Pregnancy History and Associated Factors Among Hawassa University Regular Undergraduate Female Students, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Introduction: Global incidence of pregnancies among University students is increasing; and challenging in Universities of Ethiopia. There are a few studies on pregnancy experiences among university students in Ethiopia. The finding will be used by policy makers, additive of the existing knowledge and as a reference for future researchers. Objective: To assess magnitude of pregnancy experiences and associated factors among Hawassa University regular female students from May 1-15, 2019. Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted from May 1-15, 2019 and 741 participants were selected using multistage sampling method from Hawassa University regular undergraduate female students. EPidata for entry and SPSS for analysis were used. Variables with p <0.25 on bivariate were used for multivariable analysis and p<0.05 were considered significant. Result: Magnitude of pregnancies experience among Hawassa University regular undergraduate female students was 98 (13.2%) (95% CI: 10.8, 15.7). Collage of Agriculture 3.76 (AOR= 3.76, 95% CI: 1.66, 8.50), Social Science and Humanity 2.63 (AOR= 2.63, 95% CI: 1.02, 6.81), and Natural and Computational science 3.41 (AOR= 3.41, 95% CI: 1.54, 7.54) times more likely to have pregnancy compared to college of Medicine and Health sciences. Married respondents were 2.39 (AOR=2.39, 95%CI: 1.54, 7.54) times more likely to have pregnancy compared to respondents who were not married. Respondents source of income was parent were 47% (AOR=0.53, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.96) less likely to have pregnancy compared to respondents whose source of income were partner. Respondents who have history of using contraceptive were 75% (AOR=0.25, 95%CI: 0.14, 0.44) less likely to have pregnancy. Conclusion: Magnitude of pregnancy experience was high among regular undergraduate female students of Hawassa University compared to other studies. Being non health colleges, married status, partner as a source of income and not having contraceptive usage history were statistically significant factors to have pregnancy. Non health colleges’ needs to be evaluated about their SRH information flow by the university.