Birth Spacing Influence on Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria

Abstract

David Oladeji, JA Ayangunna

The study established the influence of birth spacing on maternal and child health in Nigeria. A total of two hundred (200) nursing mothers that registered with the maternal and child care units of Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital Complex in Ile-Ife area constituted the sample for the study. Their ages ranged from 20years to 55 years with a mean age of 34.5 years and standard deviation of 6.5. The two instruments used were author-constructed questionnaires with 0.66 and 0.69 reliability coefficient respectively. The data obtained were analyzed using multiple regression and chi-square statistics. The results obtained from the study indicated that, a combination of the six independent variables significantly predicted the dependent variable F= (115.813); R= .703, R2 = .494, Adj. R2 = .489; P<.05). The results also indicated that, significant relationship existed between the health histories (B = 5.755, T =8.844), behavior of individual women (B = 5.575, T = 2.284), utilization of reproductive health services (B = 5.558, T =8.495), family background (B = 5.121, T =10.633), contraceptive use (B= -2.670, T= 10.722) and socio-economic status (B =-2.648, T =6.322) and maternal and child health. The results further showed the significant position between health histories (X2 cal = 33.956) is the most potent factor followed behaviors of the individual women (X2 cal = 29.762); utilization of reproductive health services (X2 cal = 16.986); family backgrounds (X2 cal = 12.716); contraceptive use (X2 cal = 5.969); and socio-economic status (X2 cal = 1.268) and maternal and child health. Based on the results of these findings, it was recommended that nursing mothers should be made to be aware of the inherent dangers of inadequate birth spacing such as increased risk of premature membrane rupture, uteroplacental bleeding disorders, poor health for both the mother and the child, miscarriage or induced abortion and consequently death.

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