Assessment of Postpartum Family Planning Options and uses among Women in Selected Hospitals in Ilorin, Kwara State (Published)
Postpartum family planning (PPFP) represents a critical component of maternal healthcare, offering women the opportunity to prevent unwanted pregnancies and optimize birth spacing during the postpartum period. Despite its importance in reducing maternal and infant mortality, the uptake of PPFP services remains suboptimal in many developing countries, including Nigeria. This study assessed the postpartum family planning options and the uses among women in selected hospitals in Ilorin, Kwara State, with specific focus on examining the current contraceptive use and identify postpartum family planning options adopted by women at selected hospitals in Ilorin, Kwara State. A cross-sectional study design was employed to investigate PPFP options among women attending selected hospitals in Ilorin, Nigeria. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square tests to determine associations between variables, with significance set at p<0.05. The study found that several socio-demographic factors age, religion, ethnicity, occupation, number of children, and monthly income had significant associations with postpartum family planning (PPFP) choices, while education and marital status did not. Contraceptive use among respondents was low, with only 25.8% using any method, while the majority (74.2%) were non-users. Among those who used contraceptives, withdrawal was the most common method, followed by emergency pills, implants, condoms, and natural methods. This study found Postpartum contraceptive use remains low despite the influence of key socio-demographic factors on method choice. This highlights the need for targeted interventions that address barriers to contraceptive use and promote effective family planning methods among postpartum women in Ilorin, Nigeria
Keywords: Maternal Healthcare, Maternal Mortality, Postpartum Period, birth spacing, infant mortality, postpartum family planning (PPFP), unwanted pregnancies