Pattern of Interpregnancy Intervals Among Mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Nigeria: A Descriptive Analysis

Pattern of Interpregnancy Intervals Among Mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Nigeria: A Descriptive Analysis | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Pattern of Interpregnancy Intervals Among Mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Nigeria: A Descriptive Analysis Unekwuojo Iye Etubi-Ibrahim, Rabi Susan Adelaiye, Akolo Yohanna Jaggu, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007107/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background The Interpregnancy interval (IPI) is a crucial factor influencing maternal and child health. Both short and long IPIs have been linked to adverse health outcomes for mothers and infants, particularly in low-resource settings. This study aimed to examine the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals among mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. Objective To describe the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals among mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 381 women in Dobi, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, using a mixed-method approach. Quantitative data were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires, while qualitative insights were gathered through focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) with healthcare professionals, mothers, and fathers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals. Results The mean age of the mothers was 33.66 (± 7.142) years, with a mean age at marriage of 20.96 (± 3.445) years. The findings showed that 92% of the mothers were above the age of 18, 63% lived patrilocally, and 91.9% were in polygamous marriages. Additionally, 63.5% were Muslims, and 61.7% had completed only primary education or had no formal education. The median monthly household income was ₦30,000. About half (47%) of the women had Interpregnancy intervals of less than 24 months. Conclusion A significant proportion of mothers in Dobi had short Interpregnancy intervals of less than 24 months. The findings highlight the need for community-specific interventions to promote optimal birth spacing and improve maternal and child health outcomes Pattern of Interpregnancy interval Birth spacing Maternal health Child health Dobi Community Gwagwalada Nigeria Figures Figure 1 Introduction Interpregnancy interval (IPI) refers to the time between the end of one pregnancy and the onset of the next. [ 1 ] It is a critical reproductive health factor that significantly influences maternal and child outcomes. Optimal spacing between pregnancies is associated with improved health for mothers, newborns, and the overall well-being of families. [2 ] The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an IPI of at least 24 months, which allows sufficient recovery time for the mother and enhances outcomes for both existing and future children. 3 Research has shown that both short ( 23 months) Interpregnancy intervals carry risks for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Short intervals are often linked to conditions such as maternal depletion. 4 syndrome, which can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and increased rates of preterm births. Conversely, long Interpregnancy intervals can result in heightened risks for complications including pre-eclampsia, labor dystocia, and low birth weight. [ 2 ] Despite the well-documented risks associated with both extremes of IPI, the prevalence of short intervals remains alarmingly high, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. [ 4 ] Cultural and socioeconomic factors contribute to the significant incidence of short IPIs, as many couples tend to have children in rapid succession without adequate spacing. This pattern is further exacerbated by limited access to family planning services, inadequate health education, and prevailing sociocultural norms that prioritize early and frequent childbearing. [ 5 ] In Nigeria, though declining, but high fertility rate, the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reported the total fertility rate (TFR) at 4.8, a decrease from 5.3 in 2018. [ 6 ] Understanding the pattern of IPI is crucial for improving maternal health outcomes. Previous studies have highlighted the prevalence of short IPIs in various regions of Nigeria, but there is a notable lack of information on the pattern of IPI in rural communities, such as Dobi within the Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja. This rural community is predominantly agrarian, reflecting the socio-economic challenges faced by many similar communities, including limited access to healthcare and family planning services. [ 7 ] The dynamics influencing reproductive decisions in such communities are complex and multifaceted. Factors such as sociocultural norms, religious beliefs, educational levels, and economic constraints can all play significant roles in shaping individual and collective attitudes towards family planning and child spacing. For instance, traditional beliefs may promote larger families, while economic pressures may compel families to prioritize immediate income over long-term health outcomes. Therefore, understanding the local context is essential for developing targeted interventions that promote optimal IPI and enhance maternal and child health. [ 5 ] This study aims to describe the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals among mothers in the Dobi community, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. By contributing to the growing body of knowledge surrounding IPI, the findings from this research can guide public health strategies and reproductive health interventions in similar settings. Through identifying local patterns of IPI, this study hopes to inform community-specific health policies and family planning programs that are aligned with the unique needs and challenges of rural populations. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance maternal and child health outcomes in the Dobi community and similar rural settings across Nigeria. Methods and Materials A mixed-method study was conducted to explore the pattern of interpregnancy intervals among women in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. The study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide both statistical and contextual insights. Dobi is a predominantly agrarian community within Gwagwalada Area Council, which has ten political wards. It lies about 30 minutes from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and comprises approximately 817 households, with a projected population of 45,469. The study population consisted of women of reproductive age who had at least two children, with their most recent delivery within the past five years. A sample size of 346 was used and a multistage sampling technique was applied: Dobi was first randomly selected, followed by systematic random sampling of households at every third interval. In households with more than one eligible woman, simple random selection determined the respondent. Data were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and complemented with key informant interviews and focus group discussions involving healthcare providers, mothers, and fathers. The qualitative component explored more insight into interpregnancy intervals. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, applying descriptive and inferential statistics to examine relationships between variables. Qualitative data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically. Results A total of 381 women of childbearing age who had at least two consecutive live births participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 33.66 years (± 7.14), with a mean age at marriage of 20.96 years (± 3.45). Most of the women (92.7%) were married at 18 years or older. In terms of living arrangements, 62.3% of respondents resided in a patrilocal setting, while 32.5% lived in a matrilocal household. Polygamous marriages were prevalent (62.7%), and the majority of the women practiced Islam (63.5%). Educational attainment varied, with 38.3% of the women having no formal education, and only 9.4% achieving tertiary education. Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of respondents Variables Frequency (n = 381) Percentage Age at marriage < 18 28 7.3 ≥ 18 353 92.7 Type of residence Patrilocal 237 62.3 Matrilocal 124 32.5 Couple alone 20 5.2 Marital status Single 4 1.0 Married 350 91.9 Divorced/separated 9 2.4 Widowed 18 4.7 Type of marriage Polygamous 239 62.7 Monogamous 138 36.2 Not applicable 4 1.1 Religion Christianity 138 36.2 Islam 242 63.5 African traditional religion 1 0.3 Ethnicity Gwari 119 31.2 Hausa 67 17.6 Gade 53 13.9 Bassa 74 19.4 Others 68 17.8 Educational level of mother No formal education 146 38.3 Primary 89 23.4 Junior secondary 35 9.2 Senior secondary 75 19.7 Tertiary 36 9.4 Educational level of father No formal education 127 33.3 Primary 33 8.7 Junior secondary 20 5.2 Senior secondary 135 35.4 Tertiary 66 17.3 Occupation of mother Civil servant 28 7.3 Housewife 192 50.4 Businesswoman/trader 110 28.9 Student 1 0.3 Farmer 40 10.5 Daily worker 9 2.4 Others 1 0.3 Occupation of father Civil servant 68 17.8 Businessman/trader 99 26.0 Student 1 0.3 Farmer 184 48.3 Daily worker 27 7.1 Others 2 0.5 Table 1 above shows that most respondents 353 (92.7%) married at ≥ 18 years, and 237 (62.3%) lived in patrilocal residences. The majority were married (350; 91.9%) and in polygamous unions 239 (62.7%). Islam was the predominant religion 242 (63.5%), and the Gwari ethnic group 119 (31.2%) was most represented. Among parents, 146 (38.3%) mothers and 127 (33.3%) fathers had no formal education. The main occupations were housewife 192 (50.4%) for mothers and farming 184 (48.3%) for fathers. Table 2 Comparison of sociodemographic data across the two categories of IPI Variables IPI ≥ 24 months n = 202(%) IPI < 24 months n = 179 (%) X 2 p-value Type of residence Patrilocal 135 (66.8) 102 (57.0) 4.584 0.101 Matrilocal 56 (27.7) 68 (38.0) Couple alone 11 (5.5) 9 (5.0) Marital status Single 2 (1.0) 2 (1.1) 1.971** 0.583 Married 186 (92.1) 164 (91.6) Divorced/separated 3 (1.5) 6 (3.4) Widowed 11 (5.4) 7 (3.9) Type of marriage Polygamous 121 (59.9) 118 (65.9) 1.675** 0.424 Monogamous 79 (39.1) 59 (33.0) Not applicable 2 (1.0) 2 (1.1) Religion Christianity 73 (36.1) 65 (36.3) 1.076** 0.784 Islam 129 (63.9) 113 (63.1) African traditional religion 0 (0.0) 1 (0.6) Ethnicity Gwarri 72 (35.6) 47 (26.3) 9.535 0.049* Hausa 30 (14.9) 37 (20.7) Gade 23 (11.4) 30 (16.8) Bassa 35 (17.3) 39 (21.8) Others 42 (20.8) 26 (14.5) Educational level of mother No formal education 79 (39.1) 67 (37.4) 5.977 0.201 Primary 41 (20.3) 48 (26.8) Junior secondary 17 (8.4) 18 (10.1) Senior secondary 40 (19.8) 35 (19.6) Tertiary 25 (12.4) 11 (6.1) Educational level of father No formal education 87 (43.1) 40 (22.3) 29.182 0.000* Primary 15 (7.4) 18 (10.1) Junior secondary 7 (3.5) 13 (7.3) Senior secondary 52 (25.7) 83 (46.4) Tertiary 41 (20.3) 25 (14.0) Occupation of mother Civil servant 20 (9.9) 8 (4.5) 6.510 0.369 Housewife 101 (50.0) 91 (50.8) Businesswoman/ trader 55 (27.2) 55 (30.0) Student 1 (0.5) 0 (0.0) Farmer 19 (9.4) 21 (11.7) Daily worker 5 (2.5) 4 (2.2) Others 1 (0.5) 0 (0.0) Occupation of father Civil servant 40 (19.8) 28 (15.6) 22.204** < 0.001* Businessman/trader 37 (18.3) 62 (34.6) Student 1 (0)0.5 0 (0.0) Farmer 113 (55.9) 71 (39.7) Daily worker 9 (4.5) 18 (10.1) Others 2 (1.0) 0 (0.0) * *Fisher’s exact test used *Statistically significant at p-value < = 0.05 Table 2 above shows that most respondents 353 (92.7%) married at ≥ 18 years, and 237 (62.3%) lived in patrilocal residences. The majority were married (350; 91.9%) and in polygamous unions 239 (62.7%). Islam was the predominant religion 242 (63.5%), and the Gwari ethnic group 119 (31.2%) was most represented. Among parents, 146 (38.3%) mothers and 127 (33.3%) fathers had no formal education. The main occupations were housewife 192 (50.4%) for mothers and farming 184 (48.3%) for fathers. Figure 1 shows that majority of respondents 184 (46%) had an interpregnancy interval (IPI) of 24–59 months, followed by 136 (34%) with intervals less than 18 months. About 52 (13%) reported an IPI of 18–23 months, while 28 (7%) had intervals of 60 months or more. Table 3 Pattern of IPI among women Variables IPI ≥ 24 months Mean ± SD IPI < 24 months Mean ± SD t-test P value Age of mother 33.92 ± 7.79 33.37 ± 6.34 0.747 0.455 Monthly income 50148.67 ± 59456.32 46215 ± 47873.16 0.649** 0.517 ** Mann-Whitney U test used Women with interpregnancy intervals of 24 months or more had slightly higher mean age and monthly income compared to those with shorter intervals; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The five In-depth interviews among the Healthcare workers conducted with 5 participants, 2 from the public facility and 3 from the private clinics report a perceived optimum IPI to be generally between 18 months to less than 60 months. About half of the interviewees mentioned that the common IPI being practiced in the community was 18 months. While one reported that the community prefers short IPI, another said that those who practiced optimum IPI are those accessing care at the facility. It was also reported that few in the community have long IPI. The practice of optimum IPI was considered important by the healthcare workers for varied reasons. The major reason being reported was that it helped the mother return to her physiologic state in preparation for next pregnancy where desired as well as a healthy family. Discussion This study set out to find the pattern of Interpregnancy interval among mothers in Dobi community of Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. From this study, the mean age of marriage was 20.96 (± 3.445) years. This is quite similar to that by the National Health Demographic Survey (NDHS 2024) which puts the mean age at first marriage to be at 22.1 years. [ 6 ] Also, the finding from this study is very similar to many developing African countries such as Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Sierra Leone, etc., with mean age at first marriage between 18 to 23 years. The lower value of 17 years is seen among women in Niger. However, this is much lower compared to studies done among women in Ogbomosho, Port Harcourt and Abakiliki. 8 Also, it is in contrast to that among women in the developed countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, etc., which have much mean of age at first marriage ranging from 25 to 32 years. [ 9 ] Most of the couple have a patrilocal residence and this can be explained by the patriarchal nature of the community and it is a common form of residence in many Nigerian societies. Almost all the mothers were married. This is because in most Nigerian societies, marriage is a prerequisite for procreation and having children outside marriage is shameful and results in stigmatization. This finding agrees with that by Owonikoko et al in Ogbomosho. [ 10 ] Also, most of the mothers were married in a polygamous setting and predominantly of Islamic faith. This setting of marriage in the community is largely due to religious reasons which is predominantly Islam and allows a man to have up to 4 wives at a particular time. Most mothers have no formal education or had just a primary level of education with just about one-tenth having a tertiary level of education. This finding is in agreement with the NDHS of 2024, where about 34% and 10% of women had no formal education and primary education, respectively. [ 6 ] But this is however in contrast to a study done in Port Harcourt among parturient by Bassey et al, where all the women had secondary level of education or higher. [ 11 ] This finding may be due to the low level of female education in rural Nigerian settings. Girls are rather raised to be good housewives and mothers, rather than send them to school. The median monthly household income was #30,000 (14,500–60,000) is in variance with that found in Ogbomosho where more than half had #18,000 or less as household income. [ 10 ] This higher amount can be explained by the time difference, as #30,000 maybe worth less than #18,000 as of that time. However, the new minimum wage in Nigeria has recently been increased to ₦70,000, equivalent to $ 63.64 USD using the current exchange rate. While this increase improves the daily allocation, the amount remains quite modest and still may not be sufficient to cover basic living expenses. From this study, the least family size was 4 people (i.e., two adults and two children) with an average of 0.27 USD per person per day. This is far below the poverty line of 1.9USD per person per day. This shows that more than half of the families are living below the extreme poverty line. The magnitude of this poverty may be explained by the fact that many of the women are housewives or unemployed, while most of the men are subsistence farmers or at best practice unmechanized commercial farming, resulting in low household monthly income. The mean IPI in this study is much higher than that found in Port Harcourt among parturient. [ 12 ] The reason for the difference may be attributed to an interplay of several factors such as level of education, stigmatization/shaming of mothers with short IPI, cultural reasons such as resumption of coitus post-cessation of breastfeeding, resumption of coitus after resumption of menses and religious reasons such as polygamy. However, the mean IPI is lower than found in the USA, [ 13 ] and this may be due to obvious reasons such as desire for smaller family size, delayed onset of reproductive career, advanced age at marriage, pursuit of other endeavors such as career, western culture, higher level of educational attainment and higher access and availability of health services such as family planning methods and information in the developed countries compared to the study population. The prevalence of the categories of Interpregnancy interval were 47%, 46% and 7% for < 24 months, 24–59 months and ≥ 60 months respectively. This pattern quite similar to a study done in Ogbomosho, where most (64.4%) had an IPI of ≥ 24 months and another facility-based study done in the teaching hospital with short IPI accounting for 50%. [ 10 , 14 ] A much lower prevalence was seen in a study comprising of 34 Sub-Saharan African countries with IPI < 24 months accounting for 65.9% and 19.3% respectively. [ 15 ] About half of the total population having short IPI is a huge figure and a reason for concern. As many studies have elucidated the adverse health effects of IPI to mother and children as well as socioeconomic effect on the whole family [ 16 , 17 ] and so therefore should be discouraged. Conclusion In conclusion, the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals (IPI) among mothers in Dobi community reflects the influence of socio-cultural, economic, and educational factors. A considerable proportion of women experience short IPIs, which poses significant risks to maternal and child health. The prevalence of shorter IPIs is shaped by early marriage, polygamy, low educational attainment, and limited access to family planning services. Additionally, the community’s patriarchal and religious norms contribute to these reproductive patterns. These findings highlight the need for enhanced reproductive health education, improved access to contraceptive services, and interventions aimed at extending IPIs to promote better health outcomes for both mothers and children in Dobi community. Declarations Authors contributions: Unekwuojo Iye Etubi-Ibrahim: Conceptualization, methodology and formal analysis Rabi Susan Adelaiye: Supervised, intellectual content revision, evaluated the methodology and findings, and exercised critical oversight Akolo Yohanna Jaggu: Data Curation, and wrote the original manuscript Olubunmi Iyabode Ojji: Supervised, contributed in organizing the study materials, supported field research, and ensured proper collection/handling of data. Mustapha Jamda Abubakar: Supervised and reviewed the manuscript Ethical Approval and Accordance Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Health Research Ethics Committee. (Approval Number: FCT/UATH/HREC/1085). The study was conducted in full accordance with the guidelines, regulations, and ethical standards set forth by the ethics committee. Consent to Participate Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before enrolment into the study. Participation was voluntary, and confidentiality was assured. Consent to Publish Not applicable: No identifying information or images of individual participants are included in this manuscript. Data Availability Statement The datasets generated and analyzed during this study contain sensitive personal information and are therefore not publicly available in order to protect participant confidentiality. However, de-identified data may be made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and subject to approval by the relevant ethics committee. References Zhang Q, Dang S, Bai R, Mi B, Wang L, Yan H. Association between maternal interpregnancy interval after live birth or pregnancy termination and birth weight: A quantile regression analysis. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1–9. White K, Teal SB, Potter JE. Contraception after delivery and short IPI in US. Obstet Gynecol PMC. 2016;8(5):583–92. Dhamrait G, O’Donnell M, Christian H, Taylor CL, Pereira G. Interpregnancy interval and adverse birth outcomes: a population-based cohort study of twins. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024;24(1):1–13. Hutcheon JA, Nelson HD, Stidd R, Moskosky S, Ahrens KA. Short interpregnancy intervals and adverse maternal outcomes in high-resource settings: An updated systematic review. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2019;33(1):O48–59. Dunne J, Foo D, Jancey J, Pereira G, Kefale B, Belay DG, et al. Determinants of short interpregnancy intervals in high-income countries: a systematic review. Sex reproductive health matters. 2025;33(1):2545699. Survey H, Indicators K. 2023 | 2. revue Alyoda. 2023;(2023–2). Wegbom AI, Bademosi A, Edet CK, Green KI, Sapira-Ordu L, Fagbamigbe AF. Rural–urban disparities in birth interval among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):1–8. Fatusi A, Adedini SA, Mobolaji JW. Trends and Correlates of Girl-Child Marriage in 11 West African Countries: Evidence from Recent Demographic and Health Surveys. SSRN Electron J. 2020. Islam MA, Rahman A. Age at first marriage and fertility in developing countries: A meta analytical view of 15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Clin Epidemiol Global Health. 2020;8(3):775–9. Owonikoko K, Adeniji O, Oke O, Fawole A, Adeniji A. Determinants of inter-pregnancy interval in Ogbomoso: an unmet need for contraceptive usage. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2015;4(2):316. Wekere FCC, John DH, Clement-Wekere GAF, Iwo-Amah RS. Prevalence, trend and outcome of twin pregnancy in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Southern Nigeria. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2021;10(7):2571. Bassey G, Nyengidiki T, Dambo N. Determinants of interpregnancy interval among parturient in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Sahel Med J. 2016;19(4):180. Burd J, Woolfolk C, Frolova A, Zofkie A, Odibo A, Carter EB, et al. Association between interpregnancy interval and the labor curve. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2024;6(8):101425. Ajong AB, Mangala FN, Bekolo CE, Yakum MN, Waffo LM, Kenfack B. Risk factors for short birth interval: A hospital-based cross-sectional study among women in the Nkongsamba Health District, Littoral Region, Cameroon. PLOS Global Public Health. 2023;3(7 July):1–11. Yaya S, Uthman OA, Ekholuenetale M, Bishwajit G, Adjiwanou V. Effects of birth spacing on adverse childhood health outcomes: evidence from 34 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. J Maternal-Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020;33(20):3501–8. Koirala P, Koirala I, Pun S, Karna S. Effect of Interpregnancy Interval on Pregnancy Outcome in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study. J Nepal Med Association. 2024;62(278):675–80. Beyene FY, Wudineh KG, Bantie SA, Tesfu AA. Effect of short inter-pregnancy interval on perinatal and maternal outcomes among pregnant women in SSA 2023: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 2025;20(1):1–23. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 16 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 21 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 04 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 03 Mar, 2026 Reviews received at journal 07 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 02 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 01 Dec, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 01 Dec, 2025 Editor invited by journal 28 Nov, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 20 Nov, 2025 First submitted to journal 20 Nov, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8007107","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":554122365,"identity":"a4a1df4d-e375-481a-aa27-f1785b5b1325","order_by":0,"name":"Unekwuojo Iye Etubi-Ibrahim","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Abuja Teaching Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Unekwuojo","middleName":"Iye","lastName":"Etubi-Ibrahim","suffix":""},{"id":554122366,"identity":"eaffc879-83b4-4769-a710-5f5c07811222","order_by":1,"name":"Rabi Susan Adelaiye","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Abuja","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rabi","middleName":"Susan","lastName":"Adelaiye","suffix":""},{"id":554122367,"identity":"ab660d20-9075-4b72-9967-344a0138a0e5","order_by":2,"name":"Akolo Yohanna Jaggu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA40lEQVRIie2PsQrCMBBAI4HrcuqaQfQXlEIR/BlFiMt1FQeRglAX0dXFf3ByFop1cnJxDzhoh4LgKCbiHDsK5i15wz1yx5jD8YOUovfTZRXGd1pErXgCDLomwaKfmQSbxr4nfHY43XAs6+DN79fzuI3MS/Yb62JzGnYwJR/wuO1QqhdDKc/WJCLpI4x6sQi3PoFOBAb2ZJnp5GkSuvj0LJKsBokqx2QSrsK4UJJBab2Q+pY04OFCIHy7pbUcqDx79OtVb6ru9JhoSVJ7EmEgPg5vAdu4ocE8lX+c59ZRh8Ph+FtedShFOH1B+WwAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"University of Abuja Teaching Hospital","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Akolo","middleName":"Yohanna","lastName":"Jaggu","suffix":""},{"id":554122368,"identity":"fd4636e0-bcbd-4658-b82a-ebfcc95bc216","order_by":3,"name":"Olubunmi Iyabode Ojji","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Abuja","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Olubunmi","middleName":"Iyabode","lastName":"Ojji","suffix":""},{"id":554122371,"identity":"c0a79c54-203a-45f3-9fe1-ceb46888d984","order_by":4,"name":"Mustapha Jamda Abubakar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Abuja Teaching Hospital","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mustapha","middleName":"Jamda","lastName":"Abubakar","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-11-01 17:08:11","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007107/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007107/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":97344378,"identity":"ec8d6aa8-e890-41cc-b902-771fa8bb7501","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 11:40:05","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":123580,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"PatternofInterpregnancyIntervalsAmongMothersinDobiCommunityRevised41.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/7951fe46d0fc63e3fa277cd0.docx"},{"id":97344394,"identity":"f9494987-d7c4-4e42-9564-c374ee3b9afa","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 11:40:08","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":7349,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"8e52ca38e368447da521bb18731b8c8f.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/978468caaf787fa7fa933d44.json"},{"id":97344313,"identity":"57114c01-8fc1-4121-958c-383a0a5b1554","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 11:40:02","extension":"xml","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":85915,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"8e52ca38e368447da521bb18731b8c8f1enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/972d04ea1c5545d54088861b.xml"},{"id":97344388,"identity":"70f39dc9-1795-4611-ad43-586ad52495e5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 11:40:07","extension":"xml","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":83496,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"8e52ca38e368447da521bb18731b8c8f1structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/d31767367ada81aed01e2b0f.xml"},{"id":97344389,"identity":"2bccc2d9-9332-4b1e-8f34-14fd5baf9704","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 11:40:07","extension":"html","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":90952,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/92833a70be32df096e38e5aa.html"},{"id":97344397,"identity":"b67f739e-edeb-4dc5-8504-1d4da525c678","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-03 11:40:08","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":21730,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003ePrevalence of the categories of interpregnancy interval among women of reproductive age group in Dobi\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/db988bbe707c1c9fc5a42a75.png"},{"id":97892677,"identity":"3d22c5be-44b1-4d7e-8f1f-aa70203d2d3f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-10 15:18:25","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":923895,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8007107/v1/0339c038-ccbd-4a76-af6a-97f48d115aa8.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Pattern of Interpregnancy Intervals Among Mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Nigeria: A Descriptive Analysis","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eInterpregnancy interval (IPI) refers to the time between the end of one pregnancy and the onset of the next.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e It is a critical reproductive health factor that significantly influences maternal and child outcomes. Optimal spacing between pregnancies is associated with improved health for mothers, newborns, and the overall well-being of families.\u003csup\u003e[2 ]\u003c/sup\u003eThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommends an IPI of at least 24 months, which allows sufficient recovery time for the mother and enhances outcomes for both existing and future children.\u003csup\u003e3\u003c/sup\u003e Research has shown that both short (\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;18 months) and long (\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;23 months) Interpregnancy intervals carry risks for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. Short intervals are often linked to conditions such as maternal depletion.\u003csup\u003e4\u003c/sup\u003e syndrome, which can lead to malnutrition, anemia, and increased rates of preterm births. Conversely, long Interpregnancy intervals can result in heightened risks for complications including pre-eclampsia, labor dystocia, and low birth weight.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDespite the well-documented risks associated with both extremes of IPI, the prevalence of short intervals remains alarmingly high, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Cultural and socioeconomic factors contribute to the significant incidence of short IPIs, as many couples tend to have children in rapid succession without adequate spacing. This pattern is further exacerbated by limited access to family planning services, inadequate health education, and prevailing sociocultural norms that prioritize early and frequent childbearing.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Nigeria, though declining, but high fertility rate, the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) reported the total fertility rate (TFR) at 4.8, a decrease from 5.3 in 2018.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Understanding the pattern of IPI is crucial for improving maternal health outcomes. Previous studies have highlighted the prevalence of short IPIs in various regions of Nigeria, but there is a notable lack of information on the pattern of IPI in rural communities, such as Dobi within the Gwagwalada Area Council of Abuja. This rural community is predominantly agrarian, reflecting the socio-economic challenges faced by many similar communities, including limited access to healthcare and family planning services.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dynamics influencing reproductive decisions in such communities are complex and multifaceted. Factors such as sociocultural norms, religious beliefs, educational levels, and economic constraints can all play significant roles in shaping individual and collective attitudes towards family planning and child spacing. For instance, traditional beliefs may promote larger families, while economic pressures may compel families to prioritize immediate income over long-term health outcomes. Therefore, understanding the local context is essential for developing targeted interventions that promote optimal IPI and enhance maternal and child health.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study aims to describe the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals among mothers in the Dobi community, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. By contributing to the growing body of knowledge surrounding IPI, the findings from this research can guide public health strategies and reproductive health interventions in similar settings. Through identifying local patterns of IPI, this study hopes to inform community-specific health policies and family planning programs that are aligned with the unique needs and challenges of rural populations. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance maternal and child health outcomes in the Dobi community and similar rural settings across Nigeria.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods and Materials","content":"\u003cp\u003eA mixed-method study was conducted to explore the pattern of interpregnancy intervals among women in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja. The study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to provide both statistical and contextual insights.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDobi is a predominantly agrarian community within Gwagwalada Area Council, which has ten political wards. It lies about 30 minutes from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and comprises approximately 817 households, with a projected population of 45,469. The study population consisted of women of reproductive age who had at least two children, with their most recent delivery within the past five years.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA sample size of 346 was used and a multistage sampling technique was applied: Dobi was first randomly selected, followed by systematic random sampling of households at every third interval. In households with more than one eligible woman, simple random selection determined the respondent.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eData were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and complemented with key informant interviews and focus group discussions involving healthcare providers, mothers, and fathers. The qualitative component explored more insight into interpregnancy intervals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 27, applying descriptive and inferential statistics to examine relationships between variables. Qualitative data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed thematically.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eA total of 381 women of childbearing age who had at least two consecutive live births participated in the study. The mean age of respondents was 33.66 years (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.14), with a mean age at marriage of 20.96 years (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.45). Most of the women (92.7%) were married at 18 years or older. In terms of living arrangements, 62.3% of respondents resided in a patrilocal setting, while 32.5% lived in a matrilocal household. Polygamous marriages were prevalent (62.7%), and the majority of the women practiced Islam (63.5%). Educational attainment varied, with 38.3% of the women having no formal education, and only 9.4% achieving tertiary education.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSocio-demographic characteristics of respondents\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;381)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge at marriage\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e353\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e92.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eType of residence\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePatrilocal\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e237\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatrilocal\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e124\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e32.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCouple alone\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarital status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e350\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDivorced/separated\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWidowed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eType of marriage\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolygamous\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e239\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMonogamous\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReligion\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChristianity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e138\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIslam\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e242\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e63.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfrican traditional religion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEthnicity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGwari\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e119\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e31.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHausa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.6\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGade\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e53\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBassa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e74\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational level of mother\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e146\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e38.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e89\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJunior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSenior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e75\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational level of father\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e127\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJunior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSenior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e135\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccupation of mother\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCivil servant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHousewife\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e192\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusinesswoman/trader\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e110\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28.9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDaily worker\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccupation of father\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCivil servant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17.8\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusinessman/trader\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e99\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26.0\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e184\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48.3\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDaily worker\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.1\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e above shows that most respondents 353 (92.7%) married at \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;18 years, and 237 (62.3%) lived in patrilocal residences. The majority were married (350; 91.9%) and in polygamous unions 239 (62.7%). Islam was the predominant religion 242 (63.5%), and the Gwari ethnic group 119 (31.2%) was most represented. Among parents, 146 (38.3%) mothers and 127 (33.3%) fathers had no formal education. The main occupations were housewife 192 (50.4%) for mothers and farming 184 (48.3%) for fathers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eComparison of sociodemographic data across the two categories of IPI\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIPI\u0026thinsp;\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;24 months\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003en\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;202(%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIPI\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;24 months\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003en\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;179 (%)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eX\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eType of residence\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePatrilocal\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e135 (66.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e102 (57.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4.584\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.101\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMatrilocal\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e56 (27.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e68 (38.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCouple alone\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11 (5.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9 (5.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMarital status\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSingle\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (1.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (1.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.971**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.583\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMarried\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e186 (92.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e164 (91.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDivorced/separated\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3 (1.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6 (3.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eWidowed\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11 (5.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 (3.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eType of marriage\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePolygamous\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e121 (59.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e118 (65.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.675**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.424\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eMonogamous\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79 (39.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e59 (33.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (1.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (1.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eReligion\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eChristianity\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e73 (36.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e65 (36.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.076**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.784\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIslam\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e129 (63.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e113 (63.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfrican traditional religion\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 (0.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEthnicity\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGwarri\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e72 (35.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e47 (26.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.535\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.049*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHausa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30 (14.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37 (20.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGade\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e23 (11.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e30 (16.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBassa\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35 (17.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e39 (21.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e42 (20.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e26 (14.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational level of mother\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79 (39.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e67 (37.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.977\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.201\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41 (20.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e48 (26.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJunior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e17 (8.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSenior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40 (19.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e35 (19.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25 (12.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e11 (6.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEducational level of father\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo formal education\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e87 (43.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40 (22.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e29.182\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.000*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePrimary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e15 (7.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eJunior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e7 (3.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e13 (7.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSenior secondary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e52 (25.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e83 (46.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eTertiary\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e41 (20.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e25 (14.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccupation of mother\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCivil servant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e20 (9.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e8 (4.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e6.510\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.369\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eHousewife\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e101 (50.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e91 (50.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusinesswoman/ trader\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55 (27.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e55 (30.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 (0.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e19 (9.4)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e21 (11.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDaily worker\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5 (2.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e4 (2.2)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 (0.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOccupation of father\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCivil servant\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e40 (19.8)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e28 (15.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e22.204**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001*\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBusinessman/trader\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e37 (18.3)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e62 (34.6)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStudent\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1 (0)0.5\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFarmer\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e113 (55.9)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e71 (39.7)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDaily worker\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9 (4.5)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18 (10.1)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eOthers\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2 (1.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0 (0.0)\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e* *Fisher\u0026rsquo;s exact test used *Statistically significant at p-value\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.05\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e above shows that most respondents 353 (92.7%) married at \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;18 years, and 237 (62.3%) lived in patrilocal residences. The majority were married (350; 91.9%) and in polygamous unions 239 (62.7%). Islam was the predominant religion 242 (63.5%), and the Gwari ethnic group 119 (31.2%) was most represented. Among parents, 146 (38.3%) mothers and 127 (33.3%) fathers had no formal education. The main occupations were housewife 192 (50.4%) for mothers and farming 184 (48.3%) for fathers.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFigure \u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e shows that majority of respondents 184 (46%) had an interpregnancy interval (IPI) of 24\u0026ndash;59 months, followed by 136 (34%) with intervals less than 18 months. About 52 (13%) reported an IPI of 18\u0026ndash;23 months, while 28 (7%) had intervals of 60 months or more.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePattern of IPI among women\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIPI\u0026thinsp;\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;24 months Mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eIPI\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;24 months\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003et-test\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eP value\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge of mother\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.79\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e33.37\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.34\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.747\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.455\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMonthly income\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50148.67\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;59456.32\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e46215\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;47873.16\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.649**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.517\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003e** Mann-Whitney U test used\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWomen with interpregnancy intervals of 24 months or more had slightly higher mean age and monthly income compared to those with shorter intervals; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe five In-depth interviews among the Healthcare workers conducted with 5 participants, 2 from the public facility and 3 from the private clinics report a perceived optimum IPI to be generally between 18 months to less than 60 months. About half of the interviewees mentioned that the common IPI being practiced in the community was 18 months. While one reported that the community prefers short IPI, another said that those who practiced optimum IPI are those accessing care at the facility. It was also reported that few in the community have long IPI. The practice of optimum IPI was considered important by the healthcare workers for varied reasons. The major reason being reported was that it helped the mother return to her physiologic state in preparation for next pregnancy where desired as well as a healthy family.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study set out to find the pattern of Interpregnancy interval among mothers in Dobi community of Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrom this study, the mean age of marriage was 20.96 (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.445) years. This is quite similar to that by the National Health Demographic Survey (NDHS 2024) which puts the mean age at first marriage to be at 22.1 years.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e Also, the finding from this study is very similar to many developing African countries such as Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Sierra Leone, etc., with mean age at first marriage between 18 to 23 years. The lower value of 17 years is seen among women in Niger. However, this is much lower compared to studies done among women in Ogbomosho, Port Harcourt and Abakiliki.\u003csup\u003e8\u003c/sup\u003e Also, it is in contrast to that among women in the developed countries such as Australia, Austria, Denmark, Germany, etc., which have much mean of age at first marriage ranging from 25 to 32 years.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost of the couple have a patrilocal residence and this can be explained by the patriarchal nature of the community and it is a common form of residence in many Nigerian societies. Almost all the mothers were married. This is because in most Nigerian societies, marriage is a prerequisite for procreation and having children outside marriage is shameful and results in stigmatization. This finding agrees with that by Owonikoko et al in Ogbomosho.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAlso, most of the mothers were married in a polygamous setting and predominantly of Islamic faith. This setting of marriage in the community is largely due to religious reasons which is predominantly Islam and allows a man to have up to 4 wives at a particular time. Most mothers have no formal education or had just a primary level of education with just about one-tenth having a tertiary level of education. This finding is in agreement with the NDHS of 2024, where about 34% and 10% of women had no formal education and primary education, respectively.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e But this is however in contrast to a study done in Port Harcourt among parturient by Bassey et al, where all the women had secondary level of education or higher.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e This finding may be due to the low level of female education in rural Nigerian settings. Girls are rather raised to be good housewives and mothers, rather than send them to school.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe median monthly household income was #30,000 (14,500\u0026ndash;60,000) is in variance with that found in Ogbomosho where more than half had #18,000 or less as household income.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e This higher amount can be explained by the time difference, as #30,000 maybe worth less than #18,000 as of that time. However, the new minimum wage in Nigeria has recently been increased to ₦70,000, equivalent to \u003cspan\u003e$\u003c/span\u003e63.64 USD using the current exchange rate. While this increase improves the daily allocation, the amount remains quite modest and still may not be sufficient to cover basic living expenses. From this study, the least family size was 4 people (i.e., two adults and two children) with an average of 0.27 USD per person per day. This is far below the poverty line of 1.9USD per person per day. This shows that more than half of the families are living below the extreme poverty line. The magnitude of this poverty may be explained by the fact that many of the women are housewives or unemployed, while most of the men are subsistence farmers or at best practice unmechanized commercial farming, resulting in low household monthly income.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe mean IPI in this study is much higher than that found in Port Harcourt among parturient.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e The reason for the difference may be attributed to an interplay of several factors such as level of education, stigmatization/shaming of mothers with short IPI, cultural reasons such as resumption of coitus post-cessation of breastfeeding, resumption of coitus after resumption of menses and religious reasons such as polygamy. However, the mean IPI is lower than found in the USA,\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e and this may be due to obvious reasons such as desire for smaller family size, delayed onset of reproductive career, advanced age at marriage, pursuit of other endeavors such as career, western culture, higher level of educational attainment and higher access and availability of health services such as family planning methods and information in the developed countries compared to the study population.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe prevalence of the categories of Interpregnancy interval were 47%, 46% and 7% for \u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;24 months, 24\u0026ndash;59 months and \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;60 months respectively. This pattern quite similar to a study done in Ogbomosho, where most (64.4%) had an IPI of \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;24 months and another facility-based study done in the teaching hospital with short IPI accounting for 50%.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e A much lower prevalence was seen in a study comprising of 34 Sub-Saharan African countries with IPI\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;24 months accounting for 65.9% and 19.3% respectively.\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout half of the total population having short IPI is a huge figure and a reason for concern. As many studies have elucidated the adverse health effects of IPI to mother and children as well as socioeconomic effect on the whole family\u003csup\u003e[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/sup\u003e and so therefore should be discouraged.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals (IPI) among mothers in Dobi community reflects the influence of socio-cultural, economic, and educational factors. A considerable proportion of women experience short IPIs, which poses significant risks to maternal and child health. The prevalence of shorter IPIs is shaped by early marriage, polygamy, low educational attainment, and limited access to family planning services. Additionally, the community\u0026rsquo;s patriarchal and religious norms contribute to these reproductive patterns. These findings highlight the need for enhanced reproductive health education, improved access to contraceptive services, and interventions aimed at extending IPIs to promote better health outcomes for both mothers and children in Dobi community.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors contributions:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003col start=\"1\" type=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eUnekwuojo Iye Etubi-Ibrahim: Conceptualization, methodology and formal analysis\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRabi Susan Adelaiye: Supervised, intellectual content revision, evaluated the methodology and findings, and exercised critical oversight\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAkolo Yohanna Jaggu: Data Curation, and wrote the original manuscript\u0026nbsp;\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eOlubunmi Iyabode Ojji: Supervised, contributed in organizing the study materials, supported field research, and ensured proper collection/handling of data.\u003c/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eMustapha Jamda Abubakar: Supervised and reviewed the manuscript\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical Approval and Accordance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthical approval for this study was obtained from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital,\u0026nbsp;Health Research Ethics Committee.\u0026nbsp;(Approval Number: FCT/UATH/HREC/1085). The study was conducted in full accordance with the guidelines, regulations, and ethical standards set forth by the ethics committee.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWritten informed consent was obtained from all participants before enrolment into the study. Participation was voluntary, and confidentiality was assured.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to Publish\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable: No identifying information or images of individual participants are included in this manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability Statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe datasets generated and analyzed during this study contain sensitive personal information and are therefore not publicly available in order to protect participant confidentiality. However, de-identified data may be made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and subject to approval by the relevant ethics committee.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eZhang Q, Dang S, Bai R, Mi B, Wang L, Yan H. Association between maternal interpregnancy interval after live birth or pregnancy termination and birth weight: A quantile regression analysis. Sci Rep. 2018;8(1):1\u0026ndash;9.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhite K, Teal SB, Potter JE. Contraception after delivery and short IPI in US. Obstet Gynecol PMC. 2016;8(5):583\u0026ndash;92.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDhamrait G, O\u0026rsquo;Donnell M, Christian H, Taylor CL, Pereira G. Interpregnancy interval and adverse birth outcomes: a population-based cohort study of twins. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024;24(1):1\u0026ndash;13.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHutcheon JA, Nelson HD, Stidd R, Moskosky S, Ahrens KA. Short interpregnancy intervals and adverse maternal outcomes in high-resource settings: An updated systematic review. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2019;33(1):O48\u0026ndash;59.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDunne J, Foo D, Jancey J, Pereira G, Kefale B, Belay DG, et al. Determinants of short interpregnancy intervals in high-income countries: a systematic review. Sex reproductive health matters. 2025;33(1):2545699.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSurvey H, Indicators K. 2023 | 2. revue Alyoda. 2023;(2023\u0026ndash;2).\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWegbom AI, Bademosi A, Edet CK, Green KI, Sapira-Ordu L, Fagbamigbe AF. Rural\u0026ndash;urban disparities in birth interval among women of reproductive age in Nigeria. Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):1\u0026ndash;8.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFatusi A, Adedini SA, Mobolaji JW. Trends and Correlates of Girl-Child Marriage in 11 West African Countries: Evidence from Recent Demographic and Health Surveys. SSRN Electron J. 2020.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIslam MA, Rahman A. Age at first marriage and fertility in developing countries: A meta analytical view of 15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Clin Epidemiol Global Health. 2020;8(3):775\u0026ndash;9.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOwonikoko K, Adeniji O, Oke O, Fawole A, Adeniji A. Determinants of inter-pregnancy interval in Ogbomoso: an unmet need for contraceptive usage. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2015;4(2):316.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWekere FCC, John DH, Clement-Wekere GAF, Iwo-Amah RS. Prevalence, trend and outcome of twin pregnancy in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Southern Nigeria. Int J Reprod Contracept Obstet Gynecol. 2021;10(7):2571.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBassey G, Nyengidiki T, Dambo N. Determinants of interpregnancy interval among parturient in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Sahel Med J. 2016;19(4):180.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBurd J, Woolfolk C, Frolova A, Zofkie A, Odibo A, Carter EB, et al. Association between interpregnancy interval and the labor curve. Am J Obstet Gynecol MFM. 2024;6(8):101425.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAjong AB, Mangala FN, Bekolo CE, Yakum MN, Waffo LM, Kenfack B. Risk factors for short birth interval: A hospital-based cross-sectional study among women in the Nkongsamba Health District, Littoral Region, Cameroon. PLOS Global Public Health. 2023;3(7 July):1\u0026ndash;11.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYaya S, Uthman OA, Ekholuenetale M, Bishwajit G, Adjiwanou V. Effects of birth spacing on adverse childhood health outcomes: evidence from 34 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. J Maternal-Fetal Neonatal Med. 2020;33(20):3501\u0026ndash;8.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKoirala P, Koirala I, Pun S, Karna S. Effect of Interpregnancy Interval on Pregnancy Outcome in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study. J Nepal Med Association. 2024;62(278):675\u0026ndash;80.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBeyene FY, Wudineh KG, Bantie SA, Tesfu AA. Effect of short inter-pregnancy interval on perinatal and maternal outcomes among pregnant women in SSA 2023: Systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. 2025;20(1):1\u0026ndash;23.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Pattern of Interpregnancy interval, Birth spacing, Maternal health, Child health, Dobi Community, Gwagwalada, Nigeria","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007107/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007107/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Interpregnancy interval (IPI) is a crucial factor influencing maternal and child health. Both short and long IPIs have been linked to adverse health outcomes for mothers and infants, particularly in low-resource settings. This study aimed to examine the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals among mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo describe the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals among mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA cross-sectional study was conducted among 381 women in Dobi, Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, using a mixed-method approach. Quantitative data were collected through structured interviewer-administered questionnaires, while qualitative insights were gathered through focus group discussions (FGD) and in-depth interviews (IDI) with healthcare professionals, mothers, and fathers. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the pattern of Interpregnancy intervals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe mean age of the mothers was 33.66 (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.142) years, with a mean age at marriage of 20.96 (\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.445) years. The findings showed that 92% of the mothers were above the age of 18, 63% lived patrilocally, and 91.9% were in polygamous marriages. Additionally, 63.5% were Muslims, and 61.7% had completed only primary education or had no formal education. The median monthly household income was ₦30,000. About half (47%) of the women had Interpregnancy intervals of less than 24 months.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA significant proportion of mothers in Dobi had short Interpregnancy intervals of less than 24 months. The findings highlight the need for community-specific interventions to promote optimal birth spacing and improve maternal and child health outcomes\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Pattern of Interpregnancy Intervals Among Mothers in Dobi Community, Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, Nigeria: A Descriptive Analysis","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-03 11:39:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8007107/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2026-04-16T09:08:01+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-03-21T06:37:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"159890277310098451488028720955351676913","date":"2026-03-11T14:39:53+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"104165197110172156787729951576733594525","date":"2026-03-04T08:47:58+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"183318369828267185219695723201468197588","date":"2026-03-03T12:38:12+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-12-07T17:45:41+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"99099714032350807589432132213625537752","date":"2025-12-02T14:08:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"25577934048091100284901842734499556390","date":"2025-12-01T21:25:19+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-12-01T14:08:47+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-12-01T14:02:29+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"","date":"2025-11-28T13:46:44+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-11-20T10:22:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Discover Public Health","date":"2025-11-20T10:19:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"discover-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Discover Public Health](https://link.springer.com/journal/12982)","snPcode":"12982","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/12982/3","title":"Discover Public Health","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Discover Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"fab20134-510f-4edb-b044-e3ed7e427371","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 3rd, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-08T05:10:11+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-03 11:39:46","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8007107","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8007107","identity":"rs-8007107","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}