Unintended pregnancy and associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia: Community-based cross-sectional study

Molla, Wondwosen; Hailemariam, Shewangizaw; Mengistu, Nebiyu; Madoro, Derebe; Bayisa, Yesuneh; Tilahun, Ruth; Wudneh, Aregahegn; Ayele, Getnet Melaku

doi:10.1177/17455057221118170

Cited by 3 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“… 10 Sexual and reproductive services were much harder to come by during COVID-19, leaving women and adolescent girls in particular less able to control their fertility. 12 Our results are remarkably similar to other studies conducted in Ethiopia, 8 and Uganda. 9 This result gives insight to policymakers and stakeholders to establish management strategies for adolescent girls to prevent unintended pregnancy in any similar crisis.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“… 7 These unwanted pregnancies predominately happen in the sub-Saharan Africa region. 8 The COVID-19 pandemic worsened teenage girls’ vulnerability to unwanted pregnancies. 9 COVID-19 limited women’s access to contraceptives and other sexual and reproductive health services.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 9 Studies have shown that predictors of teenage pregnancy during COVID-19 included age, primary decision-maker for family planning services, non-use of contraceptives, and getting involved in the sex trade. 8 , 9 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9 Studies have shown that predictors of teenage pregnancy during COVID-19 included age, primary decisionmaker for family planning services, non-use of contraceptives, and getting involved in the sex trade. 8,9 The northern part of Uganda had the highest pregnancy rate in the country before COVID-19. 17 However, the number increased during COVID with Oyam district registering the highest number of cases of teenage pregnancies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of Unintended Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls During the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Oyam District in Northern Uganda

Okalo¹,

Arach²,

Apili³

et al. 2023

OAJC

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Background In Uganda, unintended pregnancies are responsible for one in three births with detrimental consequences, a situation that worsened during COVID-19. Thus, the present examined unplanned pregnancy and its associated risks in Oyam district, northern Uganda during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods and Methods This study employed a cross-sectional study among adolescent girls aged 15–19 years who had a pregnancy during the second phase of COVID-19 in Oyam district, northern Uganda in November 2022. A consecutive method was employed to recruit the participants attending health facilities. A structured questionnaire was utilized to collect data. For data analysis, both bivariate and multivariable regression methods with adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI were used. A p-value of 0.05 was used to determine the significance level. Results Of the total respondents, 292 (69.5%) were aged between 18 and 19 years of age, 295 (70.2%) lived in rural areas, and 222 (52.9%) had no formal education. The results also show that 293 (69.8%) of the respondents had unintended pregnancies during COVID-19. The results indicate that participants who lacked knowledge of the ovulation period (AOR: 0.242; 95% CI: 0156–0376; P<0.001), sex education during COVID-19 (AOR: 0.563; 95% CI:: 0.365–0.869; P=0.024) and lacked the freedom to discuss family planning-related issues with family members during COVID-19 (AOR: 0.228; 95% CI: 0.138–0.376; P<0.001) were more likely to have an unintended pregnancy compared to their counterparts. Conclusion Our study shows that unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls remain a public health issue in Oyam district with more than two-thirds of adolescents having unwanted pregnancies during the crisis of COVID-19. The major correlates of unwanted pregnancies among adolescent girls during COVID-19 pandemic were inadequate knowledge of the ovulation period, sex education, and lack of freedom to discuss family planning-related issues with family members. There is a need to prioritize interventions, especially in rural settings. Sex education to improve contraceptive use and delay sexual debut. In light of the possibility that social and cultural norms in the Oyam district prohibit parents and children from discussing sexual subjects, it is crucial to promote sexual health education through the mass media, including newspapers, television, radio, and social media.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predictors of Unintended Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls During the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Oyam District in Northern Uganda

Okalo¹,

Arach²,

Apili³

et al. 2023

OAJC

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“…An unwanted pregnancy negatively affects reproductive health, decreases a women’s quality of life, and diminishes workforce productivity. 12 Findings of a study showed that 36.6% of unintended pregnancies in women were linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, 13 with a higher magnitude (47.17%) of unintended pregnancies in women who were not autonomous to decide on the use of family planning. 14 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interruptions in contraception and unintended pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Taylor

Beyene

2023

Womens Health (Lond Engl)

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted access to and use of maternal, newborn, and child health services. Due to lockdowns and travel restrictions implemented during the first wave of the pandemic, the provision of essential maternal health services such as family planning was critically affected. Unlike most healthcare, contraception-related services are impractical for virtual care provision as women need to attend the clinic in person. Therefore, most women across the world might have been left with an unmet need for contraception during the lockdown period. Interruptions in contraception services have led to an increased number of unintended pregnancies. With the emergence of several pocket studies, it is essential to pool the available evidence reporting the effects of COVID-19 on contraception to inform maternal health policy and practice. Objective: The aims of this review are (1) to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on access to contraceptives among sexually active women and (2) to identify the magnitude of unintended pregnancy linked to interruptions of contraceptives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The protocol for this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021267077). Electronic databases such as MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar will be searched for articles using appropriate key terms. The identified articles will be assessed against the eligibility criteria. Two reviewers (A.B. and T.B.) will independently screen titles and abstracts of all retrieved articles followed by a full-text review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. The quality of the papers will be assessed by using the Risk of Bias Assessment tool for Non-Randomized Studies. Quantitative findings will be pooled using a random-effects model meta-analysis, while qualitative findings will be presented using a narrative synthesis. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required. The findings will be disseminated through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Discussion: This systematic review will present current data needed to design evidence-based programmes for improving access to contraception and preventing unintended pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic and future emergencies. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42021267077.

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Pregnancy Desirability and Motivational Readiness for Postpartum Contraceptive Use: Findings from Population-Based Surveys in Eight Sub-Saharan African Countries

Ujah,

Olagbuji,

Ogbu

et al. 2023

IJERPH

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This study examined the associations between pregnancy intention and motivational readiness for postpartum contraceptive use. Data for this cross-sectional analysis were derived from nationally representative surveys of the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020) project conducted in eight sub-Saharan African countries. Participants included 9488 nonpregnant women of reproductive age (15–49 years) who had given birth in the last 2 years. Weighted multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the associations of motivational readiness for contraceptive adoption categorized as precontemplation, contemplation, and post-action with pregnancy intention. After adjusting for confounding factors, the findings revealed that women in Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria who had mistimed pregnancies had significantly higher odds of being in the contemplation vs. precontemplation stage compared to those who had intended pregnancies. Similarly, women who had unwanted pregnancies in Ethiopia were also more likely to be in the contemplation stage. Furthermore, significant differences were observed for women in Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria regarding the association between mistimed pregnancies and being in the post-action stage. For women who had unwanted pregnancies, this association was significant only in Nigeria. Additionally, the odds of being in the contemplation stage, compared to the post-action stage, for women who had unwanted pregnancies were significantly higher in Ethiopia and Nigeria. These results indicate that recent unintended pregnancies in specific sub-Saharan African countries may motivate women to take action to prevent future unintended pregnancies. The findings underscore the importance of tailored and context-specific approaches in family-planning programs based on the stage of motivational readiness.

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Unintended pregnancy and associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic in Ethiopia: Community-based cross-sectional study

Cited by 3 publications

References 55 publications

Predictors of Unintended Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls During the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Oyam District in Northern Uganda

Predictors of Unintended Pregnancy Among Adolescent Girls During the Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Oyam District in Northern Uganda

Interruptions in contraception and unintended pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

Pregnancy Desirability and Motivational Readiness for Postpartum Contraceptive Use: Findings from Population-Based Surveys in Eight Sub-Saharan African Countries

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