Use of maternal health care as a predictor of postpartum contraception in Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between the utilisation of maternal health care and the postpartum use of contraception in Nigeria. The analysis was based on the data from the Women’s Questionnaire and the calendar data from the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Only women whose most recent birth was between January 2003 and one full year before the date of interview in 2008 were included. The use of maternal health care (ANC visits and timing of postnatal check-up) is significantly associated with the use of a modern method of contraception during the postpartum period. Other significant predictors of the postpartum use of a modern method include region, education, the household wealth index, exposure to family planning messages and religion. The findings suggest that contraceptive use among postpartum women will increase substantially if more women use maternal health care services, especially for antenatal care and postnatal care.