PREVALENCE OF MATERNAL MORBIDITY AND UNINTENDED PREGNANCY AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF INSURGENCY AMONG WOMEN OF CHILD- BEARING AGE IN YOBE

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence of maternal morbidity and unintended pregnancy among women of child-
bearing age in Yobe State, Nigeria. A descriptive research design of survey type was used for the study. The
target population of the study were all the women of child-bearing age attending the selected health facilities
in Yobe State with a population of 7501. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to sample 365
respondents from the selected area of the study. A researcher-developed questionnaire validated by three
experts was used for data collection. The reliability of the instrument was determined using the test re-test
method; a coefficient of 0.68 was obtained. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts and the percentage were
used to answer the research questions while inferential statistics of Chi-square was used to analyse the
postulated hypotheses at 0.05 alpha level. The findings of the study revealed that maternal morbidity and
unintended pregnancy were prevalent among women of child-bearing age in Yobe State with the calculated
values of (x2c = 1476 > x2t = 21.026 and x2c = 1151 > x2t = 21.026) respectively. The study concluded that
maternal morbidity and unintended pregnancy are prevalent health challenges among women of child-
bearing age in Yobe State. The study recommended that women of child-bearing age living in crisis-prone
areas should be given adequate maternal health care services through home service; this will go a long way
in providing adequate maternal health care services thereby preventing maternal morbidity and unintended
pregnancies.