Predictors of family planning practices of teen mothers in Manila, Philippines

ABSTRACT

@#Introduction. Teen pregnancy in the Philippines is a public health concern. Contraception is viewed as key in controlling teen pregnancy brought by early sexual initiation. Unfortunately, among sexually active teenage girls, 68.7% are not using any form of contraception. Objectives. The study determined the predictors of Family Planning practice among teen mothers in Manila; specifically, regarding knowledge and attitude towards family planning, and social and informational support. Methods. The study utilized a descriptive correlational design. Purposive sampling was used for a target sample size of 188 teenage mothers from the City of Manila. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Multiple regression was employed to determine predictors of FP practice. Results. Of the 163 teenage mothers who participated, less than one-third (30.7%) were currently using a family planning method. Teen mothers who had two or more pregnancies were four times more likely to report FP practice, and those who received informational support on FP were six times more likely to report FP practice. Conclusion. The rate of FP practice among teen mothers is low. A comprehensive assessment of the physical, psychosocial, and environmental factors that impact teen mothers should be further studied.