Determinants of Modern Contraceptive Use Among Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in Northeastern Nigeria; A Cross-Sectional Survey

1.1. Background: Low contraceptive uptake exposes women to unintended pregnancies and often the resultant obstetric complications. The immigrant communities especially from countries with low contraceptive use present a unique challenge. The main objective of the study was to describe modern contraceptive use and its associated factors among women attending antenatal clinic in Damaturu, Northeastern Nigeria. 1.2. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional survey was conducted from June to September 2024. Using consecutive sampling, 350 respondents were recruited after informed consent. Data was collected using interviewer administered questionnaires on contraceptives use. Data was entered in to excel sheet and analyzed using SPSS version 26, Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the use of modern contraceptives. 1.3. Results: Majority of the participants (30%) were 25 years to 29 years, with a mean age of 26.6 years ± 6.0 years. Two hundred and ten respondents (60%) had formal education. Three hundred and twenty-one (91%) respondents desired to have five or more children. One hundred and fifty-seven (44%) of the respondents had five or more living children. Only 56% of women used modern contraceptives, of which 40% used oral pills, 26% condoms and 23% injectables. Tertiary educational status, previous use modern contraceptives and desire for spacing of more than two years were independently associated with the current use modern contraceptives. 1.4. Conclusion: The Contraceptive prevalence rate among women attending Antenatal clinic in Damaturu was 29%. Majority of the respondents were using short acting contraceptive methods. Attaining tertiary education, previous use of modern contraceptives, health worker as a source of information of contraceptive and desire to space for more than two years were associated with current use of modern contraceptives. There is a need for improvement of girl child education, contraceptive awareness and male involvement to increase contraceptive uptake in this community. Research looking at attitude of this community towards the use of long-term contraception is recommended.