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

Abstract

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.

意外妊娠与紧急避孕的认识：产后调查 摘要

目的：此研究旨在对土耳其第二大城市安卡拉的妇女进行产后立即调查, 以确定其对紧急避孕的认识和对其使用的认识, 以及产后不久的意外怀孕率

方法：对1955名产后第一天或第二天的妇女进行了访谈。访谈基于一份包含19个问题的问卷, 内容涉及参与者对使用EC的认识和经历以及她们未来选择EC的方式。

结果：意外妊娠率为18.2%, EC知晓率为26.0%；知晓EC的人中89.4%知道如何正确使用。在多元回归分析中, 就业、家庭收入和教育水平与EC知晓独立相关；孕次、家庭收入、教育水平和流产次数与意外妊娠独立相关。随着年龄、家庭收入、受教育程度的增加, EC知晓显著增加(p < 0.05)； EC的正确使用随着年龄和教育程度的增加而增加(p < .05)。

结论：研究人群对EC的认识较低, 且与家庭收入和教育水平有关。家庭收入、教育程度和孕次是与意外怀孕有关的最重要因素。因此, 各国政府必须制定适当的保健政策, 并从青少年开始向女性提供避孕教育。

Keywords:

• Emergency contraception
• postpartum period
• ulipristal acetate
• unplanned pregnancy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).