1. Home
  2. Vol 22, No 1 (2018)
  3. Iliyasu

Correlates of Postpartum Sexual Activity and Contraceptive Use in Kano, Northern Nigeria

Zubairu Iliyasu(1), Hadiza S. Galadanci(2), Khadija M. Danlami(3), Hamisu M. Salihu(4), Muktar H. Aliyu(5),


(1) Department of Community Medicine, Bayero University Kano; Section of Public Health, School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), The University of Sheffield, UK
(2) Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bayero University Kano,
(3) Department of Community Medicine, Bayero University Kano;
(4) Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
(5) Departments of Health Policy and Medicine & Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee,
Corresponding Author

Abstract


Practices related to resumption of coitus after childbirth remains poorly documented in Nigeria. This study examined factors associated with sexual intercourse, delivery-coitus interval, and contraceptive use among postpartum women attending a tertiary centre in Kano, northern Nigeria. A cross section of 317 women attending immunization, postnatal and family planning clinics within 12 months of childbirth was interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Vaginal intercourse was resumed by most women (n=212; 66.9%, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 61.8%, 72.2%) with delivery-coitus resumption interval (mean ± SD) of 9.6±5.2 weeks postpartum. The majority (67.9%) resumed sexual activity within 8 weeks of delivery. Nearly two-thirds 65.6% (n=139/212) of the sexually active women reported current use of contraceptives. Onset of postpartum sexual activity was independently associated with mode of delivery adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95%CI)= 1.10 (1.03,1.78), baby‘s age AOR (95%CI) =2.10 (1.27, 8.70), number of living children AOR (95%CI)=1.21 (1.07,1.79), onset of menstruation AOR (95%CI)=0.34 (0.17,0.69) and co-habitation AOR (95%CI)=0.47 (0.016, 0.14). Contraceptive use was predicted by educational status, sexual activity, baby‘s age and menstruation. Most women attending maternal and child health clinics resumed sexual intercourse within 2 months of delivery, but only two-thirds used modern contraceptive methods. Contraceptive counseling should commence early, preferably during pregnancy. (Afr J Reprod Health 2018; 22[1]:103-112).

References


Connolly A, Thorp J andPahel L. Effects of pregnancy

and childbirth on postpartum sexual function: a longitudinal prospective study. IntUrogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct2005 16(4):263-7

Handa VL. Sexual function and childbirth.

SeminPerinatol2006;30:253‑6.

Fort, AL, Kothari, MT andAbderrahim N. Postpartum

care: levels and determinants in developing countries. Calverton, Maryland, USA, Macro International, 2006 (http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pub_details.cfm?ID=676) accessed 12th February 2015

Nusbaum MR, Gamble G, Skinner B and Heiman J. The

high prevalence of sexual concerns among women seeking routine gynecological care. J Fam Pract 2000;49(3):229-32.

Dada OA, Akesode FA, Olanrewaju DM, Olowu OA,

Sule-Odu O, Fakoya TA, Oluwole, FA and Odunlami BV. Infant feeding and lactational amenorrhoea in Sagamu, Nigeria. AfrJ Reprod Health2002;6:39-50.

Abdool Z, Thakar R and Sultan AH. Postpartum female

sexual function. Eur J ObstetGynaecol Repro Biol.2009;145:133-7.

Johnson CE. Sexual health during pregnancy and the

postpartum. The Journal of Sexual Medicine.2011;8:1267.

Leeman LM and Rogers RG. Sex after childbirth:

Postpartum sexual function. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2012;119:647. 9. Anzaku A and Mikah S.Postpartum resumption of sexual activity, sexual morbidity and use of modern contraceptives among Nigerian women in Jos. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Mar;4(2):210-6. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.129044.

National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and

ORC Macro (2004). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2003. Calverton, Maryland: National Population Commission and ORC Macro.

National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and

ICF Macro (2009). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2008. Abuja, Nigeria: National Population Commission and ICF Macro.

National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria] and

ICF International (2014). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2013. Abuja, Nigeria, and Rockville, Maryland, USA: NPC and ICF International. 13. Iliyasu Z and Babashani M. Prevalence and predictors of tuberculosis coinfection among HIV-seropositive patients attending the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, northern Nigeria. J Epidemiol. 2009;19(2):81-7. 14. Lwanga SK and Lemeshow S. Sample size determination in health studies: a practical manual. World Health Organization 1991:29-32

WHO. Defining Sexual Health.

http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/sexual_health/sh_definitions/en/ accessed 18th February 2015

WHO. Contraceptive prevalence.

http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/family_planning/contraceptive_prevalence/en/ accessed 19th February 2015

IBMCorp. (2012). IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows,

Version 21.0. Armonk, NY, USA: IBM Corporation.

Odar E, Wandabwa J andKiondo P. Sexual practices of women within six months of childbirth in Mulago hospital, Uganda.Afr Health Sci2003;3:117-23.

Borda MR, Winfrey W andMcKaig C. Return to sexual

activity and modern family planning use in the extended postpartum period: An analysis of findings from seventeen countries. Afr J Reprod Health2010;14:72‑9.

Buhling KJ, Schmidt S, Robinson JN, Klapp C, Siebert

G andDudenhausen JW. Rate of dyspareunia after delivery in primiparae according to mode of delivery. Eur J ObstetGynecolReprodBiol2006;124:42‑6.

Barret G, Pendry E, Peacock J, Victor C, Thakar R

and Manyonda I. Women‘s sexual health after childbirth. BJOG2000;107:186-95.

Brubaker L, Handa VL, Bradley CS, Connolly A, Moalli

P, Brown MB and Weber A. Sexual function 6 months after first delivery. ObstetGynecol2008;111:1040‑4.

Acele EÖ andKaraçam Z. Sexual problems in women

during the first postpartum year and related conditions. J ClinNurs2012;21:929‑37. 24. Adanikin AI,Awoleke JO, Adeyiolu A, Alao O and Adanikin PO.Resumption of intercourse after childbirth in southwest Nigeria.TheEuropean Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care 2015;20(4):241-248.

Adinma JI. Sexual activity during and after pregnancy.

Adv Contracept1996;12:769‑75. 26. Olsson A, Robertson E, Falk K andNissen E. Assessing women‘s sexual life after childbirth: the role of the postnatal check.Midwifery. 2011 Apr;27(2):195-202. doi: 10.1016/j.midw.2009.04.003.

Isenaiumhe AE andOviawe O. The changing pattern of

Post-Partum Sexual Abstinence in a Nigerian Rural community. Soc. Sci. Med. 1986, 23 (7): 683 – 686 28. Olatoregun O, Fagbamigbe AF, Akinyemi OJ, Yusuf OB and Bamgboye EA. A comparative analysis of fertility differentials in Ghana and Nigeria.Afr J Reprod Health. 2014 Sep;18(3):36-47.

Lamidi EO. State variations in women's socioeconomic

status and use of modern contraceptives in Nigeria. PLoS One. 2015;10 (8):e0135172.

Larsson C and Stanfors M. Women‘s Education,

Empowerment, and Contraceptive Use in sub-Saharan Africa: Findings from Recent Demographic and Health Surveys. African Population Studies 2014; 28 (2) Suppl: 1022-1034.

Desgrees‑du‑Lou A andBrou H. Resumption of sexual

relations following childbirth: Norms, practices and reproductive health issues in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Reprod Health Matters 2005;13:155‑63. 32. Orisaremi TC. The influence of breastfeeding beliefs on the sexual behavior of the Tarok in north-central Nigeria.Sex ReprodHealthc. 2013;4(4):153-60. doi: 10.1016/j.srhc.2013.10.005.

Rowland M, Foxcroft L, Hopman WM and Patel R.

Breastfeeding and sexuality immediately post partum. Can Fam Physician2005;51:1366-7.

Walraven G, Scherf C, West B, Ekpo G, Paine K,

Coleman R, Bailey R and Morison L. The burden of reproductive‑organ disease in rural women in The Gambia, West Africa. Lancet 2001;357(9263):1161-7. 35. Khajehei M, Doherty M, Tilley PJ and Sauer K. Prevalence and risk factors of sexual dysfunction in postpartum Australian women.J Sex Med. 2015 Jun;12(6):1415-26. doi: 10.1111/jsm.12901. 36. Lamont J. Female sexual health consensus clinical guidelines. J ObstetGynaecol Can2012;34:769-75. 37. Okeke T, Ugwu E, Ezenyeaku C, Ikeako L andOkezie O. Postpartum practices of parturient women in enugu, South East Nigeria. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2013;3(1):47-50. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.109486. 38. SathiyaSusuman A, Bado A andLailulo YA.Promoting family planning use after childbirth and desire to limit childbearing inEthiopia. Reprod Health. 2014;11:53. doi: 10.1186/1742-4755-11-53. 39. Wang IY and Fraser IS. Reproductive function and contraception in the postpartum period. ObstetGynecolSurv. 1994 Jan;49(1):56-63.

Ezebialu IU and Eke AC. Resumption of vaginal intercourse in the early postpartum period: determinants and considerations for child spacing in a Nigerian population.J ObstetGynaecol. 2012 May;32(4):353-6. doi: 10.3109/01443615.2011.652701.


Article Metrics

Abstract View : 813 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.