Contraceptive Seeking Behavior in Teenage Pregnancy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the pattern and associated risk of contraceptive seeking behavior among pregnant teenager

Materials and methods: Pregnant teenager who attended the following two settings including Antepartum Care Clinic, Srinagarind hospital and Outpatient Department, Khon Kaen branch of the Planned Parenthood Association of Thailand during September 2013 to June 2014 were prospectively recruited. Inform consent was obtained before enrolling. Participants were interviewed by trained interviewers using a standardized questionnaire to obtain the baseline characteristics, their intention to be pregnant, and contraceptive seeking behavior.

Results:  Two hundred participants were enrolled. Mean age was 17.2 years. Mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15.8 years. The majority of participants (65.5%) were unaware about the risk of getting this pregnancy. One-hundred and twenty-eight (64.0%) participants did not use any contraception before getting this pregnancy.  The common contraception methods used before this pregnancy were oral combined pills (15.0%), condom (7.5%), and emergency pills (6.5%). When compared to older participants, younger participants were more likely to state that this pregnancy were unaware and unintended but were less likely to use any contraception.

Conclusion: Rate of contraceptive used among pregnant teenager was suboptimal. This might be due to the low level of awareness of getting pregnancy. Age appears to be the factor associated with the rate of contraceptive use and unintended pregnancy.