Abstract:
To assess the modern contraceptive knowledge and
use among teenage pregnant mothers at a tertiary care
hospital.
METHOD
The study was a cross sectional descriptive study using
a pre tested interviewer administered questionnaire.
All teenage pregnant mothers attending the antenatal
clinic of the professorial unit at the De Soyza Hospital
for Women were recruited to the study. Study was
conducted for a period of 18 months from December
2005. Approval was obtained from the ethical review
committee at the Faculty of Medicine, Colombo.
Results were analysed using the Statistical Package
for Social Sciences (SPSS) for windows version 15.
RESULTS
239 teenage pregnant mothers participated in the
study. Only primary education was received by 11.3%
of teenage mothers (n=27) and secondary education
was received by 87.8%, (n=210). No awareness of any
contraceptive method was seen in 49.0% of the study
population (n=117) while 48.5% had knowledge
on oral contraceptive pills (OCP) (n=116); 43.5
% and 32.6% had awareness for condoms (n=104)
and depot medroxy progesterone acetate (DMPA)
(n=78) respectively. Knowledge of other contraceptive
rnrrhods was reported in 13% (n=3). Only 143%.
of the population has used any modern method of
contraception (n=34). OCP and DMPA were used
by 8.8%, (n=21) and 3.8 %,( n=9) of teenage mothers
respectively while 2.5% of their husbands used condoms
