Awareness of emergency contraceptive pills among female patients of family planning unit of tertiary care teaching hospital, Rajkot, Gujarat, India

Background: In India, sizeable population of pregnancies are either unplanned or unwanted and thus these pregnancies add to the population burden or the women may resort to pregnancy termination by traditional or harmful methods leading to serious health consequences. Emergency contraception, developed from trials and research during the past 10 years with aim to cut down the occurrence of unwanted and unintended pregnancies and abortion is one most important step being taken to solve the problem. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the awareness regarding contraception and emergency contraceptive pills among female patients of reproductive age group and to evaluate any association between marital status, type of family and family member as a sister, education, and awareness about contraception and emergency contraceptive pills. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women of reproductive age group over a period of 3 months after obtaining written informed consent. Data were collected regarding demographic parameters, knowledge of different contraceptive measures, and emergency contraceptive pills using an anonymous pretested structured questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel sheet and Medcalc software. Results: A total of 253 women were included in the study. Majority of them were married (94.5%), literate (74.7%), belong to joint family (71.5%), having no history of abortion (69.2%), and having sister in their family (76.7%). About 67.2% know contraceptive methods and the most common source of information was a hospital (58.3%). About 15% were aware of emergency contraceptive pills and audio-visual (71%) is the most common source of information. Awareness about contraception was more in literate women and opposite to this awareness about emergency contraceptives pills was more in illiterate women. Those having sister in their family having more knowledge about contraception and emergency contraceptive pills. Conclusions: Awareness about emergency contraceptive pills is very low. Education can play important role either directly or indirectly to create awareness about emergency contraceptive pills.

Investigation on the Utilization of Emergency Contraceptive Pills among Women with Unwanted Pregnancy / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To provide reference for improving the utilization ratio of emergency contraceptive(EC)pills and re-ducing unwanted pregnancy. METHODS:Among 458 women with unwanted pregnancy in our hospital,self-designed question-naires were used to survey the respondents'knowledge and utilization of EC pills,reasons for not using,sources of EC knowledge and drug availability. The results were analyzed statistically. RESULTS:Totally 458 questionnaires were distributed and then 426 valid questionnaires were collected with effective rate of 93.0%. Among respondents,the awareness rate of EC was 81.2%(346/426),and the rate of those receiving higher education was higher than that of other education levels(P<0.001). 56.3%(240/426) of the respondents had ever used EC pills at one time,the utilization ratio of EC pills were higher in women less than 30-year-old and receiving higher education than other age and educational levels(P<0.01). Only 20.2%(86/426)of the respondents ever used EC pills after the last menstrual period and only 3.5%(3/86) of them took EC pills correctly. Not understanding or knowing EC was the main reason for not using EC pills,accounting for 60.6%(206/340). The highest proportion of source which the respon-dents got EC knowledge was network,accounting for 53.5%(185/346). 37.0%(81/219) of the respondents who had ever pur-chased drugs couldn't purchase EC pills conveniently. CONCLUSIONS:The utilization ratio of EC pills in women with unwanted pregnancy needs to be improved and non-standard drug use is more common. It indicates that health education of contraception still need to be strengthened and the availability of EC pills improved.

Píldora anticonceptiva de emergencia: características de la demanda en una organización no gubernamental en Chile / Emergency contraceptive pill: demand characteristics in a non-governmental organization in Chile

Antecedentes: En Chile, existe escasa información sobre las características de las usuarias de la píldora de emergencia y aún hay barreras para obtenerla, pese a existir una ley que garantiza su acceso. Objetivos: Indagar sobre el perfil de las mujeres que demandan la píldora de emergencia y las barreras para acceder al método en centros públicos de salud. Método: Estudio descriptivo y transversal. Se revisaron las fichas clínicas de usuarias de la píldora de emergencia atendidas en Prosalud Chile de enero de 2012 a marzo de 2013, para analizar edad, razón de uso, uso previo y antecedentes de no acceso. Resultados: Se analizaron 520 fichas clínicas. Edad promedio de las usuarias 21,8 +/- 6,8 años. 50 por ciento usó el anticonceptivo porque tuvo un coito sin protección anticonceptiva y la otra mitad porque su método falló. El 71,7 por ciento no había usado la píldora previamente y 0,8 por ciento (3 mujeres) la habían usado 3 y 4 veces; 8,8 por ciento no obtuvo el anticonceptivo en centros públicos de salud. Conclusiones: La mayoría de las usuarias de la píldora de emergencia son jóvenes y la solicitan porque no usaron un anticonceptivo o éste les falló. El uso previo y frecuente es muy bajo. Aún existen barreras en el acceso en centros públicos de salud.

Background: In Chile, the information about the characteristics of the users of emergency contraception pill is limited. In addition, some studies have revealed barriers to access to this method, despite the law guarantees its provision. Objectives: To enquire the profile of emergency contraceptive pills users and the barriers to its access in public health services. Methods: Descriptive and cross-sectional study. Clinical forms of users who requested the emergency contraceptive pill in Prosalud Chile from January 2012 to March 2013 were revised, in order to analyze age, reason to use, previous use and non-access history in public health services. Results: 520 clinical forms were analyzed. Users mean age was 21.8 +/- 6.8 years. 50 percent of women demanded the pill because they did not use any contraceptive and another half because the contraceptive failed. 71.7 percent had never used the pill previously and only 0.8 percent (3 women) used it three and four times before. 8,8 percent could not obtain the pill in public health services. Conclusions: The majority of the emergency contraceptive pills users are young and they use it because they did not use a contraceptive or the contraceptive failed. The previous and frequent use is low. There are still barriers to access to emergency contraceptive pills in public health services.

Knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) of emergency contraceptive pills among women of reproductive age group attending AIIMS OPD Raipur (C.G.).

India’s population as per 2011 census was 1.028 billion. Even though a wide variety of contraceptive choices are available in India, contraceptive prevalence in the country is only 56% as per the WHO global health statistics 2012. Most couples in India do not want to use a contraceptive method on a long-term basis hence unwanted and unplanned pregnancies are common. Emergency contraceptive Pills are largely underutilized in India resulting in women resorting to unsafe or illegal abortions contributing 8% to the cause of maternal mortality in India, which if taken correctly can reduce the risk of an unintended pregnancy to the range of 75-79%. The objective of the study is to assess knowledge, attitude& practice (preference &experience) of emergency contraceptive pills among women of child bearing age. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 328 females of reproductive age group. Data was collected using an anonymous pretested structured questionnaire. Results: Out of 328 subjects 300 women gave consent for the study. Around 56% women had heard of emergency contraceptive pills but only 19.3% had ever used it. Detailed and specific knowledge of ECPs are poor and misinformation is high. This was because main source of information was through electronic media which are unreliable and gives limited information. Conclusion: The study concludes that in spite of having awareness about EC Pills there is great knowledge and attitude gap in the community. Public information strategy needs to be devised to generate awareness and bring attitudinal change among females for emergency contraceptive pills. Support from women advocacy groups is thus necessary and their views, apprehensions, doubts and perceptions have to be adequately addressed to make their occasional use to prevent unwanted pregnancy is likely to bring down the load on the therapeutic abortion services.