Emergency contraceptive pills usage and its associated factors among female tertiary students in Ghana

Abstract

Background: The fear of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI) causes many to use emergency contraception pills (ECP) or morning-after pills. The use of ECP have become part of our community. This study seeks to assess the prevalence and factors associated with ECP usage. Materials & methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted on female students at the Kumasi Technical University in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Data was collected from 517 respondents using a structured questionnaire. Chi-square and binary logistic regression model were used to determine the association between ECP usage and some selected variables. Results: The prevalence rate of ECP usage among female students was 48.00% with awareness level of 98.00%. There was a significant association between ECP usage and marital status, age at first sex, ever been pregnant, STI contraction in the past, the number of lifetime sex partners, religion, and awareness levels. The logistic regression found marital status, ever-pregnant, lifetime sex partners, awareness of ECP, and ever-contracted STI as risk factors that significantly affect ECP usage among female tertiary students. Conclusions: The prevalence of ECP usage among tertiary female students was high. There was a strong association between ECP usage and risk of STI. We therefore recommend that there should be continuous education among female students regarding the use, function, and effects of ECP.