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Knowledge, practices, and barriers concerning the use of emergency contraception among women of reproductive age at a university hospital of Aydin, Turkey

  • General Gynecology
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the extent of knowledge and use of emergency contraception among women of reproductive age and to identify barriers existing in Turkey in this context. There is limited research regarding the knowledge and use and barriers to emergency contraception use, since the prepackaged form of hormonal emergency contraception has been available over the counter in Turkey.

Methods

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 257 women. Data were collected through face to face interviews with a questionnaire on sociodemographic features, knowledge, use and barriers to emergency contraception.

Results

The rate of unintended pregnancies and abortions was noteworthy in the study, where 36.3% of the subjects revealed previous unintended pregnancies and 62.3% of them had undergone surgical termination or spontaneous loss. Remarkably, 42.1% of the respondents had never heard of emergency contraception. Common barriers to the use of emergency contraception were lack of awareness, misconceptions that the pills are abortion inducing and unavailable without prescription and anxiety about harming the fetus. The results indicated differences in practice, although emergency contraception is included in contraception counseling. Sixty percent of the subjects counseled by healthcare professionals stated that they were not informed about emergency contraception; a majority expressed a willingness to receive such information.

Conclusion

Our study has revealed knowledge deficiency on the part of reproductive-aged women about the effective use, safety, mechanism of action, availability without prescription and legal status of emergency contraception. Client barriers were also found, particularly a lack of awareness. Healthcare professionals are in a key position to provide information and to overcome the barriers.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all respondents for their participation in the study.

Conflict of interest statement

None.

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Author notes

  1. Mert Küçük

    Present address: Assisted Reproduction Unit, American Hospital of Istanbul, Guzelbahce Sokak no: 20 Nisantasi, 34365, Istanbul, Turkey

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Nursing, Aydın Health Sciences School, Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey

    Hilmiye Aksu & Banu Karaöz

  2. Adnan Menderes University Hospital, Aydın, Turkey

    Vesile Ünay

Authors
  1. Hilmiye Aksu
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  2. Mert Küçük
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  3. Banu Karaöz
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  4. Vesile Ünay
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mert Küçük.

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Aksu, H., Küçük, M., Karaöz, B. et al. Knowledge, practices, and barriers concerning the use of emergency contraception among women of reproductive age at a university hospital of Aydin, Turkey. Arch Gynecol Obstet 282, 285–292 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1267-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-009-1267-x

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