The Impact of Misconceptions and Utilization of Family Planning Services Akwa Ibom State
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Family planning is the way of thinking and living that is adopted voluntarily upon the basis of knowledge, attitude, and responsible decisions by individuals and couples in order to promote the health and welfare of the family group and thus contribute effectively to the socio-economic development of the country (WHO, 1971). Family planning services are educational, comprehensive medical or social activities that enable individuals including minors to determine freely the number and spacing of their children and to select the means by which this may be achieved.
Family planning may involve consideration of children a woman wishes to have including the choice to have no children, as well as at the age at which she wishes to have them. These matters are influenced by external factors such as marital situation, career consideration, financial position, and any disabilities that may affect their ability to have children and raise them, besides many other considerations. If sexually active, family planning may involve the use of contraceptives and other techniques to control the timing of reproduction.
Other techniques commonly used include sexual education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infection, pre-conception counseling and management, and infertility management. Additionally, there are many who might wish to use contraception but are not necessarily planning a family (e.g. unmarried adolescents, young unmarried couples delaying childbearing while building a career), family planning has become a catch-all phrase for much of the work undertaken in this realm.
Misconceptions about different methods of family planning persist because people do not have the correct information about these methods and how the method works to prevent an unwanted pregnancy or unintended pregnancy.
The people of Afaha Obong believe family planning to be foreign not being part of our culture. In history, family planning is as old as mankind. Our forefathers and foremothers were even introduced to the traditional method of birth control.
People also think that family planning makes one be promiscuous. This point is also doubtful. This depends on the value a person places on him/herself and not the family planning that caused it. Some people believe that family planning is a sin, after all God said “Go ye and be multiplied”. This leads to many religious groups not accepting or practicing it. Family planning, instead of being sinful helps one to be out of sin because if one has more than the number he/she can care for, negligence will come in and neglects of one’s responsibilities become more sinful.
The Impact of Misconceptions and Utilization of Family Planning Services Akwa Ibom State
Researchers often point to “myths” as one of the reasons women steer clear of hormonal contraception, though mostly they are referring to fears of sterility or side effects like weight gain. According to research, Nigeria has a massive problem with unsafe abortions, which kills between 3,000 and 34,000 women every year, the number range widely because the procedures are permitted only to save the life of a woman, so they are largely underground and unaccounted. But before abortions come unwanted pregnancies and in Nigeria, birth control is widely stigmatized, misunderstood, and inaccessible.
In each geographical region, the family planning myths most prevalent at the individual and community levels were that “people who use contraceptives end up with health problems,” “contraceptives are dangerous to women’s health” and contraceptives can harm your womb”. On average, women in Afaha Obong believed 2.7 out of eight selected myths. An important barrier to contraceptive use is myths and misconceptions about modern methods, such as exaggerated or erroneous reports about side effects, misconceptions about short or long-term health problems, and negative stereotypes about persons who practice family planning.
In Afaha Obong, women incorrectly perceive the use of oral contraceptives has been associated with low method uptake and use; however, even in settings where knowledge of family planning is high, myths and misconceptions are associated with low demand for and use of contraceptives. Women who are married or in a union and at risk of unintended pregnancy are afraid of side effects and fear of health problems as their principal reasons for not practicing family planning.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The problem of this study is to determine the misconceptions about family planning and its utilization by the people of Afaha Obong in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Myths and misconceptions about family planning have hindered the people of Afaha Obong from using family planning services, in which they believe that family planning is a sin after God says “Go ye and be multiplied”. They also believe that family planning makes one promiscuous. They further ascertain that family planning brings side effects and health problems.
Family planning is believed to be foreign not part of our culture; this it discourages the people of Afaha Obong from patronizing family planning services.
In addition, the belief in myths and misconceptions about family planning has been positively associated with contraceptive discontinuation and subsequent unmet need. To this end, the researcher intends to carry out a study on the misconception of family planning and its utilization by the people of Afaha Obong clan in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to ascertain the misconceptions and utilization of family planning services by the people of Afaha Obong in Abak local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
Specifically, the following will guide the study;
- To ascertain the misconception behind family planning among the people of Afaha Obong.
- To ascertain the effect of the misconception and the utilization of family planning services among the people of Afaha Obong.
- To identify the health implication of non-utilization of family planning services among the people of Afaha Obong.
1.4 Research Questions
The following research questions will guide the study.
- What are the misconceptions about family planning?
- What are the effects of misconceptions about family planning?
- What are the health implications of the non-utilization of family planning services?
1.5 Significance of the Study
The result of this study will reveal the misconceptions surrounding family planning services and also reveal the implications associated with the non-utilization of family planning.
Specifically, the result of this study will be beneficial to all women of childbearing age (15 – 49 years), to men, health workers, the government, youths, and the researchers.
The findings will help women of childbearing age to understand the implication of non-utilization of family planning services which brings down the rate of teenage pregnancy.
To the researcher, it will be a source of reference materials for other researchers willing to conduct the research in this study area.
The Impact of Misconceptions and Utilization of Family Planning Services Akwa Ibom State