FACTORS AFFECTING FAMILY PLANNING PRACTICES AMONG WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE IN UKWA EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ABIA STATE.

Background: Use of family planning service helps to improve reproductive well-being of women of childbearing age. Objective: This study identified the factors affecting family planning service utilization among women of childbearing age in in Ukwa East Local Government Area. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was adopted for this study. The population of the study was 11006 with the sample size of 500 women of childbearing age. A multi-stage sampling technique was adopted for this study which was done in three stages. The instrument for data collection was consisted of self-structured questionnaire tagged “Family Planning Practice Questionnaire (FPPQ). The reliability coefficient (r=0.82) of the validated instrument was obtained by correlating using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Product for Service Solution version 25.0. Results: The result revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between maternal age and family planning practice as p<0.05 (p = 0.00). The result revealed that there was no statistically significant relationship between educational background and family planning practice as p>0.05 (p = 0.09). The result revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between belief system and family planning practice as p<0.05 (p = 0.00). The result revealed that there was no statistically significant relationship between income status and family planning practice as p>0.05 (p = 0.09). The result revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between spousal support and family planning practice as p<0.05 (p = 0.00). The result revealed that there was a statistically significant relationship between access to the health and family planning practice as p<0.05 (p = 0.00). Conclusion: It was concluded that family planning utilization was influence by some socio-demographic factors such as maternal age, educational background, income status, spousal approval, belief system, and access to health facility. Recommendations were made against other that traditional leaders, opinion leaders, religious leaders and their entire community should partake in the creation awareness regarding the use of family planning service as a means of promoting and improving good health status.