Knowledge and Practice of Family Planning among Women Attending Primary Health Care Centre in Ekpoma, Nigeria

Iyevhobu KO, Eigbedion AO, Innih RE, Obohwemu OK and Bisiriyu MB

Published on: 2026-04-16

Abstract

Family planning is the means by which individuals or couples space the process of conception, pregnancy and childbirth at intervals mutually determined by both husband and wife in order to have the desired number of children that they can conveniently maintain. Family planning also assists couples who have difficulty in having children. The aim of the study is to determine the knowledge and practice of family planning among women in primary health center in Ujoelen, Ekpoma. This will be achieved by the following specific objectives: To find out the types of family planning, level of knowledge and practice of family planning methods among women in primary health care center in Ujoelen, Ekpoma. This research work is a non-experimental descriptive research design which is aimed at studying the knowledge and practice of family planning among women in primary health centre, Ujoelen in Ekpoma, Edo State. The target population for this study are women (15 - 45 years) attending antenatal clinic at Ujoelen Health Centre, Ekpoma. The women in this target population includes traders, farmers, civil servants, Full housewife, students, single parent are all chosen for this study. Fifty respondents were interviewed. These respondents were women attending antenatal in Ujoelen health centre in Esan West local government area, Edo state. All questionnaires were returned in good order and analyzed. Age is categorized into four-year age groups from 11 - 20; 21 - 30; 31 – 40 and 41 -50. Majority of the respondents were within ages 21 - 30 years (52%), this is followed by 31 - 40 (24.0%), 11 - 20 (16.0%) and 41 - 50 (8.0%). Regarding marriage status, majority are married 40 (80.0%) and 10 (20.0%) were single. Also, regarding marriage type, majority are monogamous 35 (87.0%), while 5 (13.0%) were polygamous. Regarding ethnic group, most of the respondents are Esan 28 (56.0%) while 7 (14.0%), 4 (8.0%) and 11 (22.0%) are Bini, Etsako and others respectively. Majority of the respondents are aware of family planning 41 (82.0%). On the knowledge of the methods of family planning, Pills, Condoms and Sterilization 39 (26.9%) each were the most common methods while Periodic abstinence 20 (55.6%) and Withdrawal 16 (44.4%) methods are the most common natural methods of family planning.