Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on the Use of Contraception Among Female Outpatients in Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Background: Contraception is the voluntary prevention of pregnancy by interrupting the chain of events that lead to conception despite the act of unprotected coitus. It plays a key role in preventing unwanted pregnancies, reducing maternal and child mortality, and improving the lives of women and children in general. To improve demand for contraception, it is essential to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of contraceptive use among women in a targeted area. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the use of contraceptives among women attending the outpatient department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among female outpatients in Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Two hundred and fifty-nine women were recruited using a convenience sampling method. A structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain relevant information from the participants. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 25 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Result: A total of 259 female patients were enrolled in the study. Only 19.7% demonstrated a good understanding of specific contraceptive methods. The respondents had both positive and negative attitudes towards contraceptive use. Up to 65.9% of respondents felt contraceptives were effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy, and up to 40.3% of respondents also felt contraceptive use can lead to infertility. The most commonly used contraceptive methods among respondents were the condom, oral pills, and natural methods. Conclusion: Our study revealed that the respondents demonstrated a poor understanding of specific contraceptive methods. The uptake of modern contraceptive methods was low. The importance of improving uptake of modern contraceptives cannot be overemphasized.