DETERMINANTS OF CHILD BEARING DECISIONS AMONG HAUSA WOMEN IN KATSINA STATE

Abstract

While the decision and ability to give birth is natural, such decision is nonetheless influenced by distinct socio-cultural barriers particularly among Hausa women in Katsina State. This study examined how access to healthcare, education levels, cultural norms, and economic opportunities shape child bearing decisions in selected households in Katsina State. A multi stage sampling techniques where cluster sampling was first used to divide Katsina State into three (3) clusters corresponding with the senatorial districts in the state and thereafter simple random sampling was used to sample 225 respondents. Data were collected quantitatively from 225 respondents using questionnaire. Quantitative techniques of data analyses were used to analyse the resultant data. Descriptive statistic was used to examine factors that influence child bearing decisions among women. Both the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Chi-square were used to establish the relationship and influence of education, income level, partners’ attitude on child bearing decisions in Katsina State. The findings reveal that most women in the study area are aware of the existence of varieties of modern contraceptives and majority of them have used some of the methods to control birth. Education, and level of income ranked among the main socio-demographic factors that influence child bearing decision while partners’ attitude is one of the main socio-cultural factors. The result of the tested hypotheses revealed a statistically significant relationship between partners’ attitudes (p-value 0.001), level of education (p-value 0.000), and women’s childbearing decisions in Katsina State. The study recommends a comprehensive approach that increases access to family planning services and reproductive health education of both women and men as well as tackling of specific cultural barriers that limit reproductive choices.