Research Paper

Contraceptives Knowledge And Use Among Female Adolescents In Bawku Municipality.

Margaret A. Akudugu, Dr. Francis A. Akum

Abstract :

Background: Early sexual engagement, teenage pregnancies, unsafe abortions and increased risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) including HIV among adolescents have become a major concern in Ghana. Unsafe abortions among the adolescent girls is a major contributor to high maternal mortality and morbidity rates in Ghana. Increasing contraceptive knowledge and use among the adolescent population improves their reproductive health outcomes. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the level of contraceptives knowledge and use among female adolescents in Bawku Municipality. Method: The study was a descriptive quantitative study using structured questionnaire involving 150 female girls age 15 19 years both in-and-out of school within the Bawku Municipality. Results: The study results indicated that 41.6% of the female adolescents ever had sex, 77.4% of them had their first sex at age 15 - 19 years, 78.4% of the 150 girls have contraceptive knowledge and mentioned condom, pills, injectables and abstinence as some of the methods. Most (68.0%) had their information about contraception from health workers, 80.6% of those who had sex used contraceptive. Conclusion: The knowledge and use of contraception are still not as high as expected among the late adolescents in the Bawku Municipality and therefore health authorities and relevant stakeholder must identify aggressive advocacy on friendly adolescent reproductive health (ARH) services especially in school.

Cite This Article :

Contraceptives knowledge and use among female adolescents in Bawku Municipality., Margaret A. Akudugu, Dr. Francis A. Akum, International Journal Of Pure Medical Research, Volume : 3, Issue : 10, October - 2018

Article :

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