Acceptance of postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device among women attending antenatal care in a low-resource setting in Nigeria

Objective: To assess the level of awareness, acceptance, and any identifiable barriers to the use of postpartum intrauterine devices (PPIUDs) among pregnant women receiving care in a low-resource setting in Nigeria.

Methods: A pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain relevant data from all consenting pregnant women receiving antenatal care at Polyclinic and Uwani health center in the city of Enugu from January 1 to March 31, 2018. Data were entered and analyzed using Epi Info statistical software. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: About two-thirds (65.6%) of the 620 respondents were unaware of PPIUDs. After counseling, about one-third (36.8%, n=228/620) of the respondents accepted having an immediate PPIUD, while the majority (63.2%, n=392/620) declined. The identified barriers towards accepting immediate PPIUDs were fear of side effects (57.9%), religious reasons (20.7%), and preference for other contraceptive methods. None of the respondents had ever inserted a PPIUD previously.

Conclusion: The low level of acceptance of PPIUDs in the study appears to be a reflection of the low level of awareness of PPIUDs in the region. Efforts in creating awareness and health education to dispel the myths and misconceptions about PPIUDs are required in order to promote its uptake in the region.