Contraceptive practice, unwanted pregnancies and induced abortion in Southwest Nigeria.

Despite widespread awareness of and access to modern contraception, high rates of unwanted pregnancies and abortions still persist in many parts of the world, even where abortion is legally restricted. This article explores perspectives on contraception and abortion, contraceptive decision-making within relationships, and the management of unplanned pregnancies. It presents findings from an exploratory qualitative study based on 17 in-depth interviews and 6 focus group discussions conducted in 2 locations in Nigeria in 2006. The results suggest that couples do not practice contraception consistently because of perceived side effects and partner objections. Abortion is usually resorted to because pregnancy was unwanted due to incomplete educational attainment, economic hardship, immaturity, close pregnancy interval, and social stigma. Males usually have greater influence in contraceptive-decision making than females. Though induced abortion is negatively viewed in the community, it is still common, and women usually patronise quacks to obtain such services. An abortion experience can change future views and decisions towards contraception. Family planning interventions should include access to and availability of adequate family planning information. Educational campaigns should target males since they play an important role in contraceptive decision-making.

Social stigma and disclosure about induced abortion: results from an exploratory study.

It is well recognised that unsafe abortions have significant implications for women's physical health; however, women's perceptions and experiences with abortion-related stigma and disclosure about abortion are not well understood. This paper examines the presence and intensity of abortion stigma in five countries, and seeks to understand how stigma is perceived and experienced by women who terminate an unintended pregnancy and influences her subsequent disclosure behaviours. The paper is based upon focus groups and semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with women and men in Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru and the United States (USA) in 2006. The stigma of abortion was perceived similarly in both legally liberal and restrictive settings although it was more evident in countries where abortion is highly restricted. Personal accounts of experienced stigma were limited, although participants cited numerous social consequences of having an abortion. Abortion-related stigma played an important role in disclosure of individual abortion behaviour.

Managing unplanned pregnancies in five countries: perspectives on contraception and abortion decisions.

Why is induced abortion common in environments in which modern contraception is readily available? This study analyses qualitative data collected from focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with women and men from low-income areas in five countries--the United States, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru and Mexico--to better understand how couples manage their pregnancy risk. Across all settings, women and men rarely weigh the advantages and disadvantages of contraception and abortion before beginning a sexual relationship or engaging in sexual intercourse. Contraception is viewed independently of abortion, and the two are linked only when the former is invoked as a preferred means to avoiding repeat abortion. For women, contraceptive methods are viewed as suspect because of perceived side effects, while abortion experience, often at significant personal risk to them, raises the spectre of social stigma and motivates better practice of contraception. In all settings, male partners figure importantly in pregnancy decisions and management. Although there are inherent study limitations of small sample sizes, the narratives reveal psychosocial barriers to effective contraceptive use and identify nodal points in pregnancy decision-making that can structure future investigations.

Poverty and Development in Nigeria : Trailing the MDGs

Poverty levels in the developing world; especially Sub-Saharan Africa still pose major challenges to overall development in the continent and globally; against the backdrop of the millennium development goals. A critical appraisal of poverty and development theories suggests that as long as individuals and communities are caught in poverty traps (in the form of low resources; low physical and human capital); exclusions from global markets and government and market failures they cannot enjoy the economic development experienced in high income; developed countries. The MDGs were developed in good faith to assist in reducing global economic development disparities; however; an assessment of the current status of African countries reveals a trend whereby it is highly unlikely that any of the targets set by the goals will be met by 2015. Goal 4 - the reduction of infant mortality rates - which would have been met; has been threatened by civil disturbances and increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS. Within Nigeria; where 50live below the poverty line; the poverty situation is exacerbated by inequality in incomes; in assets (education and health status); in control over public resources and in access to essential services; coupled with high levels of insecurity. Growth strategies for reducing poverty levels in Sub-Saharan countries; and Nigeria in particular; must be pro-poor. Such strategies must eliminate discrimination against rural and agricultural development; invest in human capital (education and health); improve household consumption levels to reduce deprivation of basic needs by vulnerable members; particularly children; the widowed and the aged; provide access to markets and public infrastructure and facilitate the creation of new jobs. Ongoing economic and structural reforms in the country must be maintained on a sustained level that will permit poverty reduction and better quality of life