INFLUENCE OF FEMALE AUTONOMY ON BIRTH SPACING IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Abstract

Problems of pregnancy and birth delivery cause more deaths and disability than any other reproductive health problem. The situation is worse in developing countries like Nigeria due to inadequate access to modern health services and lack of proper usage. A pregnancy not long after the previous childbirth may result in poor health outcomes for the mother, poor health status for the child and a reduction in probability of survival for both mother and child. There are past studies on maternal health in Nigeria, but few paid attention to the relationship between female autonomy and birth interval. Therefore, this study examined the association between female autonomy, indicated by participation in household decisions, in South West Nigeria and birth interval. Data were obtained from 2013 NDHS, and weighted sample of 6,314 women in union who have had at least one birth was used for the analysis. Univariate result showed that the majority of the women in Southwest Nigeria spaced their births by 2 or more years. The bivariate analysis revealed that female autonomy has a significant association with birth interval. Results of the multivariate analysis, using binary logistic regression showed that women who had autonomy in decisions on large purchases in the household were more likely to space their children by 2 or more years (OR 1.72 p<.001). In conclusion, female autonomy in Southwest Nigeria is a significant determinant of the large birth spacing in the region. I recommend that there should be further studies on birth spacing in the Southwest, Nigeria.