Women’s use of sub-cutaneous depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate in a basket of contraceptives among women in Nigeria: involvement of male partners

Abstract

Background: More than one in ten married women or women in union worldwide are said to have an unmet need for family planning, meaning that they are exposed to pregnancy and do not wish to get pregnant but not using contraception. This exacerbates current challenges in reproductive health, such as maternal mortality, teen pregnancy, and the global spread of HIV. To lower a country's maternal and newborn mortality rates and stop the spread of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, contraceptive usage continues to play a pivotal role. Economic, social, and cultural constraints make it difficult for many women, especially those living in rural communities, to gain access to family planning services. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reported that approximately 20 percent of women who did not want to get pregnant were not utilizing contraceptives. Men are increasingly acknowledged for their role in women's access to and use of family planning services. This is because male participation in family planning services has the potential to increase the adoption of contraceptives and improve their effective use and continuation through spousal communication. Men's role in determining whether or not a couple uses FP varies across settings and contexts. Women in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), including Nigeria, are increasingly opting for injectable contraception as their preferred option. An increasing number of individuals are using depotmedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) for family planning (FP) since it is discreet, easy to use, and highly effective. In Nigeria, there is a paucity of information about factors influencing the adoption and uptake of DMPA-SC among women and especially regarding male partner involvement.