Awareness and Use of Emergency Contraceptive Pills Among Females Aged 18 To 45 Years Old at Maternal Child Health Care Centre, Mirpurkhas
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Abstract
Background: Emergency contraceptive pills are an effective postcoital method for preventing unintended pregnancy, yet their utilization remains limited in many low-resource settings because of inadequate knowledge, misconceptions, affordability issues, and barriers to access. Objective: To assess awareness, attitudes, and use of emergency contraceptive pills among females aged 18 to 45 years attending the Maternal and Child Health Care Centre, Mirpurkhas. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2025 to January 2026 among 241 women selected through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire covering demographic variables and knowledge, attitude, and practice domains related to emergency contraceptive pills. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 27 using frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Results: The mean knowledge score was 5.2 ± 1.8 out of 10, the mean attitude score was 5.5 ± 1.7 out of 7, and the overall composite score was 10.7 ± 2.5 out of 17, indicating moderate awareness and moderately positive attitudes. Only 34.0% correctly knew that emergency contraceptive pills prevent pregnancy and 38.6% identified the correct timing of use. Although 58.5% considered the method safe and 53.1% would recommend it, only 47.7% had ever used it. Difficulty obtaining the pills was reported by 47.3%, while 51.0% perceived them as costly. Conclusion: Women in this setting demonstrated moderate awareness and generally favorable attitudes toward emergency contraceptive pills, but important knowledge gaps, misconceptions, and access barriers remain. Focused education, provider counseling, improved affordability, and better public-sector availability are needed to support correct and timely use.
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References
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