Awareness Of Emergency Contraception Research Articles

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES AMONG HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS

Background: After unprotected sexual relations, emergency contraception (EC) is recommended to prevent unplanned pregnancy and its adverse implications. Its proper application can help to avoid unwanted pregnancy or unsafe abortion, which can reduce maternal mortality. As a result, the current study sought to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of married females attending OPD of tertiary care hospital regarding EC. Methods: The current cross-sectional study was carried out among married females who were willing to participate and visited the OPD of a tertiary care hospital over the course of three months. A questionnaire was used to collect data, and proportions were used to present the ndings. Results: 300 women were ready to give written consent were recruited for study. 90% of those surveyed had heard about EC, with media being the main informational source. 81% correctly identied the time when oral tablets were used as EC, and 91% were aware that this was the case. 73% of people would be willing to use EC themselves in the event of unprotected intercourse, and 85% would recommend it to a friend or relative if necessary. About 70% of those surveyed have ever used EC. Conclusions: High literacy among married women explains their high awareness, positive attitude, and adequate use of EC. It shouldn't make authorities complacent; rather, they should push initiatives to reduce maternal mortality using regular contraceptives besides EC.

Retraction Note: Factors affecting awareness of emergency contraception among college students in Kathmandu, Nepal

Retraction Note: Factors affecting awareness of emergency contraception among college students in Kathmandu, Nepal

Knowledge and Prevalence of Emergency Contraceptive Pills among the General Population Visiting a Tertiary Care Centre

Introduction: Emergency contraception is a contraceptive method used to prevent unwanted pregnancy in the first few days after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure/accident. Many women are unaware of the existence of emergency contraception, misunderstand its use and safety, or do not use it when needed. Especially, residents of the rural regions of Nepal are deprived of family planning services and measures, which cover a major percent of our hospital patients.
 Aims: To assess the knowledge regarding emergency contraceptive pills, family planning and their prevalence.
 Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a population size of 392 was performed at Nepalgunj medical college teaching hospital, Kohalpur, starting from January to April 2022. A pre-tested questionnaire containing structural, semi-structural, and open-ended questions in printed form was made as a data collection tool. All the people in this study were interviewed after receiving their consent.
 Results: 363 out of 392(92.6%) people in our study have known about contraceptives. Only 74.93% responded to having used some sort of contraceptive measure. Oral contraceptive pills were found to be the most used measure in 265 (73%). 222(61.6%) of 363 have heard about emergency contraceptive pills but only 71(31.98%) of them have ever used them. Out of 222 respondents who were aware of emergency contraceptive pills, only 129(58.10%)correctly identified 72 hours as the time limit for the methods to be used. Nineteen respondents (8.56%) believed that emergency contraceptive pills could be used as regular pills. None of them were aware of the use of the intrauterine contraceptive device as an emergency contraception.
 Conclusion: Despite having knowledge, only two-third population was found using any of the contraceptive measures. Among those having knowledge about emergency contraceptive pills, more than a half people preferred emergency contraceptive pills for any unplanned event. Emergency contraception awareness is essential to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Awareness and utilization of emergency contraceptives among female undergraduates in Kano: North west Nigeria

Unintended pregnancy remains a major challenge to the reproductive health of women, especially female undergraduates. It is a cause of unsafe abortions and their attendant complications and contributes significantly to maternal mortality, which can be prevented by the use of emergency contraceptive. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which was carried out among 374 non-medical, non-allied medical sciences, non-basic medical sciences and nonpharmaceutical sciences female undergraduates of Bayero University Kano, Northwestern Nigeria. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection and analyzed using SPSS Version 23.0 Software. The Chi square test was used to test for association at p<0.05The age range of the respondents was 15-45 years, with mean age of 24.98±4.96 years. Most of the respondents were between the ages of 20-29 years. More than half of the respondents (260, 69.5%) were single. The majority of the respondents (334, 89.3%) were aware of emergency contraception. There was statistically significant association between sources of information and year of study with awareness of emergency contraception (p<0.05). Respondents in this study demonstrated good awareness and knowledge of emergency contraception. Despite the conservative nature of the community where this study was conducted, there was good level of utilization of emergency contraceptives in the study population.

Adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and utilization of emergency contraceptive in Idjwi Island in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Introduction: Unintended pregnancies are a major health problem and one of the main interventions to reduce unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions is the correct use of emergency contraception (EC). The objective of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and utilization of EC among adolescent girls in Idjwi Island, Eastern of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 353 adolescent girls aged 15-24 who were recruited and who completed a pre-established questionnaire after they were accepted into the survey. Data collected were analyzed with STATA 16 software and the comparison of variables with the Chi-square test and a significance threshold of 5%. Results: We found that 293 (83.0%) reported having ever had sexual intercourse and 220 had heard of EC. The proportion of respondents with sufficient knowledge was 59.1% (130/220) and the assessment of attitude towards the EC shows that 81.8% (180/220) of the respondents had a positive attitude towards EC. Of 293 respondents who had ever had sexual intercourse, 148 (50.5%) reported having ever used EC. Respondents with a secondary educational level (adjusted odds ratio =14.3 [7.2-28.3]) and university educational level (adjusted odds ratio =4.8 [1.8-13.0]) were more likely to use EC compared to those with a primary educational level. Conclusion: The study shows that the level of EC utilization was medium in Idjwi Island. Educational level was a major predictor of EC utilization. Therefore, it is recommended that strategies be developed to improve EC utilization by increasing the level of EC awareness among adolescent girls.

Awareness of young women about emergency contraception in the temporal aspect

Introduction. Bearing in mind functional features of the reproductive system at every stage of a woman’s life, as it grows and develops, accomplishes its purpose and early fades away, its high vulnerability becomes obvious. Therefore, what emerges is the need for a broader analysis of the causes of reproductive dysfunction, among which termination of unwanted pregnancies plays one of the leading roles.Aim. To assess the level of awareness of emergency contraception among young women.Materials and methods. We conducted an anonymous voluntary survey on the awareness of the emergency contraception methods among different age groups of young people in 2014 and 2021. In 2014, 577 respondents participated in the survey, which were divided into two groups. Group 1 included 265 adolescent girls aged 15 to 17 years, group 2 included young women aged 18 to 25 years. In 2021, an anonymous voluntary survey was only conducted among 348 young female respondents.Results. Analysis of responses from the survey of adolescents and young girls conducted in 2014 shows an extremely low level of awareness of the emergency contraception methods among respondents in both groups. Thus, 211/265 (79.62%) in the group of adolescent girls and 201/312 (64.42%) young women did not know anything about the emergency contraception methods, and 19/312 (6.09%) young women and 9/265 (3.40%) adolescent girls claimed knowledge of the possibilities of emergency contraception using Escapelle. The analysis of a similar survey conducted in 2021 showed that young women’s awareness of modern emergency contraceptive methods had increased. Thus, less than half of 168/348 (48.28%) participants did not know anything about the emergency contraception methods in 2021, and 117/348 (33.62%) respondents were aware of Escapelle, which was 5.5 times more compared with those of 2014.Conclusions. The results of two surveys we conducted reveal insufficient awareness of the emergency contraceptive methods among young women.

Trends in emergency contraception awareness among women and girls in 28 sub-Saharan countries

BackgroundStudies have shown that emergency contraception (EC) remains underutilised in preventing unintended pregnancy in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Small-scale surveys have attributed EC underutilisation to gaps in EC awareness among SSA women and girls. However, limited studies have explored trends in EC awareness in SSA. We address this gap by examining trends in EC awareness using data from 28 SSA countries. Our analysis was disaggregated by age distribution, place of residence, level of education, and wealth to show differences in EC awareness trend.MethodsWe analysed the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data of 1,030,029 women aged 15 to 49 on emergency contraception awareness. EC awareness was defined as having ever heard of special pills to prevent pregnancy within 3 days after unprotected sexual intercourse. Frequencies and percentages were used to summarise trends in EC awareness between years 2000 and 2019.ResultsOverall, there was an upward shift in the level of EC awareness in all countries, except in Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Ethiopia. While some countries recorded a significant upward trend in EC awareness, others recorded just a slight increase. Women in Kenya, Ghana, Gabon, and Cameroon had the highest upward shift in EC awareness. For example, only 28% of women were aware of EC in Ghana in 2003, but in 2014, 64% of women knew about EC, an increase of over 36 percentage points. Increase in EC awareness was starker among women aged 20–24 years, those who resided in urban areas, had higher education, and belong to the highest wealth quintile, than those aged 15–19, in rural areas, with no formal education and belonging to the lowest wealth quintile.ConclusionOur analysis shows that the level of EC awareness has increased substantially in most SSA countries. However, EC awareness still differs widely within and between SSA countries. Intervention to improve EC awareness should focus on women aged 15 to 19, those with no formal education, residing in rural areas, and within the lowest quintile, especially, in countries such as Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Ethiopia where level of EC is low with lagging progress.

Men's knowledge, attitude, and barriers towards emergency contraception: A facility based cross-sectional study at King Saud University Medical City.

BackgroundMale partners have a considerable role in influencing women’s contraceptive decision making to reduce the chance of unintended pregnancy. Most studies are focused on women’s knowledge and barriers for emergency contraception (EC) use. There is limited research on this topic from the male perspective. This study aimed to gather baseline data on men’s knowledge, attitudes and barriers about EC.MethodsDescriptive analytic cross-sectional study was conducted from Dec 2019 –May 2020 at the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH); a teaching facility with general and subspecialty medical services in King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive statistics and Chi square tests were used. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find significant predictors for EC awareness and use. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 461 participants completed the questionnaire (response rate 86%). The majority (82%) of the participants were unaware of EC; with only 18% having some knowledge. Knowledgeable men had positive attitudes (73.5%) about EC as compared to non- knowledgeable ones (55.0%). Factors found to be associated with less knowledge of EC were cultural [0.46, 95%CI 0.22. 0.96] and religious unacceptability [OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.29, 0.89)]. Higher level of education [OR 1.83, 95%CI 0.94, 3.53] was associated with more knowledge regarding EC. The study showed that correct information about using contraceptives within 3 days of unprotected sex [OR 4.96, 95%CI 1.81, 13.60]; availability without prescription [OR 5.06, 95%CI 1.68, 15.30], EC advertisement [OR 4.84, 95%CI 0.96, 24.27] and receipt of information from family/friends [OR 18.50, 95%CI 5.19, 65.93] were factors that contributed to men using EC.ConclusionThe current knowledge of EC among men is limited. Social determinants affect these levels of knowledge, as well as the usage of EC. Factors that were associated with the use of ECPs were correct knowledge, advertisement, availability and receipt of information from family/friends. The findings highlight the need to educate men on this important topic to avoid unintended pregnancy, keeping in view cultural and social values. Future qualitative studies are needed to understand the male perspective.

Unplanned pregnancy and awareness of emergency contraception: a postpartum period survey

Objectives The study aimed to determine the awareness of emergency contraception (EC) and knowledge of its use as well as the unplanned pregnancy rate among women in the immediate postpartum period in Ankara, Turkey’s second largest city. Methods Interviews were carried out among 1955 women on their first or second day postpartum. The interview was based on a questionnaire containing 19 questions covering participants’ awareness and experience of using EC as well as their future approach to its use. Results The rate of unplanned pregnancy was 18.2% and the rate of EC awareness was 26.0%; 89.4% of those who were aware of EC knew how to use it correctly. In the multivariate regression analysis, employment, household income and level of education were independently associated with EC awareness; gravidity, household income, level of education and number of abortions were independently associated with unplanned pregnancy. Awareness of EC increased significantly (p < .05) with age, household income and educational level; knowledge about the correct use of EC increased with age and educational level (p < .05). Conclusion EC awareness among the study population was low and was related to household income and educational level. Household income, educational level and gravidity were the most important factors associated with unplanned pregnancy. Governments must therefore establish appropriate health policies and provide contraceptive education to women from adolescence onwards.

Factors Influencing the Knowledge and Practice of Emergency Contraception among Nigerian Male Undergraduates

Background: Unwanted pregnancies among young women is a growing reproductive health concern. Correct and consistent use of contraception will stop this ugly trend while emergency contraception (EC) can also be viewed as a 'second chance method' in preventing unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and practice of emergency contraception among Nigerian male undergraduates as they are known to have risky sexual behaviours.Methodology: This was a cross sectional study involving three hundred and thirty male undergraduates from three Tertiary institutions in Ibadan. A Multi-staged random sampling technique was used to recruit participants.Results: Knowledge about EC was poor among majority (74.5%) of male undergraduates. About 55.2% of the participants were sexually active and out of which 33.9% are currently using EC. The commonly (67.5%) used EC by their partners was levonorgestrel only pill (Postinor). Participants with higher levels of education, awareness of EC, previous use or having a partner who had previouslyused EC, participants who had sex within the past 6 months and those who were willing to recommend EC to others had a better knowledge of EC, which were all statistically significant.Conclusion: Providing accurate information to improve knowledge of EC among young men could lead to an increase in the uptake of EC.

Factors Influencing the Knowledge and Practice of Emergency Contraception among Nigerian Male Undergraduates

Background: Unwanted pregnancies among young women is a growing reproductive health concern.Correct and consistent use of contraception will stop this ugly trend while emergency contraception (EC) can also be viewed as a 'second chance method' in preventing unwanted pregnancies and unsafe abortions. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge and practice of emergency contraception among Nigerian male undergraduates as they areknown to have risky sexual behaviours.&#x0D; Methodology: This was a cross sectional study involving three hundred and thirty male undergraduates from three Tertiary institutions in Ibadan. A Multi-staged random sampling technique was used to recruit participants.Results: Knowledge about EC was poor among majority (74.5%) of male undergraduates. About 55.2% of the participants were sexually active and out of which 33.9% are currently using EC. The commonly (67.5%) used EC by their partners waslevonorgestrel only pill (Postinor). Participants with higher levels of education, awareness of EC, previous use or having a partner who had previously used EC, participants who had sex within the past 6 months and those who were willing to recommend EC to others had a better knowledge of EC, which were all statistically significant.&#x0D; Conclusion: Providing accurate information to improve knowledge of EC among young men could lead to an increase in the uptake of EC.

Knowledge and attitudes of Lebanese women of childbearing age towards emergency contraception

Objectives: Unwanted pregnancy is sometimes associated with unsafe abortion, which may lead to maternal death. Pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse can be avoided by using emergency contraception (EC). Our study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of reproductive-aged Lebanese women towards EC use.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing randomly selected women aged between 15 and 49 years from the five major Lebanese governates. A pre-tested, pre-structured questionnaire was applied composed of three parts: (1) personal information, (2) knowledge about EC methods and (3) attitude towards EC.Results: We found that 78% of participants had never heard of EC. Among those who had heard of EC, only 29.3% had good knowledge about it. Knowledge about EC was not, however, associated with participants’ sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., age, marital status, educational level and background, occupation and occupational field and area of residence). There was a positive attitude towards EC among 57.3% of participants. Attitudes were statistically associated with level of education, area of residence and whether the respondent had ever heard of EC.Conclusion: Most Lebanese women of childbearing age lack knowledge about EC. There is a need to raise public awareness of EC.

Emergency contraception awareness in an at‐risk population

AbstractBackgroundConsumer awareness of emergency contraception is generally poor. School leavers (schoolies) engage in risky behaviours, including casual sex and alcohol and drug consumption.AimThe aim of this study was to explore the awareness of an at‐risk population of schoolies regarding the use and availability of emergency contraception.MethodsAn electronic survey was self‐administered by participants using Wi‐Fi‐connected iPads at the Schoolies Wristband Distribution Centre, Surfers Paradise, on the first day of Queensland Schoolies Week, November 2017. Outcomes measured were awareness of the availability of emergency contraception from a pharmacy, maximum time for effective use following unprotected intercourse and whether emergency contraception is harmful to the health of the user.ResultsSchoolies completed 498 valid surveys. Most (83.5%) were aged 17 years and 50.8% were aware that emergency contraception is available from community pharmacies with prescription and 36.7% were aware that it is available without prescription; 18.5% were aware of the 72‐ or 120‐h effectiveness window and 38.0% agreed that it is not harmful. All questions were associated with considerable uncertainty. Females were 1.8‐ to 3.2‐fold more likely than males to provide an appropriate response to any emergency contraception statement.ConclusionSchoolies’ awareness of emergency contraception availability, effectiveness window and safety was low. At‐risk schoolies may not access emergency contraception when indicated due to fear of harm, uncertainty about its effectiveness window or a lack of knowledge about timely non‐prescription access from community pharmacies. Targeted education may improve current knowledge gaps. The misnomer ‘morning‐after pill’ should be abandoned for the clinically appropriate term ‘emergency contraception’.

Pre-service knowledge, perception, and use of emergency contraception among future healthcare providers in northern Ghana

BackgroundEmergency contraception, if used properly, can prevent up to over 95 % of unwanted and mistimed pregnancies. However, a number of obstacle including healthcare providers knowledge, perception, and attitude towards emergency contraception (EC) prevent women and adolescents from having access to EC.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study among 191 female final year nursing and midwifery students of Tamale Nurses and Midwives Training College in the Northern Region of Ghana. Purposive sampling method was used to sample 100 students from the nursing programme and 91 from the midwifery programme. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were performed to determine factors associated with awareness about EC and use of EC.ResultsOver four-fifths, 166(86.91%), of the participants indicated they had heard about EC prior to the study. Majority (80.10%) of the participants correctly indicated the time within which to take emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs). More than half, 105(54.97%), of the participants did not know the appropriate time within which to use IUD as EC. Almost four-fifths, 74(38.74%), of the participants indicated it is morally wrong to use EC and more than half, (n = 104, 54.45%), of them said EC use promotes promiscuity. Only 49(25.65%) participants said they had ever used ECP. Of the number that indicated ever-using ECP, 36(73.47%) cited condom breakage or slippage as the reason for using the method.ConclusionThough there was a relatively high level of EC awareness and knowledge among the students, some students lacked detailed knowledge about the method, especially the use of IUD as EC. We found that it was easy to access EC in the study area but the use of EC was low among the students. Most of the students demonstrated a positive attitude towards EC, but many of them believed EC encourages promiscuous sexual behaviour and that it is morally wrong to use EC. The curriculum for nursing and midwifery education should provide opportunity for detailed information and practical knowledge on EC to demystify negative perceptions and attitudes of nursing and midwifery students towards EC and other forms of contraception and to improve their knowledge on EC.

Knowledge and attitude about emergency contraception among Saudi women of childbearing age.

Context:Emergency contraception (EC) use is rare in Saudi Arabia.Aims:The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of EC among Saudi women of childbearing age.Settings and Design:This study is a cross-sectional descriptive study using a survey questionnaire tool.Materials and Methods:We conducted a survey of married women of childbearing age (18–45 years) attending the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between January and April 2018.Statistical Analysis Used:Pearson's Chi-square test is used for this study.Results:This study included 370 of 525 (70.5%) women, with a mean age of 32.3 ± 6.3 years. Of these, 117 (31.6%) knew how to prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex, and 62 knew about EC. Forty-two women (67.7%) thought EC should be widely advertised, and 30 (48.4%) thought it should be made available even without prescription. Forty-seven women (75.8%) said that they were not shy to ask for EC, and 37 (59.7%) claimed that both partners should decide about the use of EC. The most common reason for not using EC was medical concerns (n = 30, 48.4%). Thirty three (53.2%) of the 62 women with knowledge about EC would use it immediately after sex. Knowledge, awareness, and use of EC were significantly correlated with higher monthly income, educated women, having three or more children, and working women.Conclusions:Among Saudi women, knowledge, awareness, and use of EC remain low, although a positive attitude for future use of EC exists. Health information campaigns are necessary to reach women, particularly those of low socioeconomic status, less educated women, and housewives to explain EC, its availability, and its proper use.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of progestin-only emergency contraceptives among female students of Jimma Teachers Training College, Jimma, Ethiopia

Background: Emergency contraception (EC) is the safest strategy for prevention of unintended pregnancy following unsafe sex provided that users have sufficient knowledge &amp; awareness of EC. Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of progestin-only emergency contraceptives. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from February 16 to April 18, 2017, among students of Jimma teacher’s training college. Chi-square test was run to identify the association between variables. Variables with the critical value P&lt;0.05 at CI of 95% were considered as statistically significant.Results: A total of 270 female students were involved in the study; of which 53.70% of them had knowledge about ECs. A significant association was found between knowledge on ECs &amp; age distribution (p&lt;0.001) and also the sexual activity of the participants (p=0.013).More than half of the respondents agreed that widespread use of ECs would increase the prevalence of HIV/ AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STIs). Of the total study participants, 121 (44.81%) have used ECs and the utilization practice has a significant association with age distribution (p&lt;0.001 and religion of the study participants (p=0.002). Conclusion: Generally, nearly half of the study participants had knowledge about ECs and used EC at least once in their lifetime. Most of the students agreed that relying on EC pills and its accessibility would promote the spread of HIV/AIDS and STIs. Funding: The study was conducted with the financial support of Jimma UniversityKeywords: Knowledge, emergency contraceptives, attitude, practice

Emergency contraceptive knowledge, attitudes and practices among female students at the University of Botswana: A descriptive survey.

BackgroundUnintended pregnancies are associated with unsafe abortions and maternal deaths, particularly in countries such as Botswana, where abortion is illegal. Many of these unwanted pregnancies could be avoided by using emergency contraception, which is widely available in Botswana.AimTo assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of female students with regard to emergency contraception at the University of Botswana.SettingStudents from University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.MethodsA descriptive survey among 371 students selected from all eight faculties at the university. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences.ResultsThe mean age was 20.6 years (SD 1.62), 58% were sexually active, 22% had used emergency contraception and 52% of pregnancies were unintended. Of the total respondents, 95% replied that they had heard of emergency contraception; however, only 53% were considered to have good knowledge, and 55% had negative attitudes towards its use. Students from urban areas had better knowledge than their rural counterparts (p = 0.020). Better knowledge of emergency contraception was associated with more positive attitudes towards actual use (p < 0.001). Older students (p < 0.001) and those in higher years of study (p = 0.001) were more likely to have used emergency contraception.ConclusionAlthough awareness of emergency contraception was high, level of knowledge and intention to use were low. There is a need for a targeted health education programme to provide accurate information about emergency contraception.

Emergency contraception amongst medical college students: knowledge, attitude, practice

Background: Emergency contraception has the potential to greatly reduce the number of unintended pregnancies. The level of knowledge among the medical student population about EC has not been adequately investigated. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of EC (Emergency Contraception) amongst the medical under graduate students in Government college of Surat.Methods: This study was carried out among 339 medical under graduate students during the month of October, 2016. A predesigned self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data.Results: Majority of students knew about some form of contraception. Only quarter of students knew about EC pill. Varied responses were observed regarding various knowledge aspects of EC. Internet and books were the most common source of knowledge. As far as their attitudes are concerned, almost 40% believed that EC would lead more irresponsible behaviour and more STD/HIV cases, while 30% believed that it would lead to promiscuity, and be inexpensive, if they are readily available. More than half number of students opined that EC should be made available for women aged only 18 years and above. As far as practice is concerned, only one student reported using EC. However, more than 40% were willing to use it, if required and would also encourage friends and relatives to use it.Conclusions: Awareness of EC was low among students. Attitude was favorable towards EC. Study also document very low level of practice of EC among the students.

Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding emergency contraception among married women in Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Background: An unwanted and unintended pregnancy is a major concern in a women’s life as it has its adverse social and health outcomes. Emergency contraception (EC) is safe and effective method that gives women a second chance to prevent unwanted pregnancy after unprotected intercourse.Methods: This is a community based cross sectional study done in field practice area under the department of Community Medicine, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab. A total of 400 respondents were selected by stratified random sampling from the list of eligible couples residing in the area. The interview was conducted using semi structured questionnaire, after obtaining their informed consent.Results: The mean age of respondents was 31.44±5.67 years. 68.7% of respondents were using some kind of contraception. Majority (68%) of respondents had heard of emergency contraception and for majority (81.3%) source of information about EC was Media (TV). Out of 272 respondents who had heard of emergency contraception 146 (54.1%) had negative attitude towards emergency contraception and only 30 (8%) had used ECP. Practice of ECP was found to have statistically significant association with employment and history of unwanted pregnancy.Conclusions: EC has a potential to curb the menace of unintended pregnancy thereby decreasing unsafe abortion and maternal mortality. In spite of reasonable awareness of emergency contraception, as found in present study there is wide gap for its usage. Hence behavioural change strategies should be considered to bring attitudinal change on use of emergency contraception.

Awareness and Utilization of Emergency Contraceptives Among Second Cycle Primary School Female Evening Students in Hawassa, Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Survey

An unintended pregnancy is mistimed or unwanted one. It is significant among adolescents in Ethiopia. Sexual violence is another major health problem because of consequences such as abortion, sexually transmitted diseases and physical and mental trauma, all of which could contribute to the high rate of female drop out from schools. Use of emergency contraception (EC) reduces unintended pregnancies resulted from unprotected sexual intercourse or sexual violence and thus the risks related to it. Disparities in knowledge, access and use of family planning methods have also been observed in the country. This study assessed awareness and utilization of emergency contraceptive among 463 second cycle primary school female evening students (with age ≥ 15 years) in Hawassa using a self-administered questionnaire. Study participants were selected using stratified random sampling technique. To complement the quantitative data, key informant interviews were also held. Quantitative data was entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Among the total participants, 120 (25.9%) of them ever had sexual intercourse; of these only 34 (28.3%) have ever heard about EC. Majority 73 (60.8%) of those who ever had sexual intercourse expressed favorable attitude towards EC. However, only 27 (22.5%) had ever used EC. Having prior information on family planning (FP) and school grade level were identified to be positively associated [(AOR = 1.9 (1.0 - 3.4), (AOR = 2.1 (1.1 - 4.1)] with awareness about EC. Utilization of EC was found to be positively associated with knowledge about EC, AOR = 89.3 (10.8 - 737.3). Awareness and utilization of EC among primary second cycle female evening students was found to be low. In addition, exposure to FP information, grade level, marital status, knowledge about EC, and prior sexual intercourse experience were identified to be determinants of awareness and utilization of EC. Therefore awareness creation among this target group should be the priority areas of action.Keywords: emergency contraceptive, knowledge and practice, second cycle primary school evening students, Hawassa, Ethiopia