Emergency contraception: Awareness, attitudes and barriers of Saudi Arabian Women

Abstract

Objectives: To assess knowledge, attitude, and barriers about emergency contraception (EC) among married women of child bearing age.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted over a 6-month period, commencing in March 2013 at Family Practice Clinics of King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data was collected using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 statistical software.

Result: A total of 242 women were enrolled in the study. Only 6.2% (15/242) had some knowledge of EC and of these only two had ever used it. Health care professionals were the least reported source of EC information (6.6%, n=1). Majority (73.3%) had negative attitude toward EC being available over-the-counter without a prescription. The most common barriers to using EC were concerns about possible health effects. Only two women (13.3%) considered religious belief as a major hindrance to its use.

Conclusion: Awareness of emergency contraception is very low among women of Saudi Arabia. Health care professionals were the least reported source of information, which is a cause for concern. Our findings reveal an urgent need to educate women about EC, keeping in view the social norms and the Islamic values.

doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12669/pjms.316.8127

How to cite this: Karim SI, Irfan F, Al-Rowais N, Al-Zahrani B, Qureshi R, Al-Qadrah BH. Emergency contraception: Awareness, attitudes and barriers of Saudi Arabian Women. Pak J Med Sci 2015;31(6):1500-1505.   doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12669/pjms.316.8127

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