Perceptions on abortion and long-acting contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in selected Nigerian States: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: It is estimated that over 210 million pregnancies occur each year, with almost half of these unplanned. The evidence further shows that about 76 million of these unplanned pregnancies occur in the developing world, with 19% ending in induced abortion and 11% of these abortions being unsafe. Abortion is greatly stigmatized in Nigeria, and the lack of a legal framework to support access to abortion services necessitates women seeking abortion services in unsafe places. This study, therefore, examines the perception of women on abortion (prevalence and stigma) on long-acting contraceptive (LARC) use in Nigeria.Methods: We performed secondary data analysis on the round 5 of performance monitoring and accountability (PMA) data for seven states in Nigeria for women of reproductive age (n = 11,284), examining responses on use abortion incidence, perceptions on stigmatization and LARC use using χ2 analysis and multivariate logistic regression models.Results: Socio-demographic factors examined were found to be significantly associated with the perception that abortion was common among women who agreed that abortion was shameful. Women residents in rural areas were more likely (OR = 1.34; p-value = 0.000). Further, married women (OR = 15.18, p-value= 0.000) were 15 times more likely to use LARC.Conclusions: Perceptions that abortion is common, and it is a shameful practice were found to be underlying contributors to LARC use in Nigeria. However, the most significant influence is the socio-demographic factors. Therefore, implementing agencies must ensure to tackle socio-demographic barriers to access and legislation of contraceptive uptake as this would reduce mortality from abortions