Attitude Of Couple Toward Modern Family Planning Practice

INTRODUTION

1.0   Background to the study
Family planning as the name implies is having children by choice and not by chance. It is the process of giving birth at interval as acceptable by individuals or couples, to promote the health and welfare of the family Namboze, (2013).

According to Rant, (2013) historically most communities in the past used to have police that encourage large population traditionally, in Africa, the low level of economic development and heavy reliance on  agriculture have brought about several factors that encourage high fertility. 

Joho, (2009) Sated that African women traditionally have played major roles in agricultural production. though primary roles are that of wives and mothers having limited right as subordinates to the maces in the household the status of women is further eroded by the practice of polygamy because they have limited opportunities. At societal level, child bearing is the ere fore an important way for them to gain status through the number of children raised.

Adewale, umoh,/ were and Gbadegesin, (2005) opined that attitude and practice modem family planning have attracted much attention in recent times. This is due to increase in unwanted or unplanned pregnancies, leading to induced or criminal abortion, maternal  mortality, sexually transmitted Infections including human immune - deficiency virus HIV and acquired immune- deficiency syndrome AIDs prevalence among women of child bearing age

There is on one universally acceptable definition of attitude However, Anderson (1981) opined that attitude is a moderately intense emotion that prepares or predisposed individuals to respond consistently in a favorable manner, when confronted with a particular object, Okafor (1990) stated that attitude is concerned with one's feeling towards an object, person or thing. Cornucopia, Station and Irwin (1999) asserted that an attitude refers to mind-set to action, an internal readiness to behave act, Simpson and WeIner (2000) defined attitude as a way of feeling, thinking or behaving. Aitken (2000) argued that an there is on standard definition of attitude, but in general term, he perceived the term to imply a learned predisposition or tendency on the part of the individual to respond positively or negatively to some objects or situation. According to man (2002) , attitude implies a relatively enduring organization to internalized belief that describes, evaluates and advances action with respect to an object or situation with each belief having cognitive, affective and behavioural components. He further stated that each one of these beliefs is a predisposition that suitably activates results in some preferential response towards the attitude-object or situation or toward the maintenance or preservation of the attitude itself.

Attitude in the context of the present study is belief, feeling, thinking, ideas or emotion that predisposed an individual to respond when faced with a particular object. For instance, what a widow believes, feels or thinks about modem family planning becomes her attitude towards modem family planning 

According o mode Nzari (2012) reported is his study that many women want to use safe and effective family planning methods, but are unable to do so due to lack of access to information and services as well as support from their husbands and communities. Refusal of practicing family planning is because of a few misconceptions among people many women repeatedly stated that modem family planning would cause birth defects, infertility and adverse health effect. Some of them faced spouse objection to practice family planning.

Poor family planning practice leads to short birth spacing which refers to the amount of time between birth and/or pregnancies. Birth spacing is an important issue related to health, nutrition, economic and social aspect of women and their families. It has significant health effects on both the mothers and children. Too short or too long birth spacing are both associated with maternal and child morbidity and mortality.

1.1 Statement of the Problem.

Modem family planning methods are considered a first line of defence against unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted infection (STIs) which also include immune-deficiency virus (HIV) .The consistent and correct use of modem family planning methods reduce greatly unwanted pregnancies and STIs among women of reproductive age in any nation thus enhancing their health. However, it appears that attitude and practice of modem family planning among women of reproductive age in Nigeria how and it varies by demographic and socio-economic characteristics, lame, (2012) .

There seen to be Refusal of family planning practice in Birnin Gwari and the could be as a result of a few misconception added to some other factor among people many women repeatedly stated that modem family planning could cause birth defects, inferred and adverse health effect. Some of them faced spouse objection to practice family planning, this is what prompted the researcher to carry out the investigation in among couples by creating awareness on family planning.