International Journal of Women’s Health Care Birth Spacing Infuence on Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria Research Article * Corresponding author David Oladeji, Department of Family, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Tel: +2348062627829, Email: dijideji@yahoo.co.uk. Submitted: 09 Nov 2016; Accepted: 10 Feb 2017; Published: 15 Feb 2017 Volume 2 | Issue 1 | 1 of 4 Int J Women’s Health Care, 2017 1 Department of Family, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. 2 Department of Social Work, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Abstract The study established the infuence of birth spacing on maternal and child health in Nigeria. A total of two hundred (200) nursing mothers that registered with the maternal and child care units of Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital Complex in Ile-Ife area constituted the sample for the study. Their ages ranged from 20years to 55 years with a mean age of 34.5 years and standard deviation of 6.5. The two instruments used were author-constructed questionnaires with 0.66 and 0.69 reliability coeffcient respectively. The data obtained were analyzed using multiple regression and chi-square statistics. The results obtained from the study indicated that, a combination of the six independent variables signifcantly predicted the dependent variable F= (115.813); R= .703, R 2 = .494, Adj. R 2 = .489; P<.05). The results also indicated that, signifcant relationship existed between the health histories (B = 5.755, T =8.844), behavior of individual women (B = 5.575, T = 2.284), utilization of reproductive health services (B = 5.558, T =8.495), family background (B = 5.121, T =10.633), contraceptive use (B= -2.670, T= 10.722) and socio-economic status (B =-2.648, T =6.322) and maternal and child health. The results further showed the signifcant position between health histories (X 2 cal = 33.956) is the most potent factor followed behaviors of the individual women (X 2 cal = 29.762); utilization of reproductive health services (X 2 cal = 16.986); family backgrounds (X 2 cal = 12.716); contraceptive use (X 2 cal = 5.969); and socio-economic status (X 2 cal = 1.268) and maternal and child health. Based on the results of these fndings, it was recommended that nursing mothers should be made to be aware of the inherent dangers of inadequate birth spacing such as increased risk of premature membrane rupture, uteroplacental bleeding disorders, poor health for both the mother and the child, miscarriage or induced abortion and consequently death. David Oladeji 1* and JA Ayangunna 2 Keywords: Reproductive health services, Family backgrounds, Contraceptive use, Maternal and Child health, Health histories. Introduction Background to the study Maternal health refers to the broad apparent and currently accepted means of providing promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health care for mothers [1]. It refers to health of women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum period and it is a very important component of reproductive health. Maternal health in developing countries and economically restrained settings remains a daunting and largely unmet global public health challenge [2]. Progress has been slow and some countries with high maternal mortality are experiencing stagnation or even reversals [3,4] with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria being the hardest hit [5,6]. Nigeria has one of the worst maternal health indicators in the world [7] however current progress in maternal mortality ratio reveals 32% reduction from 800 to 545 deaths per 100,000 live births [8]. Over the years, the issue of maternal health has been predominantly seen and treated as a purely feminine matter. The hugely disproportionate representation of men, and their resulting dominance, among those responsible for the planning and provision of health care, has had serious consequences for the health status of women and girls, particularly in developing countries [2]. Birth spacing are infuenced by a complex range of factors, some of which are rooted in social and cultural norms, others in the maternal health histories and behaviors of individual women, utilization of reproductive health services and other background factors. Birth spacing is also directly infuenced by contraceptive use and induced abortion. Other socio-economic factors such as the mother’s place of residence, education and work have also been correlated with birth spacing although the mechanisms by which these background variables infuence birth spacing is less clear [9]. A conceptual framework useful for examining birth intervals is one proposed for studying fertility. For years, family planning programs have advocated two year intervals between births for infant and