TITLE:
Family Planning Knowledge and Practices among Reproductive Age Women in Widou Thiengoly, Louga Region, Senegal
AUTHORS:
Abdoul Aziz Ndiaye, Niang Aminata, Tall Alioune Badara, Diop-BA Awa, Ngom-Gueye Ndeye Fatou, Dia Mountaga, Bop Martial Coly, Gaye Awa, Gueye Lamine, Tal-Dia Anta
KEYWORDS:
Knowledge, Practices, Family Planning, Widou Thiengoly-Senegal
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Reproductive Sciences,
Vol.6 No.1,
February
12,
2018
ABSTRACT: Family planning is an effective intervention to improve the health of the mother, newborn and child. It was introduced in Senegal in the 1960s. Significant disparities were noted between urban and rural areas. This research aimed at measuring family planning methods knowledge and practices among reproductive age women (RAW) in the village of Widou Thiengoly, Louga region, Senegal. A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was carried out from 12 to 20 August 2016 and involved 150 RAW with an average age of 29.34 years. They were mostly married (98%), with a fertility rate of 3.22 children/woman. 67.3% of RAW knew at least one FP method and the contraceptive prevalence was 40.7%. Birth spacing is the main reason or utilization for more than half of users, while for non-users, more than half were ignorant of FP. Knowledge and practices of contraception were not related to the age of WCA, or the number of children. Fears or experiences of side effects were barriers to initiation and continuous use of FP methods, hence the importance of focusing awareness campaigns on alleviating fears about side effects.