Abstract

WHO (2003, estimated that about 75 million pregnancies worldwide are unplanned/unwanted? The rise in the number of unwanted pregnancies is significantly associated with inadequate knowledge on contraception and that more women especially in rural communities do not go for modern contraceptives methods.

The aim of the study was to investigate the usage of contraceptives among women of childbearing ages in the Mabeta Njanga Community. The interviewer-administered guided questionnaire was recruited for data collection with a sample size population of 150.

The study design was a cross sectional study design; participants were recruited into this study using convenient sampling method. Data were imputed into Microsoft 2016, analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences, and presented in tables and graphs. Results showed that the usage of contraceptives was fair (53.78%).

The major factors hindering the use of contraceptives were a distance from the health facility (72.00%) lack of money (48.00%) and disagreement between partners (45.33%) low attitude of hospital staff (37.33%)

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Knowledge of family planning is nearly universal, with 95% of all women between the ages of 15 to 49 years knowing at least one method of modern family planning (Malone et al., 2010). Family planning is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility.

The various conversational contraceptive (CC) methods available are hormonal and non-hormonal methods. Contraception means the prevention of conception (Denise, 2010). Contraception is as old as mankind; it started since in the Old Testament with Onan who spilled his semen in the ground whenever he had sex with his brother’s wife because he was avoiding giving offspring to his brother.

Most countries with the lowest rate of contraceptives use to experience a higher maternal infant and child mortality rate and higher fertility rate in Africa (WHO, 2012). Each year, 180, 200millions pregnancies are reported all over the world. About 75% of these pregnancies are undesired with the result that, about 50 million end in induced abortion.

WHO (2012), estimated that about 20 million of the total number of induced abortions are at risk for the mother. WHO (2013), equally postulated that approximately 600,000 women die each year because of pregnancy and delivery-related complications, that is about one maternal death per minute. Up to 95-98% of these deaths occurred in developing countries where the risk of dying during pregnancy is compounded by a high number of pregnancies per woman, poor socio-economic conditions, and inadequacy of maternal care services in the countries.

Worldwide, the percentage of couples currently using contraception is estimated to have reached 58% and the level of use is higher in the more developed region than in the less developed regions (WHO, 2013), while overall levels of contraceptive use remain higher in the more developed regions, the gap is narrowing (Rimal, 2008). However, in the group of least developed countries traditional methods of contraception account for 27% of all contraception use, a proportion far higher than that in the more developed regions (UNFPA, 2015).

In Cameroon, according to Macro (2017), an estimation of 0.3% – 0.5 % of unwanted pregnancies was reported .furthermore, the latest demographic and health survey (DHS) in 2001showed that 7.8% of the women aged 15-19 years were pregnant of their first child in rural communities.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

WHO (2003), estimated that about 75million pregnancies worldwide are unplanned/unwanted? The rise in the number of unwanted pregnancies is significantly associated to inadequate knowledge on contraception and that more women especially in rural communities do not go for modern contraceptives methods.

Most of these unintended pregnancies are not carried to full term but are aborted often in unhygienic conditions leading to serious consequences and a rise in maternal and infant mortality rates. Also, 676 per 100,000 women aged 1 to 49 get pregnant unwanted, with an estimated, 32% of all maternal deaths attributed to unsafe abortions (Adhikari, 2009).

Adequate knowledge of family planning can reduce many of these mistimed and unplanned pregnancies, while at the same time it could reduce the number of unsafe abortions as well as the mortality rate (Campbell, 2006).

Contraceptive use optimization can effectively halt the overwhelming population growth and improve MCH. There are a number of studies indicating the low use of contraceptives in rural communities of Cameroon. This study is intended to look at the use of contraceptives among women of childbearing age in Mabeta as with the factors that hinder contraceptives use.

1.3 Research Questions

1. What proportion of women of childbearing age in Mabeta community use contraceptives?
2. What are the factors that hinder the use of contraceptives amongst women of the Mabeta community?

1.4 Objectives

 1.4.1 General Objective

To investigate the use of contraception among women of childbearing age in the Mabeta Njanga community

1.4.2 Specific Objective

1. To assess the level of knowledge of women of the Mbabeta Njanga community regarding contraception.
2. To identify the factors that hinder the use of contraception use amongst women of this community.
3. To determine if socio-demographic characteristics of these women affect contraceptive uptake?