Knowledge and practice regarding the use of emergency contraception among the higher secondary students of Nepal
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20192805Keywords:
Knowledge, Use, Emergency contraception, Unintended pregnancy, School students, NepalAbstract
Background: Emergency contraception or post coital contraception refers to methods of contraception that can be used to prevent pregnancy after sexual intercourse. Among the adolescents, premarital and unplanned sexual intercourse mostly result unintended pregnancy. In such conditions, emergency contraception is effective, safe and relatively inexpensive and can prevent pregnancies up to 95% if taken immediately or within 5 days after the sexual intercourse. Emergency contraception is available in pill form and IUD. Objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of emergency contraception use among the higher secondary level students.
Methods: Study includes descriptive cross-sectional method with total 190 respondents who were selected though census method of sampling. Study data were collected through semi structured questionnaire and the data was analyzed by using the SPSS version 20.
Results: Mean age of the respondent was 17.8 years and 98.4% of them were unmarried. Among the total respondents only 63.7% of them have heard about the emergency contraception. About 14.2% of the respondents had experience sexual intercourse, out of those 51.8% have used emergency contraceptive method to prevent them from unintended pregnancies. Among those who had experience sexual intercourse, 22% of them got unintended pregnancies, which were managed through surgical abortion (83.3%) and medical abortion (16.7%).
Conclusions: Knowledge on proper use of emergency contraceptives can prevent unintended pregnancies that may occur among the adolescents due to premarital and unplanned sexual intercourse. However, only two third of respondents have heard about the emergency contraceptives. So it is important to raise awareness on emergency contraception and its rational use among the adolescents.
References
Ministry of Health, Nepal, New ERA, and ICF. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Kathmandu: Ministry of Health, Nepal, New ERA, and ICF; 2017.
Salih NA, Metaferia H, Reda AA, Biadgilign S. Premarital sexual activity among unmarried adolescents in northern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare. 2015;6(1):9-13.
Nworah OA, Sunday NU, Joseph UO, Monday OO, Josephat AC. Knowledge, attitude and practice of emergency contraception among students in tertiary school in Anambra State Southeast Nigeria. Int J Med Med Sci. 2010;2:1-4.
Aziken ME, Okonta PI, Adedapo BA. Knowledge and perception of emergency contraception among female Nigerian undergraduates. Int Family Planning Perspectives. 2003;2:84-7.
Emergency contraception, Key facts (2018). World Health Organization. (Retrieved on: 20 March 2019). Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/emergency-contraception. Accessed on 2 March 2019.
Vasilakis C, Jick S, Jick H. The risk of venous thromboembolism in users of postcoital contraceptive pills. Contraception. 1999;59(2):79-83.
Arowojolu AO, Adeyemi OA. Perception and practice of emergency contraception by post-secondary school students in southwest Nigeria. Afr Reprod Health. 2000;4(1):56- 65.
Babatunde OA, Ibirongbe DO, Omede O, Babatunde OO, Durowade KA, Salaudeen AG, et al. Knowledge and use of emergency contraception among students of public secondary schools in Ilorin, Nigeria. Pan Afr Med J. 2016;23(1):1.
Rahaman H, Renjhen P, Kumar A, Pattanshetty S, Sagir A, Dubey H. A study on Emergency contraception practice among Nursing staff In Sikkim, India. A cross sectional study. Aust Med J. 2010;3:667-71.
Shrestha DR, Regmi SC, Dangal G. Abortion: Still Unfinished Agenda in Nepal. J Nepal Health Res Council. 2018;16(1):93-8.
Ellertson C, Shochet T, Blanchard K, Trussell J. Emergency contraception: A review of the programmatic and social science literature. Contraception. 2000;61:145-86.
Ojule JD, Oriji VK, Georgewill KN. Awareness and Practice of Emergency Contraception. Niger Health J. 2008;8:6-9.
Davtyan C. Evidence-based case review. Contraception for adolescents. West J Med 2000;172:166-71.
Bhatta DN, Koirala AK, Jha N. Adolescent students' attitude towards premarital sex and unwanted pregnancy. Health Renaissance. 2013;11(2):145-9.
CREHPA and Guttmacher Institute. Abortion and Unintended Pregnancy in Nepal. Katmandu, Nepal: CREHPA; 2017.
Thapa S. A new wave in the quiet revolution in contraceptive use in Nepal: the rise of emergency contraception. Reprod Health. 2016;13(1):49.
