Assessing the challenges in accessing family planning services amongst adolescent girls in Nigeria: A scoping review.

Abstract

Background: Challenges associated with accessing family planning is seen as a huge threat to the promotion and further development of the Sustainable Development Goal 3.7. In Nigeria, female adolescents, both married and unmarried, struggle with control of their sexual and reproductive health due to various socio-economic and cultural factors, hindering their ability to access and utilise family planning services. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the challenges these adolescents face and how it prevents them from freely accessing contraceptives.

Methods: A scoping review of literature was conducted where relevant databases were searched using key terms related to the topic, with the aid of the PCC (Population (or participants)/Concept/Context) search framework. Thereafter, the screening process was carried out first by excluding duplicates of studies selected from the database, followed by a title and abstract then full text screening. Studies were selected against the set inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results: Studies reviewed assessed both the socio-economic and cultural factors which are barriers to the access of family planning by adolescent girls in Nigeria. Key factors ranged from provider bias, spouse discouragement, lack of social support, financial status, to cultural and religious norms, as well as age. The review revealed consistent results on how these factors serve as a significant threat to family planning access and therefore sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Conclusions: The inability of female adolescents to freely access birth control/contraceptives is a worldwide issue, but very common in Sub-Saharan African countries, like Nigeria. This issue contributes to overpopulation and adolescent girls undergoing illegal abortions, which increases their risk of maternal mortality and other reproductive health problems. It is therefore important for Nigeria’s Ministry of Health to enforce strong socio-economic and cultural structures which promote the ability of these adolescents to freely speak about their sexual health and seek advice on appropriate family planning services, to have better control over their reproductive health.