Family planning intentions and associated factors among pregnant adolescents attending antenatal at Mukono General Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescent pregnancy remains a major public health priority due to the associated negative health, social, and economic outcomes. Globally, more than 16 million adolescent pregnancies occur with highest rates seen in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Evidence shows that Family planning can avert 3.2 million out of 5.6 million under-five deaths and 109,000 out of 155,000 maternal deaths. This study sought to determine proportion of pregnant adolescents who intend to use family planning services and to determine the factors associated with intentions to use family planning. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant adolescents aged 15-19 years attending antenatal care at Mukono General Hospital, Uganda. A total of 210 participants were selected by purposive sampling and interviewed using a face-to-face interviewer administered questionnaire. The data collected was analyzed at three levels: univariate, bivariate, and multivariate level using STATA V15. Prior to data collection, ethical approval was obtained from Makerere university school of medicine. A written informed consent was obtained and participation in the study was voluntary. Results: A total of 210 pregnant adolescents participated in the study. The average age was 16 (SD 2.47), the youngest was 15 years and the oldest was 19 years. 88.6% of the adolescents had dropped out of school, 95.7% had never used any family planning method before and 52.7% had an unintended pregnancy. The proportion of pregnant adolescents who intended to use family planning 6 months after delivery was 55%. The intentions use family planning was significantly associated with age (aOR 3.395, P-Value 0.002), adolescents who had never used contraceptives (aOR 2.276, P-Value 0.001), adolescents who had good knowledge about contraceptive methods (aOR 3.483, P-Value 0.005) and adolescents who obtained information from health worker (aOR 4.010, P-Value 0.018). Conclusion: The proportion of pregnant adolescents attending ANC at Mukono General Hospital, Uganda who intend to use family planning services was high (55%) as compared to the set target of 39.6% by 2025 from Uganda’s ministry of health. The study highlights the role of right information source in promoting contraceptive uptake among adolescents.