Recent statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have indicated that Anambra topped the list of states where married women use traditional contraceptives to control childbirth, with Yobe having the lowest figure at 0.3 percent.

This is contained in NBS’ demographic statistics for 2020 posted on its website on Sunday in Abuja.

The statistics showed that 98.1 percent of married women in Yobe did not use any contraceptives in the year under review.

It categorised the birth controls into traditional contraceptive methods, modern methods, and those not currently using any contraceptive at all.

NBS said that at the national level, the total number of women not using contraceptives to prevent childbirth was 83.4 percent, while those using the traditional method of contraceptives was 4.6 percent with the modern method standing at 12.0 percent.

Sokoto State at 97.7 percent follows Yobe in the category of women not using contraceptives with 0.2 using traditional methods, while 2.1 percent use the modern method.

The report said, however, that the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) for the year 2018 was 5.3 percent, indicating a decrease from previous years.

It added that women in the age group 25 to 29 had the highest fertility rate, while women aged 45 to 49 had the lowest rate.

The report noted, however, that the total national birth registrations between 2017 and 2019 stood at 18.46 million with 2017 accounting for 5.03 million, while in 2018, it was 6.58 million with 2019 recording 6.83 million.

At the state level in 2017, Kano had the highest registered live births with 415,598, while in 2018 and 2019, Borno recorded the highest having 863,592 and 879,524, respectively.

On the other hand, Bayelsa recorded the least total national birth registrations with 220 in 2017; 234 in 2018, and 199 in 2019.

The report indicates, however, that most of the birth registrations were done in urban areas with 63 percent in 2017, 59 percent in 2018, and 62 percent in 2019.

On the statistics of recorded deaths, NBS disclosed that burial or other means of deceased disposal was 38,727 between 2017 and 2019.

Giving a breakdown, it said that the total number of deaths registered in 2017 stood at 15,153 but was reduced to 13,329 in 2018 and further reduced to 10,245 in 2019.

By gender categorisation, the NBS said that 9,555 male deaths were registered in 2017, 8,842 in 2018, and 7,066 in 2019 while 5,598 female deaths were registered in 2017, 4,487 in 2018, and 3,179 in 2019.

(NAN)