Gynecology & Obstetrics
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0932
ISSN: 2161-0932
Objective: To find out the prevalence of contraceptive use among female adolescents and the associated factors for contraceptive choice and use.
Methods: Using systematic sampling technique, one female adolescent (10-19 years) from each of 110 houses was interviewed using structured questionnaire. One house was selected and a female adolescent who consented was administered structured questionnaire. Data collected included; socio-demographic factors, adolescent sexuality, contraceptive use/non-use and contraceptive choices. Data was analysed using SPSS: 16.0 and frequencies, means, Chi Squared test and Logistic regression was used, setting significance at p=0.05.
Results: The mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15.9 years (12-18 years) and 55.5% of female adolescents were sexually active. Contraceptive prevalence among sexually active female adolescents was 38.0%. The commonest method used was the male condom (73.9%).
Main reasons for choice of method were easy access and safety of method, and also dual protection specifically for the male condom. Most adolescents besides having not thought about protection at time of sexual intercourse had no specific reason for not using contraception. There was a generally low level of encouragement from social contacts to female adolescents to use contraceptives. Common reasons given for abstinence included being young and afraid of pregnancy and HIV/AIDS and also want to further education and achieve goals in life.
Discouragement from contraceptive use was generally low and was mainly from peers and sex partners and statements used in this regards stemmed mainly from misconceptions and misinformation.
Unadjusted analysis suggested that Mother’s/female guardian’s highest level of education and sex partner encouragement were significantly associated with contraceptive use (p=0.035 and 0.040 respectively) and multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that only mother’s/female guardian’s highest level of education was a significant factor (p=0.047).
With the current low level of contraceptive prevalence there is the urgent need to address perceived barriers from this study such as lack of encouragement from close social contacts of this vulnerable group, misinformation and misconceptions about contraceptives and also research into appropriate ways of helping abstaining youth and practical ways of empowering women by educating the girl child must be researched.