the resulting abortion.

According to Davis (1992), who also backed up the aforementioned approach, our ancestors understood the importance of child spacing using conventional means that were appropriate for their situation at the time.

The earliest known family planning theories can be found in the ancient Egyptian Petri papyrus, which was written around 1850 BC, and the Ebers papyrus, which was written around 1550 BC and discussed certain contraceptive procedures, according to Delano (1990), who traced the encyclopaedia. Even in Greece and Rome, there were much concern over fertility regulations.

The old information was absorbed into writing of scientific doctors and was of scientific basis for contraception up to the late 17th century. From this, it should be observed that contraception had a role in the days of old as a means of safeguarding the health of the kid and mother.

However, when contrasted with the modern contraceptives some of this traditional procedures appear weird in their preparations and administrations.

It is via rigorous study that the contemporary methods of birth control arose in an attempt to reduce difficulties, build effective and non-injurious, convenient, dependable, fun, easily available and also able to satisfy the demands of individuals and couples.

It is on this note that prominent birth workers like Jeremy Bentheam of England, Margaret Sawyer of USA are renowned and remembered for promoting the cause of birth control in different countries and at different point of history.

Therefore, the goal of this study is to determine what the women of the Egor Community know about the concept of family planning and the common methods of contraception.

Specifically, the study will focus on the importance and benefits of family planning and how education, income, religion, culture, age, and health affect women’s attitudes towards it.

Problem Statement

Numerous people and national and international organisations, including the Population Reference Bureau, the World Health Organisation, and others, have expressed concern about the risks posed by the population explosion and recommended that couples reduce the number of their families.

Inadequate facilities brought on by rising population demands and a declining standard of living are other problems plaguing our society. Based on the observation, this study aims to investigate the variables influencing women’s attitudes regarding family planning.

The goal of the research

This study aims to conduct a survey on how women’s attitudes towards family planning are influenced by factors such as age, education, culture, religion, income, and health.

 Research Questions 

Numerous issues were noted and research questions were formulated in order to address this topic. They are:

1. Does education affect how women feel about family planning?

2. Does a woman’s attitude towards family planning depend on her health?

3. Does culture affect how women feel about family planning?

4. Does a woman’s income affect her views on family planning?

5. Does a woman’s age affect how she feels about family planning?

6. Does religion affect how women feel about family planning?

significance Of The Study

Women and society as a whole will benefit from this research. They will once more learn a great deal from the information in this project.

It is hoped that this research will help raise awareness of family planning’s significance to society as a whole and support its growth, development, and expansion.

to also offer suggestions aimed at reducing the identified false beliefs that influence family planning practices.

Delimitation of the Study 

This study is limited to the women in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. It does not attempt to judge the efficacy of family planning, but to find out what influences the attitude of women towards family planning. It does not cover treatment of negative effects or failures of the treatments.

Definition of Terms

Family Planning: This indicates the ability of individuals and couples to foresee and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their birth.

Contraception: Method and practice of preventing pregnancy is the fertilization of an ovum.

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

About once a month, the ovary releases mature egg cells, a process known as ovulation.

Vasectomy is the process of cutting the ferens, the vascle that carries sperm to the penis, to prevent ejaculation.

Cutting the female fallopian tube to prevent egg cells from entering the uterus is known as tubalization.