A Survey on the Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Regarding Contraception Use Among Pregnant Teenagers in Beijing, China

Abstract

Teenage pregnancy is an important public health issue in the world. However, little is known about the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to contraception among pregnant teenagers in China. The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to contraception among pregnant teenagers. From April 2007 to June 2007, an investigator designed questionnaire was used to survey 53 pregnant teenagers about their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding contraception.The convenience sample was from four women and children health care hospitals in Beijing. Descriptive statistics were used. In the majority of the teenagers (73.6%, n = 39), this was their first pregnancy. The teenagers had limited knowledge regarding contraception (69.8%, n = 37) and scored <10 (on a 20-point scale) on the Contraceptive Knowledge subscale. Only 24.5% ( n = 13) teenagers obtained contraceptive knowledge from school or parents; the most common source of contraceptive information came from their friends, the Internet, and the media. In addition, 11.3% ( n = 6) pregnant teenagers considered that it was unnecessary to obtain contraceptive knowledge.The proportion of teenagers who reported using contraceptive methods with their first sexual encounter was 52.8% (n = 28). Of the 30.2% (n = 16) who reported always using contraceptive methods in the past 12 months, the majority chose condoms. The findings suggest that many teenagers have limited knowledge of the different kinds of contraceptive methods, including the use of condoms. But some of teenagers had misguided attitudes that contraception was unnecessary, and few teenag- ers insisted on using contraception due to incorrect information.