Knowledge and Use of Birth Control Methods for Family Planning by Married People in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated the knowledge level and use of birth control methods by married people for family planning in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu state.

MATERIALS & METHODS: The population of this study comprised 4450 married people who registered for marriage from 2010 to 2017 in Nsukka Education Zone of Enugu State. The sample was 445 respondents (210 married males and 235 married females). The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire titled: Knowledge and use of birth control methods for family planning questionnaire (KUBCM). The study was guided by four research questions and four hypotheses. The (KUBCM) research questions were answered using mean and standard deviation while t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance.

RESULTS: The results obtained showed that married people in Nsukka Education zone have knowledge of birth control methods; that they make use of birth control methods to a great extent; and that there is a significant difference in the mean responses of male and female married people on the extent to which married people make use of birth control methods for family planning.

CONCLUSION: Both male and female married people have knowledge of common birth control methods of family planning, therefore, couples should discuss together which birth control method of family planning they want to adopt. It should not be a one-man affair. We recommend among others, the full integration of the male population in the family planning programmes, and provision of sensitization programmes aimed at improving male involvement in family planning by government and non-governmental