Family planning clients at a Tertiary hospital in Niger Delta, Nigeria: Where they on any contraceptive method prior to first visit?

Background: Maternal and child morbidity and mortality in developing countries have been shown to be reduced by effective use of contraceptive methods. Contraceptive use also improves the lives of women and children. Experience with previous use of contraceptives may affect the uptake rate of modern contraceptive methods.

Aim and objective: To determine the pattern of previous contraceptive usage, uptake rates of the contraceptives, the continuation and discontinuation rates and the sources of prior contraceptives. The socio-demographic characteristics and sources of information on current contraceptive use at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital during the study period. 

Methods: This was a retrospective study of clients’ records in family planning clinic at theRivers State University Teaching (RSUTH) over a period of five years. Their cards were retrieved, reviewed; data was extracted, coded and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) IBM version25.0 (Armonk, NY).

Results: There were 874 contraceptive acceptors attending family planning clinic between 1st January, 2015 and 31st December, 2019 in the centre. Of this number, 566 (64.8%) were using one form of contraceptive method or the other while 308 (35.2%) were not on any form of contraception. Of this 566 women who used contraceptive method prior to their visit to the family planning clinic, intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) use accounted for 118 (20.8%), others were barrier method, 107 (18.9%), oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), 95 (16.8%), depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), 72 (12.7%), implanon, 40 (7.1%), noristerat, 36 (6.4%), postinor, 28 (5.0%), withdrawal method, 26 (4.6%) and calendar method, 24 (4.2%). Most of the previous contraceptives used came from Government hospital accounting for 44.4%. Most women (72%) obtained their information concerning current contraception from clinical personnel. More than half of the clients (64.1%) were within the age range of 30-39 years and 2 (0.2%) were below 20 years. Age range for the study was 19-51years. Majority of the clients (70.7%) were multipara while 162 (18.5%) were grandmultipara. Modal parity was para 3. The women with formal education were 867 (99.2%). Married women and Christians accounted for843 (96.5%) and 867 (99.2%) respectively.

Conclusion: Most clients were in their thirties, married, educated and multiparous. Thirty five percent of the women were not using any form of contraceptive method which is quite alarming and definitely would have led to unwanted pregnancies and possibly induced abortions with its sequalae.