Relationship between Religion and Use of Modern Contracetives among the Atyap in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study is based on 347 currently married women aged 15-49 years.  Data used were obtained in 1995 from randomly selected dwellings.  The data show Christian religious institutions, whose primary concern may be with goals other than family size limitation, serve to mediate adoption of modern contraception and Catholic women are less likely to use modern contraception than women in Evangelical Churches of Wining All (ECWA).  Similarly, religious participation significantly increases the likelihood of use of modern contraception.  The study underscores the need for intrafaith studies to aid the designing of appropriate strategies for increasing contraceptive prevalence rate in Nigeria.

Key words: religion, contraception, Atyap, Zonzon Nigeria