Prevalence of Sexual Activity and Outcome among Female Secondary School Students in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Sexual activity among 534 Nigerian female secondary school students was studied using self-administered questionnaire. Prevalence of sexual intercourse was 25.7%. There was no significant difference between the junior (48.2%) and senior (51.8%) students (p > 0.05). Seventeen (12.4%) students had initiated sexual intercourse before 11 years. The frequency of sexual exposure was high, with 34.3% of the students having intercourse more than once in a week. Pregnancy rate among sexually active females was 27.0%, with 24.8% rate of induced abortion. Early sexual health education starting from primary school would be helpful in influencing the reproductive decisions and sexual behaviour of the students, including contraceptive acceptance and usage, to avoid teenage pregnancy. Education of parents is also recommended in order to overcome the cultural barriers that discourage parents from providing sex education to their children at home.

Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: Issues and Challenges

“…10 Anochie, also in Rivers state documented that 12.4% of the 534 female students studied had initiated sexual intercourse by 11 years. 6 Studies from other states in the NDR show a similar trend. In Calabar, Cross River State the mean age at sexual initiation was 13.7 years.…”

“…Documented rate of abortion among 'ever pregnant' adolescent girls in the NDR ranged between 33.0% and 88.6%. 6,9,10,15 Studies with sample population of older adolescents and young adults 15 reporting a higher figure than studies with sample population of young adolescents 10 . In some of these studies about 10% of sexually active adolescents have had more than three abortions.…”

“…In Rivers state, 34.3% of the sexually active girls have intercourse at least once in a week. 6 Also 51% of the sexually initiated girls have been exposed to more than one sexual partner, with 6% sexually exposed to more than 5 sexual partners. 10 In Cross Rivers State 22.6% of the sexually active adolescents have more than one sexual partner 11 , and in Delta state about one-third of the sexually active adolescents have had more than one sexual partner.…”

“…Most studies have documented an 'ever pregnant' rate between 18.4% and 39.1% . 6,[9][10][11] These pregnancies have in most cases been terminated. Documented rate of abortion among 'ever pregnant' adolescent girls in the NDR ranged between 33.0% and 88.6%.…”

“…In some of these studies about 10% of sexually active adolescents have had more than three abortions. 6 It is pertinent to mention here that in Nigeria, the law restricts abortion. Thus most of these abortions are done illegally and by unskilled personnel under septic conditions.…”