CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Family Planning is the purposeful regulation of conception or childbirth or the use of devices, chemicals, abortion or other techniques to prevent or terminate pregnancy or voluntary avoidance or delay of pregnancy (Wikipedia, 2010; Caufield, 1998). Family planning techniques commonly used include sexual education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and management and infertility management (Wikipedia, 2010). These services are defined as “educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which enable couples, individuals including sexually active adolescents and minors, to determine freely the number and spacing of their children, avoid getting pregnant and/or even avoid sexually transmitted diseases, to select the means by which this may be achieved” (Wikipedia, 2010; Plata, 1996). Family planning is sometimes used as a synonym for birth control or child spacing, though it often includes more.
The use of family planning implies that the users make concerted efforts to deal with procreation within the context of a sexual relationship. This covers things as varied as when to get pregnant, the number of children that are wanted, how to deal with fertility issues, how to avoid getting pregnant, whether to consider an abortion if an unwanted pregnancy occurs, or adoption etc. to say nothing of working out parental strategies with one’s partner. Family Planning was listed as one of the twelve pillars of Reproductive Health. Among the objectives of Family Planning is to help women to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies (FMHN, 2005). In Nigeria, before the introduction of modern family planning by Babangida administration in 1989 there were traditional methods of birth control (Odimegwu, 1999). These traditional methods which still exist and are convenient for users (Encyclopedia Americana, 2001) are natural while the modern types which are new in Nigeria are both natural and artificial. In Nigeria like in most developing countries, the story of family planning services is not successful because of a number of factors, such as culture of the people and low status of women (Coleman, 2004). Other factors include lack of education and understanding about health related issues, the ability of women to command resources and make independent decisions about their fertility, birth control knowledge, (Nwakeze, 2003). Location, religion and social class, lack of cooperation from spouse, cost, perceived difficulty with the method and lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods etc. (World Bank, 2004; IPPF, 1993). Moreover in Nigeria, the provision of health services is more in the urban areas than in the rural areas (Dobie, et al 1998). Where family planning services are located in rural areas, access is low due to lack of proximity, bad road network and the nearest urban center, where such clinic is available, it may not provide adequate care because of lack of proper trained staff and equipment (Wikipedia, 2009; Quedraogo, 2005; NISER, 2001). Other factors include lack of proper family planning function dissemination; inadequate motivation to seek actively, access and regularly use contraceptives (Odimegwu, 1999).
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