TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page - - - - - - i
Certification - - - - - - ii
Dedication - - - - - - iii
Acknowledgement - - - - - - iv
Table of
Contents - - - - - - vi
Abstract - - - - - - ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to
the Study - - - - - 1
Statement of
Problem - - - - - 8
Purpose of the
Study - - - - - 9
Research
Questions - - - - - 9
Significance of
the Study - - - - - 11
Delimitation of
the Study - - - - - 11
Definition of
Terms - - - - - 12
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Meaning and
Definition of Family Planning - - 14
Methods of
Contraception - - - - - 18
Traditional
Method of Birth Control - - - 19
Non-Appliance
Method - - - - - 20
Appliance Method - - - - - 21
Natural Methods
of Birth Control - - - - 22
Modern Methods
of Birth Control - - - - 25
Permanent
Methods of Birth Control - - - 26
Importance of
Family Planning - - - - 28
Benefits of
Family Planning - - - - 29
Factors that Influence the
Attitude of Women towards
Family Planning - - - - - - 35
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design - - - - - - 44
Population of
the Study - - - - - 44
Sample and
Sampling Techniques - - - 45
Instrumentation - - - - - - 45
Validity of the Instrument - - - - - 46
Reliability of
the Instrument - - - - 47
Procedure for
Data Collection - - - - 47
Method of Data
Analysis - - - - 47
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION,
ANALYSIS AND
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Research
Question 1 - - - - - 48
Research
Question 2 - - - - - 49
Research
Question 3 - - - - - 51
Research
Question 4 - - - - - 52
Research
Question 5 - - - - - 53
Research
Question 6 - - - - - 55
Discussion of Findings - - - - - 56
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary - - - - - - - 60
Conclusion - - - - - - - 62
Recommendations - - - - - - 63
References - - - - - - - 65
Appendices - - - - - - - 67
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to find
out the factors that influence the attitudes of women towards family planning
in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.
Specifically, the study attempts to find out the influence of education,
health, religion, culture, age of women and income on the attitudes of women
towards family planning.
This research work deals with the
types of contraceptive methods, importance of family planning and the benefits
of family planning. The subjects were
selected using simple random sampling. A
total of 100 questionnaires were administered to subjects of the target
population which are the educated women randomly selected from five communities
under Egor Local Government: Uselu,
Uwasota, Osasogie, Evbareke, Osakpamwan.
The data collected were analyzed using percentage approach and the
results showed that:
1.
Women recognize the impact of family planning on
their families.
2.
Family planning is an opportunity for couples to
actually plan their family towards better standard of living.
Recommendations
were made based on findings from the data analyzed, amongst which are that:
i.
There should be enlightenment programmes to
educate people on the need for family planning.
ii.
Incentives should be provided for couples that
practice family planning so as to encourage more people towards it.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Family planning as the name implies is
having children by choice and not by chance; it is the process of having
specific number of children at intervals acceptable by individuals or couples,
to promote the health and welfare of the family. Family planning is not a new idea all over
the world and also applies to Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. Throughout the ages, individuals and families
have tried to regulate their fertility either by using herbs, abstinence during
ovulation, prolonged breast feeding and living with parent in-laws to avoid sex
or polygamy.
Historically, most communities in the
past used to have policies that encourage large population. Traditionally, in Africa, the low level of
economic development and heavy reliance on agriculture have brought about
several factors that encourage high fertility.
In addition, according to Namboze J.M.E. (1985), religious and cultural
traditions favour large families because children are expected to help their
parents financially and to ensure a kind of family immortality by continuity of
the family name.
African women traditionally have
played major roles in agricultural production, though their primary roles are
that of wives and mothers having limited right as subordinates to the males in
the household. The status of women is
further eroded by the practice of polygamy because they have limited
opportunities. At the societal level,
child bearing is therefore an important way for them to gain status through the
number of children raised.
Children are also needed for labour in
the farm and a potential old age security which they provide in later life,
especially for their mothers because women are often denied inheritance right
or forfeit right to use land upon death of husband; and they need children
especially sons to ensure that someone cares for them in their old age. Also, a man’s health and integrity are often
determined by the number of wives and children he has and since the African religion
was highly practiced, it was believed that ancestors are expected to
reincarnate through childbirth as descendents.
Women have come to see that cooking,
house keeping chores combined with making a living, bearing and raising
children are arduous tasks and gradually retards the health of both mother and
children. Today, many parents have
realized that having a large family may bring difficulty in feeding, clothing
and providing good education for them all.
In 1956, family planning was introduced by a body of elites in Lagos due
to the alarming rate of abandoned children resulting from teenage pregnancy,
criminal abortions and death. This group
of elite formed a body known as the marriage guidance counselors which later liaised
with the international Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN).
In 1958, Dr. Adeyemi Jones started the
first family planning clinic in Ibadan but it did not last due to lack of
funds. In 1959, the Family Planning
Council of Nigeria was formed while later it became the Planned Parenthood
Federation of Nigeria (PPFN). Since the
vastness of child bearing has gradually led to population explosion, many
individuals and organizations have complained and said that parents should cut
down their family size and have made family planning an issue of moral, social
and political considerations. Such
agencies include the International Planned Parenthood Association, the
Pathfinder Fund, International Training for Health Programme, World Health
Organization, etc.
Some leaders have equally spoken of
the need for family planning in different ways.
According to Delano (1990), while quoting Julius Nyerere of Tanzania in
1959, “giving birth is something in which mankind and animals are equal but
rearing the young and especially educating them for many years is something
which is a unique gift and responsibility of man. It is for this reason that it is important
for man to put an emphasis on caring for children and the ability to look after
them properly, rather than thinking about the number or sex of children”. Looking at the past, inspite of the fact that
our forefathers believed in large families as stated earlier, birth control
measures were also in use. This
manifested itself in forms of sex taboos (frowning at pre-marital sex),
abstinence, wearing of magical charms and talisman made from the worm of the
lioness and even the use of a child’s tooth or cat’s liver for protection
against unwanted pregnancies and consequent abortion.
Davis (1992) also supported the above
method adding that our forefathers recognized the need for child spacing via
traditional methods that were applicable to their circumstances at that
time. According to Delano (1990) while
tracing the encyclopedia, the oldest recorded family planning theories are
contained in the ancient Egyptian Petri papyrus, written about 1850 BC and the
Ebers papyrus dated about 1550 BC, which described some methods of
contraception. Even in Greece and Rome,
there were much concern over fertility regulations.
The ancient knowledge was incorporated
into writing of scientific doctors and was of scientific basis for
contraception up to the late 17th century. From this, it should be noted that
contraception had a place in the days of old as a means of preserving the
health of the child and mother.
However, when compared with the modern
contraceptives some of this traditional methods appear strange in their
preparations and applications. It is via
intensive research that the modern methods of birth control emerged in an
attempt to minimize complications, develop effective and non-injurious,
convenient, reliable, enjoyable, easily accessible and also able to meet the
needs of individuals and couples. It is
on this note that various birth workers like Jeremy Bentheam of England,
Margaret Sawyer of USA are known and remembered for championing the cause of
birth control in different countries and at different point of history.
In this study, therefore, attempts
shall be made to find out what women in Egor Community understand about the
concept of family planning, methods of contraception commonly practiced,
specifically, finding out about the effect of education, income, religion,
culture, age, health, as they influence the attitude of women towards family
planning; dealing extensively with the importance and benefits of family
planning.
Statement of Problem
Various individuals, national and
international organizations such as the World Health Organization, Population
Reference Bureau, etc, have cried out over the dangers associated with
population explosion and have equally suggested that couples cut down their
family size.
Depreciating standard of living,
inadequate facilities due to increase in population demands are also part of
the issues that plague our society. From
the observation, this research is an attempt to study the factors that
influence the attitude of women towards family planning.
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to carry
out a survey on the influence of education, age, culture, religion, income and
health on the attitude of women towards family planning.
Research Questions
In dealing with this research topic,
various problems were identified and research questions were drawn. They are:
1.
Does education influence the attitude of women
towards family planning?
2.
Does the health of women influence the attitude
of women towards family planning?
3.
Does culture influence the attitude of women
towards family planning?
4.
Does income influence the attitude of women
towards family planning?
5.
Does the age of women influence their attitude
towards family planning?
6.
Does religion influence the attitude of women
towards family planning?
Significance of the Study
This research will be of benefit to
women and the society at large. They
will again a lot from the facts contained in this project work. It is envisaged that this research work will
further assist the growth, development, expansion and awareness of family
planning and its importance to the society at large.
To also make recommendations that will
alleviate the identified mistaken notions that affect the practice of family
planning.
Delimitation of the Study
This study is limited to the women in
Egor Local Government Area of Edo State.
It does not intend to judge the efficiency of family planning, but to
find out what influences the attitude of women towards family planning. It does not cover treatment of side effects
or failures of the methods.
Definition of Terms
Family
Planning: This implies the
ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired
number of children and the spacing and timing of their birth.
Contraception: Method and practice of preventing conception
is the fertilization of an ovum.
Menstruation: The monthly elimination of the blood filled
lining of the uterus (womb), which takes about four to five days, depending on
individual physiology.
Ovulation: The release of ripe egg cells from the
ovary about once a month.