Acceptance and Utilization of Contraceptive Practices among Women of Childbearing Age in Sapele Community, Delta State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Contraceptive access and informed use are essential components of reproductive health, enabling women to prevent unintended pregnancies, achieve desired birth spacing, and exercise informed reproductive choices. Despite increasing awareness of family-planning services in Nigeria, contraceptive acceptance and consistent utilization remain uneven across communities. This study assessed knowledge, attitudes, acceptance, utilization, communication patterns, and perceived barriers to contraceptive practices among women of childbearing age in Sapele Community, Delta State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 109 women aged 15–49 years selected through a multistage sampling procedure. Data were collected using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire with good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.85) and analysed using frequencies and percentages. Although 69 respondents (63.3%) had heard about contraceptive practices, 69 (63.3%) were classified as having poor method-specific knowledge, indicating a considerable gap between general awareness and practical contraceptive literacy. Fifty-one respondents (46.8%) reported ever or current contraceptive use, whereas 58 (53.2%) reported no use, and only 13 (11.9%) reported always using contraception. Condoms were the most frequently reported method (18.3%), followed by intrauterine devices (9.2%), injectables (approximately 8–9%), implants (5.5%), and oral contraceptive pills (4.6%). Attitudes toward contraception were predominantly unfavourable: 55.0% did not consider contraception important for women’s health, 50.5% did not regard its use as morally acceptable, and 64.2% did not believe that contraception was effective in preventing pregnancy. Fear of side effects (31.2%) was the leading reported barrier, followed by inadequate contraceptive knowledge (27.5%), partner opposition (22.9%), and religious or cultural beliefs (18.3%). Furthermore, 62.4% had never discussed contraception with a partner or healthcare provider, while 40.4% reported difficulty accessing contraceptive services. The findings demonstrate that general awareness alone does not necessarily translate into adequate knowledge, favourable attitudes, acceptance, or consistent contraceptive use. Strengthening method-specific education, nurse-led counselling, side-effect management, confidential reproductive-health communication, culturally responsive community engagement, reliable access to a broad range of contraceptive methods, and appropriate partner involvement may improve informed contraceptive decision-making and sustained utilization among women of reproductive age in Sapele.