Reproductive choices, mobile technology and social media: insights from Nigerian women's family planning experiences.

Abstract

Background: Nigeria's contraceptive prevalence rate remains among the lowest in Africa, despite the proven benefits of contraception in preventing unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The rise in internet literacy and social media use offers opportunities to leverage digital platforms for improving reproductive health outcomes. While mobile health interventions have shown promise in enhancing contraceptive awareness and use, their potential to mediate abortion-related outcomes, particularly within resource-constrained and culturally diverse settings like Nigeria, remains underexplored.

Objective: This study examines the interplay between abortion experiences and contraceptive use among Nigerian women of reproductive age, with a particular focus on the role of family planning (FP) information disseminated through mobile phones and social media.

Methods: Drawing on data from the 2018 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey, the analysis centers on a cohort of 8,687 women aged 15-49 who have expressed no desire for more children. The investigation employs descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate models including interaction terms to analyze the associations between contraceptive behavior, abortion experiences, and exposure to FP messages-operationalized through a composite FP score that integrates mobile phone ownership and receipt of FP messages.

Results: Key findings reveal that while exposure to family planning (FP) messages does not significantly alter abortion experiences, demographic factors such as age and education emerge as substantial determinants, with women aged 30-39 (OR = 1.800) and 40-49 (OR = 1.767) and those with higher education (OR = 1.393), showing higher likelihoods of abortion. Women with fewer cildren (<=2) have significantly less likelihood of abortion (OR = 0.337). Contraceptive use does not significantly impact the likelihood of abortion in the presence of FP messages.

Conclusion: The study reveals that universal approaches to family planning and reproductive health may fall short in resource-constrained settings like Nigeria, where socio-cultural norms, economic barriers, and limited healthcare access hinder contraceptive use, unless they account for socio-cultural and demographic variations. Consequently, it calls for a more comprehensive approach-one that combines FP messaging with culturally informed, community-based outreach and policy frameworks that address the socio-demographic realities influencing reproductive decisions.