Abstract:
OBJECTIVES :
To assess the contraceptive knowledge and use among
teenage pregnant mothers at a tertiary care hospital.
METHOD :
A cross sectional descriptive study using a pre tested
interviewer administered questionnaire. Al l teenage
pregnant mothers attending to the ante natal clinic
of the professorial unit at the D e Soyza Hospital
for Women were recruited to the study. Study was
conducted for a period of 8 months from December
2005. Approval was obtained from the ethical clearance
committee at the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.
Results were analysed using the Statistical Package for
Social Sciences for windos (SPSS) version 11.
RESULTS :
150 teenage pregnant mothers participated to the
study. 40.1% of the study population had no awareness
of any contraceptive method. 56.5% of population had
knowledge on oral contraceptive pills (OCP), while
52.1%, 34% had awareness for condoms and depot
medroxy progesterone acetate (DMPA ) respectively
0.7% had knowledge on emergency contraception.
Only 30 (19.9%) of the population had used any
modern method of contraception. 16 (10.6%) used
O C P and 5 (3.4%) used condoms, 8 (4.8%) 8c 3
(2%) of mothers has used DMP A and emergency
contraceptive pills respectively. 21 teenage mothers
(13.9%) form the total population had failed their
contraception. Improper use 17 (68%), unavailability
when required 5 (20%) and failure of the method 2
(8%) were the main reasons for conceiving during
contraceptive use. 77 (51%) of the population who
wanted contraception they were unable to use due to
Unawareness 43 (55.8%), no access 2 (2.6%), worried
about side effects 20 (26%), reluctant to use by wife
to10 (13%) and reluctant to use by husband 6 (7.8%)
were the main reasons for not using a contraceptive
method, pregnancies 75.5% of the pregnancies were
unplanned. 4% of the had attempted termination of
the pregnancy. 3.2% of mothers have decided to give
the child for adoption. 71.8% of the study population
has decided to use DMP A as their future contraceptive
method after confinement.
CONCLUSION S AN D RECOMMENDATIONS :
There is poor awareness and knowledge of modern
contraceptive methods among teenage mothers.
Mos t of the pregnancies were unplanned. There is a
need for improving awareness, knowledge and proper
use of contraception among teenage couples.
