Covid-19 and Change in Fertility Performance: Experiences of Women in Lagos Who Became Pregnant during Covid-19 Lockdown after Ending Childbearing

Kennedy Eborka, University of Lagos
Oluwayomi Adeleke, University of Lagos

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and associated curtailment measures affected major social institutions. Report indicates a surge in unplanned pregnancies during the lockdown. This study examined the factors that led to pregnancy during COVID-19 lockdown among women who had ended childbearing. The study was qualitative and involved the purposive selection of six women who became pregnant during COVID-19 lockdown after ending childbearing. The study tried to provide answers to the following research questions: What was the nature of the pregnancy that resulted among women who had ended childbearing during the COVID-19 lockdown? What was the attitude of the sexual partner to modern contraceptives? How did lockdown affect access to modern contraceptives? Findings indicate that all the participants did not plan the pregnancy. The women reported that they bear the burden of the practice of family planning. Most of them avoided family planning clinic because of the fear of COVID-19 infection.