Emergency Contraceptive Use among Female Students of Aksum University, Aksum, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

Unintended pregnancy is a public health problem among young women in developing countries like Ethiopia. Emergency contraceptives (ECs) can be used as a backup in case regular contraception is not used, misused or failed. However, little is documented about sexual experiences and EC use in highly religious areas like Aksum where sexual rights may not be exercised freely. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing sexual experiences and EC use among female students of Aksum University (AKU), Aksum, Northern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 594 randomly selected female students of Aksum University from May to June, 2015. Data were collected using self-administered structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into SPSS version 16 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data. Finally, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with EC use. A total of 152 (25.6%) participants were sexually active. Of the sexually active respondents, 65 (42.8%) had unprotected sex. Among those who had unprotected sexual intercourse, 47.7% had ever used EC. Utilization of ECs was significantly associated with consuming alcohol (AOR= 2.78 [95% CI: 1.04, 7.41]), ever being pregnant (AOR= 9.13 [95% CI: 3.59, 23.17]), discussing reproductive health issues with peers (AOR= 2.93 [95% CI: 1.42, 9.79]) and being knowledgeable about ECs (AOR= 3.50 [95% CI: 1.54, 7.96]). Risky sexual experience was very prevalent and EC use was very low among young women. Consuming alcohol, ever being pregnant, discussing reproductive issues with peers and being knowledgeable on EC were predictors of EC use. Thus, health education and promotion of programs including peer education should be strengthened to prevent unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Keywords: sexually active, unprotected sex, emergency contraception (EC), Ethiopia

Cite this Article

Haile K, Abraha A, Gebremedhin T      et al. Emergency contraceptive use among female students of Aksum University, Aksum, Northern Ethiopia. Research and Reviews: Journal of Medicine. 2016; 6(3): 9–20p.