CAUSES OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH DISEASES AMONG WOMEN OF CHILD-BEARING AGE IN OGORI-MAGONGO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF KOGI STATE

The study investigated causes of reproductive health diseases among women of child – bearing age in Ogori-magongo Local Government Area of Kogi State. The objectives of the study were to: (i) examine whether underutilization of maternal health care facilities have influence on the causes of reproductive health diseases among women of child-bearing age; (ii). investigate whether unsafe abortion have influence on the causes of reproductive health diseases among women of child-bearing age; and (iii) examine whether poor personal hygiene have influence on the causes of reproductive health diseases among women of child-bearing age. A descriptive research design of survey type was employed for this study. The population for the study comprised all women of child-bearing age in the study area. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select two hundred respondents that participated in the study. The instrument was a researcher’s designed questionnaire that was validated by three experts in the related field. Reliability of the instrument was established through test re-test method and result of 0.76r was obtained, this indicates a strong consistency and good enough for the study. Data were administered with the aid of three trained research assistants and the result of data collected were analysed using inferential statistics of Chi-square at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The finding of this study shows that: i. underutilization of maternal health care facilities had influence on causes of reproductive health diseases because calculated chi-square value of (136.9) > crit. chi-square value of (21.03); ii. unsafe abortion had influence on causes of reproductive health diseases because calculated chi-square value of (171.6) > crit. chi-square value of (21.03); and iii. poor personal hygiene had influence on causes of reproductive health diseases because calculated chi-square value of (161.0) > crit. chi-square value of (21.03). Based on the findings of the study, it was concluded that underutilization of maternal health care facilities, unsafe abortion and poor personal hygiene had significant influence on reproductive health diseases among women of child-bearing age in the study area. Therefore, it was recommended amongst others that, the local government health department should carry out enlightenment campaign that will educate women on benefits of utilizing maternal health care facilities so as to protect them against reproductive health diseases.