KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND OPINION ON EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION AMONG URBAN EDUCATED WOMEN

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to study the knowledge and experience of EC in literate women attending out-patient department of Vydehi institute of medical sciences and research centre and an attempt was made to educate them with proper knowledge of emergency contraception. DESIGN: Questionnaire based study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a questionnaire based study conducted on women attending outpatient department of VIMS an RC from December 2011 to February 2012. 175 urban educated women in reproductive age group participated in this study. Majority 83.15% women (79) knew that EC should be used within 72 hours of unprotected sexual intercourse and 7.3 % (7) were of the opinion that it should be used within a day and 2.1% (2) thought that oral EC can be used more than 72hrs after unprotected intercourse. Among the study group only 17.14% women (30) had used EC. Major reason for its use was following an unprotected intercourse in 16 women (55.3%), failure of regular contraception in 43.33% (13) and 3.3 % (1) women had misconception that it can be used for accomplishing an abortion. In our study, no side effects in 42 %, nausea and vomiting in 82%, menstrual irregularities in 22.1% among the women who has used it. RESULTS: Out of 175 women 45.7% (80) have not heard of EC and 54.3% (95) had some knowledge about EC. Television commercials were the major source of knowledge for 64.22% of the study group. CONCLUSION: Knowledge is the main barrier for the use of emergency contraception. Knowledge is poor even in educated group and in teenagers. Knowledge of EC in teenage and adolescent group is very low and 80% of pregnancies in this age group are unwanted and majority seeks abortions in an illegal way leading to unnecessary mortality and morbidity. Therefore there is an urgent need to educate the women in reproductive age group regarding EC.