EXPERTS say that interventions during antenatal and early postnatal periods are needed to improve early adoption of family planning by women following child birth as many women commonly resume sexual intercourse without contraceptive use six months after childbirth.
In a new study, the researchers found that 38.7 per cent had resumed sexual intercourse within six months after childbirth; among those who had not started having sex, about a quarter (24.2 per cent) gave no reason and 20 per cent felt it was too early.
The researchers said the fear of pain and child-spacing were reasons given by 5.7 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively while current use of a contraceptive method was 20.7 per cent among women and 36.4 per cent among women who had resumed sexual activity.
It was a cross-sectional study of 256 women, postpartum women and nursing mothers attending an infant welfare clinic of Adeoyo Maternity Teaching Hospital and University College Hospital, Ibadan, between July and October 2014. The majority had tertiary education, were currently married in monogamous marriages and had between one and three children. It was in the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.
According to the study, in most cases (91.9 per cent), the husband initiated sexual activity, and most women reported enjoying the sexual acts. There were 13 (13.3 per cent) women that reported they discontinued sexual activity after they started. The fear of pain and the purpose of child-spacing were reasons given by about five per cent of the women.
They reported that the main reasons given for discontinuation of sexual intercourse after resuming during this period included vaginal pain, painful intercourse from episiotomy and perineal tears, and not being on family planning.
The researchers, stating that family-planning users were about five times more likely than non-users to resume sexual intercourse, urged interventions during antenatal and early postnatal periods to improve early adoption of family planning by postpartum women.
The study which underscored the significance of the early introduction of family planning to women after childbirth, declared, “Integrating family planning services with infant welfare/immunisation services may also provide one-stop access to health services for the mother and the newborn. This will enhance the early uptake of a contraceptive method and prevent unintended pregnancies while allowing sexual satisfaction among postpartum women.”
The contraceptive prevalence rate among currently married women in Nigeria is 17 per cent, with an unmet need of 19 per cent, giving a total demand for family planning of 36 per cent; and the prevalence of the use of modern contraceptive methods was 12 per cent.
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President Muhammadu Buhari Friday at State House Abuja urged the MTN Group to make the available top-of-the-range service to its Nigerian subscribers… At least 38.7 % of women start having sex six months after childbirth At least 38.7 % of women start having sex six months after childbirth At least 38.7 % of women start having sex six months after childbirth At least 38.7 % of women start having sex six months after childbirth.
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