Predictors of Postpartum Contraceptive Use in Nigeria

Ambrose Akinlo, Obafemi Awolowo University
Olapeju Esimai, Obafemi Awolowo University
Luqman Bisiriyu, Obafemi Awolowo University

Family planning is generally acknowledged as an important component of the reproductive health agenda and a necessity in all programmes and policies geared towards the realisation of safe motherhood. Several studies have established that most maternal deaths occur in the postpartum period. This paper therefore aims to contribute to existing knowledge on the factors affecting the adoption of PPFP, with special emphasis on examining how influential the women’s contact with maternal health services (antenatal care, delivery in a health facility and postnatal care) had been on adoption of contraception in the postpartum period. The data comes from the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The findings show that use of postnatal services, education, wealth status, residence and number of living children are significant predictors of postpartum family planning use.