Factors Influencing the Use of Emergency Contraceptive Pills Among Reproductive-Aged Women at Some Selected Communities Within the Ledzokuku Municipality in The Greater

Abstract

Introduction: Unplanned or unintended pregnancy often leads to unsafe abortion. Unsafe abortion is one of the commonest causes of pregnancy related deaths in developing countries including Ghana (Yeboah et al, 2021). A lot of unplanned or unintended pregnancies can be avoided using emergency contraceptives (EC). Emergency contraceptives are mostly used after unprotected sexual intercourse and have a 99% chance of preventing unplanned pregnancy when taken within the first three days. Significant information gaps and misconceptions about the proper use, efficacy, and adverse effects of EC pills persist despite high awareness Objective: The aim of the study was to examine factors that influence the use of emergency contraceptive (EC) pills among women of reproductive age range of 15 to 49 in some communities within the Ledzokuku Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytic study design was used in seven sub-areas on the Teshie municipality. Participants were selected from their homes through a systematic sampling procedure. In instances where there are more than 4 households in a compound house structure with eligible participants for the study, a simple random was used to select the houses for the study. Structured questionnaires were administered using google forms to 424 women and 401 valid responses were obtained. To guarantee representation across various demographic groupings, stratified random sampling was employed. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used in the data analysis. Results: Results were analyzed using STATA 18. Overall, the findings revealed that the use of EC pills is significantly predicted by women within the age of (18–27 years) and those with higher education levels being more likely to take them. Despite the high level of awareness, usage is not always correlated with it. Usage patterns are also influenced by sociocultural variables, religious beliefs (Muslims and traditionalists use less), accessibility issues (cost, distance, attitudes of pharmacy attendants, perceived lack of privacy), and stigma. The main access points were pharmacies (26.37%) and medical facilities (26.62%). Conclusion The study concludes that although there is awareness, some respondents within the Ledzokuku municipality’s successful usage of EC pills is hindered by information gaps, misconceptions, sociocultural obstacles, and accessibility concerns. Strengthening public health education campaigns that emphasize proper usage, enhancing accessibility and affordability, training healthcare professionals on how to provide services without passing judgment, and enlisting the help of community and religious leaders to overcome cultural obstacles are some of the recommendations.