ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived side effects of contraceptives among postnatal attendees in Egor Primary Health Centre, Edo state. To achieve the purpose of the study, three (3) research questions were raised and answered.
The descriptive research design was used for this study and the population consisted of one hundred and thirty four (134) post-natal attendees in Egor primary health center. A total of one hundred and seven (107) post-natal attendees were selected to represent the population of the study. The instrument used for data collection was a well-structured close-ended questionnaire with 25 items. The questionnaire was validated by the project supervisor and two other lecturers in the Department of Health, Safety and Environmental Education. The test retest reliability method was used to establish the reliability of the questionnaire. A total of one hundred and seven (107) questionnaires were administered to the sample and data collected was analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation.
From the data collected and analyzed, it was discovered that Majority of the post-natal attendees of Egor primary health center have high level of awareness about the side effects of contraceptives, are aware of the different types of contraceptives, and also majority do not find it easy to access contraceptives but feel confident in their knowledge to use it correctly furthermore majority have experienced side effects of contraceptives such as, fatigue, weight gain, gastrointestinal issues, headaches and migraine. Based on this findings, the researcher recommended that detailed surveys or interviews to understand the specific side effects of certain contraceptives, should be conducted as well as developing comprehensive educational materials that address the common side effects of contraceptives and their management strategies.
