Awareness Regarding Emergency Contraception

Objective: To know the awareness of emergency contraception (EC) among our population. Patients and Methods: Women were asked about their age, education, socioeconomic condition and parity. Results: Total 400 women were interviewed in the cross – sectional survey. Out of these, only 193 had heard about EC and they were further asked about knowledge relating to EC utilization. 132 (68.39%) answered incorrectly about emergency contraception. While only 31 (16%) women had knowledge of its correct utilization. Only 19 (9.84%) women knew that OCPS can be used as EC while 151 (78.23%) answered incorrectly that it can be used on regular basis. Out of 193 women, 53 (27.46%) women practiced EC while 140 (72.53%) had never used EC. Conclusion: Our study showed limited knowledge of women concerning EC. Media should be used to disseminate the awareness of women about safety, use and effectiveness of EC. Also it is responsibility of health care providers that they should give information of EC to every sexually active woman visiting their clinics.