Use of non-emergency contraceptive pills and concoctions as emergency contraception among Nigerian University students: results of a qualitative study

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Oladele Vincent Adeniyi¹  Anthony Idowu Ajayi²  Wilson Akpan²  Ezebunwa Ethelbert Nwokocha³ 

[1] Department of Family Medicine, Walter Sisulu University, Cecilia Makiwane Hospital, East London Hospital Complex, East London, South Africa;Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, University of Fort Hare, East London, South Africa;Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria;

关键词: Unplanned Pregnancy;    Unsafe abortion;    Female university students;    Emergency contraception;    Concoctions;    Misconceptions;    Danger;    Efficacy;    Unprotected sex;    Risky Sexual behaviours;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-016-3707-4

 received in 2016-06-04, accepted in 2016-09-23,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundEmergency contraception (EC) can significantly reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the increasing awareness of EC among educated young women in Nigeria, the rate of utilisation remains low. This study therefore explores the main barriers to the use of EC among female university students by analysing their knowledge of emergency contraception, methods ever used, perceived efficacy, and its acceptability.MethodsThis paper brings together the findings from several focus groups (N = 5) and in-depth interviews (N = 20) conducted amongst unmarried female undergraduate students in two Nigerian universities.ResultsParticipants considered the use of condom and abstinence as the most effective methods of preventing unplanned pregnancy. However, many participants were misinformed about emergency contraception. Generally, participants relied on unconventional and unproven ECs; Ampiclox, “Alabukun”, salt water solution, and lime and potash and perceived them to be effective in preventing unplanned pregnancies. Furthermore, respondents’ narratives about methods of preventing unwanted pregnancies revealed that inadequate information on emergency contraception, reliance on unproven crude contraceptive methods, and misconception about modern contraception constitute barriers to the use of emergency contraception.ConclusionsThe findings suggested that female university students are misinformed about emergency contraception and their reliance on unproven ECs constitutes a barrier to the use of approved EC methods. These barriers have serious implications for prevention of unplanned pregnancies in the cohort. Behavioural interventions targeting the use of unproven emergency contraceptive methods and misperceptions about ECs would be crucial for this cohort in Nigeria.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2016