Unintended pregnancy: magnitude and correlates in six urban sites in Senegal

BACKGROUND: In Senegal, unintended pregnancy has become a growing concern in public health circles. It has often been described through the press as a sensational subject with emphasis on the multiple infanticide cases as a main consequence, especially among young unmarried girls. Less scientific evidence is known on this topic, as fertility issues are rarely discussed within couples. In a context where urbanization is strong, economic insecurity is persistent and the population is globalizing, it is important to assess the magnitude of unintended pregnancy among urban women and to identify its main determinants. METHODS: Data were collected in 2011 from a representative sample of 9614 women aged 15–49 years in six urban sites in Senegal. For this analysis, we include 5769 women who have ever been pregnant or were pregnant at the time of the survey. These women were asked if their last pregnancy in the last two years was ‘wanted ’then’, ‘wanted later’ or ‘not wanted’. Pregnancy was considered as unintended if the woman responded ‘wanted later’ or ‘not wanted’. Descriptive analyses were performed to measure the magnitude of unintended pregnancies, while multinomial logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with the occurrence of unintended pregnancy. The analyses were performed using Stata version 12. All results were weighted. RESULTS: The results show that 14.3% of ever pregnant women reported having a recent unintended pregnancy. The study demonstrates important distinctions between women whose last pregnancy was intended and those whose last pregnancy was unintended. Indeed, this last group is more likely to be poor, from a young age (< 25 years) and multiparous. In addition, it appears that low participation of married women in decision-making within the couple (management of financial resources) and the lack of discussion on family planning issues are associated with greater experience of unintended pregnancy. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a need to implement more targeted programs that guarantee access to family planning for all women in need. In urban areas that are characterized by economic insecurity, as in Senegal, it is important to consider strategies for promoting communication within couples on fertility issues

Unmet reproductive health needs and health-seeking behaviour of adolescents in Owerri, Nigeria

The study examined unmet reproductive health needs and health-seeking behaviour of adolescents in Owerri, Nigeria. Primary information was obtained through questionnaire, FGDs and in-depth interviews. The adolescents were mostly Christians (99.6%) and Catholics (78.6%), with 66.4% living with their parents. Half (50.8%) of the adolescents have had sex. Contraceptive use was low, due to culture. Data showed that 27.2% of the ever had sex have had STIs, mostly gonorrhea and syphilis; 30.2% of the female adolescents have had unintended pregnancies,amongst who 73.3% had recurrent pregnancies and 19.6% of all the females have had abortion. The primary contact for health-care was patent medicine operators. In conclusion, more accessible and cost-effective method of disseminating STI/HIV information involving the use of vernacular and traditional/ local opinion leaders should be used.(Afr J Reprod Health 2010; 14[1]:43-54)

Exploring The Intersection Between Culture, Risky Sexual Behaviour And Hiv/Aids Among Young Women In Southeastern Nigeria

This study examines the intersection between culture, risky sexual behaviour and HIV/AIDS among young women in Southeastern Nigeria. Information was obtained from 700 young women with mean age 19.1 years through semi-structured questionnaire. Findings reveal existence of premarital sexual activities that are largely unprotected through condom with the sexually-active having their first sexual debut at an average of 16.7 years. The author argues that the fossilized belief that sex is preserve of the married and the concomitant label of persons with sex-related objects as sexual perverts inhibit reproductive health-seeking behaviour, with consequences for exposure to HIV/AIDS. The finding is puzzling amidst numerous HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaigns, and therefore recommendation is made for an appropriate and indigenous medium to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS. Keywords: Awareness, Contraceptives, Culture, HIV/AIDS, Motivation, Sex.African Journal for the Psychological Study of Social Issues Vol. 11 (1&2) 2008: pp. 74-9

Indigenous Technologies for Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa

The sub-Saharan Africa have experienced the negative impacts of climate change namely: drought, desertification, flooding, sea level rise, high temperatures, land degradation, biodiversity and ecosystem degradation, famine, intensive rainfall and reduced crop yields. Past global efforts at dealing with the impact of climate change was based on mitigation aimed at carbon sequestration. This was followed by adaptation which was seen as a viable option to reduce the vulnerability of the anticipated negative impacts of global warming. However adaptation and mitigation should not be pursued separately. The resource-poor farmers in sub-Saharan Africa have developed their unique capacity to think, adapt to change in their environment, forecast, accumulate and pass on intellectual wealth to subsequent generations through indigenous knowledge. Farmers in Africa have developed and implemented sustainable adaptation and mitigation technologies which successfully reduced their vulnerability to the climate impact using local ecological knowledge. Such technologies include changing of planting dates, cover-cropping, agro-forestry systems, use of local species of crops and livestock that adapt to the environment, regenerative agricultural practices, ability to forecast the weather for use in planning their cropping seasons, use of zero tillage and conservation agriculture, mulching, use of emergency fodder in times of drought and eco-farming systems that adapt and mitigate climate change impacts. These indigenous technologies are sustainable, culturally acceptable and environmentally friendly. The challenge is thus for various stakeholders and policy-makers to recognize and integrate these local adaptation and mitigation strategies into planning, research and environmental policy needed for tackling climate change scourge in sub-Saharan Africa which is already facing various problems such as poverty, population growth and food insecurity