EVALUATING THE KNOWLEDGE OF FAMILY PLANNING OF WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE (15-49) IN OGBOMOSO NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OYO STATE

Family planning is a vital aspect of reproductive health, enabling individuals to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health (WHO, 2020). It is crucial for advancing gender equality, decreasing poverty, and enhancing mother and child health outcomes. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practice of family planning among women of reproductive age in Ogbomoso. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, using structured questionnaires to collect data from 143 respondents. The findings revealed that most women had good knowledge of family planning, held positive attitudes, and demonstrated willingness to recommend it to others. The majority of women in Ogbomoso demonstrated good knowledge of family planning, with 131 (91.6%) having heard of it. Media was the leading source of information, cited by 82 (57.3%), and 137 (95.8%) correctly agreed that family planning helps in spacing children. Women generally showed positive attitudes, with 82 (57.3%) strongly agreeing that family planning should be free or affordable, and 64 (44.8%) strongly agreeing it reduces financial strain. However, 67 (46.9%) strongly disagreed that religion discourages its use, reflecting mixed cultural influence. Despite common cultural and religious concerns in literature, the majority of respondents did not believe that family planning encourages promiscuity or is discouraged by religion. Statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between knowledge and attitude (p=0.389), but a significant relationship between practice and age (p=0.00). The study concludes that increasing awareness, encouraging spousal communication, and improving access to affordable family planning services can further enhance uptake.