BARRIERS TO ADOPTION OF MODERN CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS AMONG WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) that replaced the Millennium development goals (MDGs) at the end of 2015aimed at promoting universal access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and one of the major ways through which the said goal can be achieved is through the use of modern contraceptives. Despite the many supply- and demand-side interventions aimed at increasing contraceptives uptake, the modern contraceptives prevalence rates in Nigeria has remained very low. This work among others looked at the concept of contraceptive and contraceptive use, the historical development of the modern contraceptive, Nigerian National population policy and contraceptive, the need and benefits of modern contraceptives and above all the barriers that limit contraceptive use among women of reproductive age in Northern Nigeria. The use of doctrinal research was employed. This paper unraveled the fact that religious belief, myths and misinformation as culture and tradition are some of the major barriers to contraceptive use. The paper however recommended that there is need for public enlightenment by relevant stakeholders on the benefits of contraception, this will reduce the magnitude of misconception/misinformation on contraception to a minimum level and increase contraceptive use, also improvement of contraceptive use can be done by providing friendly sexual education as well as reproductive and contraceptive services.