Family Planning Method Choice among Married Women in the Gomoa West District.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Global population increased to 7.0 billion in 2011 and nearly all of that growth is in the developing countries. Sub-Saharan Africa of which Ghana is not an exception has the highest fertility rate in the world. The GDHS (2008) report indicates that contraceptive prevalence rate has decline in the past five years to 24% in 2008. The Gomoa West District Health Directorate 2010 annual report indicates that family planning acceptor rate has reduced from 40% in 2009 to 33% in 2010 and Depo provera is the choice of method among women. The slow pace of family planning usage in Ghana poses a challenge to the country‟s goal of reducing maternal mortality through the use of family planning. It is therefore necessary to examine the factors associated with family planning method choice among married women in the Gomoa West District to help plan interventions to meet those needs.

Methods: A population-based cross sectional survey using both quantitative and qualitative instruments was employed for data collection. Women In fertility Age (WIFA) between the ages of 15-49 years who were married, resident in the Gomoa West District and have ever used or were currently using  any method of contraception as at the time of the survey were sampled for the study.

Results: Thirty-five percent had ever used family planning method sometime in the past but currently are not using any method whereas 64.5% were currently using. The most ever used modern method is the Injectables (72.9%), the Pill (16.8%) and the Implants accounted for 8.4%. Little over half (50.5%) ever users discontinue due to side effect of the method while 20% was due to desire to have another child. Modern methods are the most preferred methods (97.5%) while 2.5% use traditional method. Injectables accounted for 60%, Implants (17.4%) and the Pill (11.8%) respectively and method use increase.  Sixty-eight percent of current users were for spacing births, 22.5% for limiting and 8.5% for preventing unintended pregnancy. There was statistically significance between age, number of children and educational level and the choice of family planning method use. 

Conclusion: Injectables (Depo provera and Norigynon) is the preferred choice of family planning method among married women in the Gomoa West District. Health service delivery factors such as frequent stock outs of family planning commodities, non-availability of method mix as well as lack of appropriate and quality information on methods might have contributed to the low uptake of Long-Term Methods.