Abstract
BACKGROUND: Unintended pregnancy is a major social and public health problem affecting women within the reproductive age group. It jeopardizes women’s sexual and reproductive health and may pose a threat to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3. Objective: To determine the prevalence and determinants of unintended pregnancy in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria.
 
 METHODS: A semi-structured questionnaire was used for a cross-sectional survey of antenatal clinic attendees at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki from January 2015 to March 2015. A total of 185 questionnaires were correctly filled and analyzed using 2008 Epi Info version statistical software (Atlanta Georgia, USA).
 
 RESULTS: Out of the 185 antenatal clinic attendees, 43.8% (81/185) reported having had an unintended pregnancy at some point in their lives. The age at marriage, level of education, place of residence, sex education and use of contraception were significant determinants of unintended pregnancy.
 
 CONCLUSION: The prevalence of unintended pregnancy in this study was high. Its determinants include educational status, use of contraception, age at marriage and place of residence.
Highlights
Pregnancy is a source of ecstasy and euphoria to women, families, communities and the nation at large
It could be an encumbrance to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) (Ikamari, Izugbara, & Ochako, 2013)
The prevalence of 43.8% found in this study which was quite high lent credence to this fact. This implies that more than 2 in 5 women in Abakaliki has had unintended pregnancy at some point in their lives. This was higher than the national prevalence of 9% according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) of 2013 (National Population Commission (Nigeria) and ICF International, 2014)
Summary
Pregnancy is a source of ecstasy and euphoria to women, families, communities and the nation at large. Unintended pregnancy is a major social and public health problem affecting women in both developing and developed countries (Palamuleni & Adebowale, 2014). It may jeopardize maternal and child health and wellbeing (Palamuleni & Adebowale, 2014). Unintended pregnancy is a major social and public health problem affecting women within the reproductive age group It jeopardizes women’s sexual and reproductive health and may pose a threat to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3. Objective: To determine the prevalence and determinants of unintended pregnancy in Abakaliki, Southeast Nigeria
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