CULTURAL PRACTICES AFFECTING THE UTILIZATION OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN SELECTED AREA IN OGBOMOSO NORTH, OYO STATE

Background: Family planning allows people to attain their desired number of children and determine the spacing of pregnancies. It is achieved through the use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of infertility.Aims: This study aims to determine cultural practices affecting the utilization of family planning methods among women of reproductive age residing in Ogbomoso North local government, Ogbomoso, Oyo state. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted in which women of reproductive age group residing at Ogbomoso North local government Ogbomoso, Oyo State. A total of 141 consenting women were recruited for the study. A validated questionnaire that included both open and closed ended questions were administered. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20 and presented as counts and percentages. Results: The research showed that (95.9%) of study participants reported that their cultural practice does not goes against family planning, while (4.1%) responded otherwise. There is significant relationship between the age of respondents and knowledge on family planning methods P-value (0.034) < α level (0.05). There is significant relationship between level of education of respondents and utilization of family planning practices among the respondents, P-value (0.001) < α level (0.05). Conclusions: Cultural practices are not affecting the utilization of family planning methods among woman of reproductive age despite the fair knowledge. Community Health Education intervention on family planning utilization should be conducted by nurses. Word count: Keywords: Cultural Practices, Utilization, Family Planning, Women of reproductive age.