Adolescent girls’ perceptions regarding the use of contraceptives in Ekurhuleni District, Gauteng

Background: Unintended pregnancies pose various challenges for adolescent girls and can be prevented through contraceptive use. However, contraceptive use among adolescents is lower compared to among older women.Aim: To describe adolescent girls’ perceptions of the use of contraceptives.Setting: Two high schools in Tembisa were selected as the study setting.Methods: Purposive sampling was used to select adolescent girls who had reached menarche and were willing to participate. Data collection involved narrative writing for girls under 16 and interviews for older adolescents. Braun and Clark’s six-step method was used for data analysis.Results: A total of 35 adolescent girls were identified, and the final sample size was N = 33 adolescent girls whose ages ranged from 13 to 18 years. Two main themes emerged. Theme 1 was positive perceptions of contraceptives. Theme 1 was supported by two subthemes: the first was the influence of the male partner; the second was financial constraints in families. The second theme was negative perceptions of contraceptives. Four subthemes supported the second main theme, which were: myths and misconceptions, influence of parents, healthcare worker attitudes and negative attitudes of community members.Conclusion: Addressing the low contraceptive uptake among adolescent girls requires understanding their perceptions to tailor interventions accordingly.Contribution: The study contributes by highlighting the negative perceptions of contraceptive use, including family financial constraints and the influence of male partners. These findings can inform reproductive health initiatives aimed at increasing contraceptive use among adolescents.