Determinants of Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Decision-Making in Nigeria

Taiwo Adekeye, Federal University Oye-Ekiti,Ekiti State
Sunday Adedini, Federal University Oye-Ekiti & University of Witwatersrand

Despite the adoption of a Program of Action, that called for rights of women/girls on sexual and reproductive health matters, including voluntary family planning/contraception and safe pregnancy/childbirth by 179 governments at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, inaccessibility to contraceptives and safe abortion care remains a major public health concern in Nigeria and many other sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Consequently, poor sexual and reproductive health is a leading cause of maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa (UNFPA, 2016). While an estimated 73 million induced abortions occur yearly, 45% of all abortions are unsafe, of which 97% occur in developing countries, and six out of 10 (61%) of all are unintended pregnancies (WHO, 2020). Increased women’s decision-making on sexual and reproductive health is identified as the key solution that can improve contraceptive utilization, fertility behaviours, morbidity/mortality and economic activities. However, there is no concise study that directly addresses factors responsible for the calamitous state of women’s SRH in Nigeria, which brings about gaps in evidence on the factors that influence women's decision-making regarding SRH in Nigeria. Hence, this study aimed to address the determinants of women’s sexual and reproductive health decision-making in Nigeria.

Keywords: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Family Planning and Contraception, Fertility, Families, Unions and Households

See extended abstract.