Adolescent sexuality: practices and contraceptive problems in Douala (Cameroon)

Abstract

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adolescence is the period of growth between 10 and 19years of age. Complications from pregnancy are the second leading cause of death for adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 worldwide. Objective: Our objective was to study the sexual practices of adolescent girls in secondary schools in the Douala 3rd district as well as their contraceptive attitudes towards precocious pregnancies. Methodology: We conducted a case-control analytical study from November 8th, 2018 to June 26th, 2019 in ten secondary schools in the Douala 3rd district. We matched, around the obstetric variable, a case group with this history to a control group who declared not to have had one and studied the different strategies used to avoid the occurrence of pregnancy. Data analysis was done using SPSS 20.0 software. The significance threshold was set at p<0.05. Results: A total of 445 consenting adolescent girls were selected, including 89 cases and 356 controls. The multivariate analysis of the results showed that the factors associated with the occurrence of teenage pregnancies were: an age greater than 17years (aOR=1.91; CI=1.64-2.33), being single with a boyfriend (aOR=6.48; CI=3.33-12.60), the use of the male condom and the after pill (aOR=6.73; CI=3.53-12.83, aOR=4, 34; CI=1.86-10.11), find out about sexuality from your sexual partner or on social networks (aOR=2.24; IC=1.11-4.54, aOR=1.78; IC=1.01-3.13), do not ask your parents (aOR 2.20; IC=1.31-3.70), alcohol consumption (aOR=2.01; IC=1, 23-3.29), multi sexual partnership (aOR=2.89; CI=1.24-6.69), an age difference of more than 5years with partner (aOR=2.24; CI=1.16-4.35). Conclusion: The teenager of the 3rd district of Douala is subject to early and unsafe sexuality and underuses family planning services which lead to precocious pregnancy.