Nigeria records 80m unplanned pregnancies, 46m abortions annually

Sex can be a fun, pleasurable, and fulfilling part of life, but without protection, it can lead to Sexuallytransmitted Infections (STI) and unplanned pregnancies which can have huge impact on the individual as well as their partner’s life. As the world celebrate the World Contraception Day every September 26, with a goal to reduce the level of unplanned pregnancies, Nigeria has pledged to support the promotion of information on the importance of contraceptives use and its contribution to control of unwanted/unplanned pregnancies, unsafe abortion and reduction in maternal mortality and morbidity.

According to National Demographic Health Survey 2013, the prevalence rate for contraceptive use in Nigeria is only 15 per cent. This is very low in spite of the high rate of sexual activity and widespread awareness of the various contraceptive methods among Nigerian men, women, adolescent and youths.

In order to tackle the challenges of family planning/contraception, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) Senior Technical Advisor on Advocacy, Mrs Charity Ibeawuchi, has recommended “political commitment backed by adequate and sustained funding of family planning programmes by the government at all levels to create the necessary enabling environment that will result in decreasing maternal deaths and morbidity thereby increasing maternal survival, increased productivity and poverty reduction.

“Family planning plays a major role in improving maternal, new-born and child health. Family planning helps to avoid the proven challenges that women face in pregnancy/ child birth when they are too young and too old in age and/or when pregnancies are too close and too many. Successful family planning programmes improve quality of life whilst significantly contributing to demographic dividends and national development”, she added.

Presently, of utmost importance is the need for adequate information to correct some of the myths and misconceptions and break barriers surrounding contraceptives use in Nigeria most especially with the high rate of teenage pregnancies. Speaking on 2017 WCD theme; it’s your life, it’s your future, know your body, the Executive Secretary, Youth Empowerment Foundation, Mrs Iwalola Akin-jimoh charged teenagers, women and youths to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive health life. She reiterated that the best for teenagers and youths is abstinence. ‘Having children at a young age can damage young women's mental and physical health.”