Abstract:

Cultural and gender factors are a major obstacles to informed discussions about sexual and reproductive health issues, particularly regarding contraception. This paper presents the findings of a cross-sectional quantitative study exploring socio-cultural and gender impacts on resilience access to and utilization of contraceptives service during the Covid-19 Pandemic by women of reproductive age in Oyo state, Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 471 users of Maternal New-borne and Child Health (MNCH) services such as postnatal and family planning that responded to 43 structured questionnaires that included socio-demographical characteristics, access, and utilization, socio-cultural and gender factors amidst Covid-19 pandemics. Of the 471 respondents, the mean age of respondents was 29.63± 3.29years, with (34.2%) within the 26-30 years age group. The findings show that of the total respondents, 59.4% required permission/consent to use contraceptive services, of which 96.1% mentioned spouses must give consent/approval for them to visit health facilities for contraceptive use. On the way that their spouses do influence, 43.5% mentioned cost, choice of methods 41.6%, and timing by 14.4%. On the respondents’ concerns/issues as a result of poor access to contraceptive information/services; 10.8% expressed unplanned pregnancy, fighting with spouses (11.3%), and poor mutual sexual relationships by 12.3% and experienced side effects by just 1.1%, while the rest 64.5% expressed no concerns/issues. Other societal influences mentioned included friends/relations, in-laws, clergy, and social class/group. The socio-cultural and gender effect included strict caution/disapproval by spouses (7.0%), carefree attitudes in society (4.0%), and fear of Covid-19 infection by 19.7%. Chi-square analysis for gender and socio-cultural revealed p=0.008 and p=0.002 on access and utilization of contraceptive services. The study therefore provides insight to the socio-cultural and gender impacts on women’s s health decision-making. This is important for public health programme designs, even in the face of any pandemic like Covid-19, towards resilience access and service utilization of contraceptive services.

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