Factors Influencing Choice of Contraceptives among Women of Reproductive Age Attending Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Choosing the contraception method remains one of the most critical decisions made by women of reproductive age. Not only does this have a direct impact on women’s reproductive health, it also affects their social and economic well-being. This study was carried out to determine the factors affecting choice of contraceptives among women of reproductive age in Lagos State, Nigeria.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 women aged 15-45 years who visited the family planning clinic at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria in 2019. The subjects were enrolled through a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a demographic information form and a self-structured questionnaire on knowledge about family planning methods (n=9), the choice of contraceptives (n=8) and factors influencing the choice of family planning (n=15). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and the Pearson correlation coefficient at significance level of 0.05.

We found that 82.8% of the respondents had good knowledge about the contraceptives. The most commonly used methods of contraception were birth control pills (38.3%) and implants (36.1%), while the least commonly used methods were tubal ligation (29.4%) and withdrawal (29.4%). The choice of contraceptives was significantly correlated with level of knowledge (r=-0.564, P=0.001) and religion (r=-0.173, P=0.020) of the subjects.

The majority of women in the study area have good knowledge about contraceptives, and factors such as parity and fear of injury from contraceptives affect their choice of contraceptives. This study recommends implementation of extensive health education and counseling sessions to assist women in contraceptive decision making.