MSc in Midwifery, Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
BMC Womens Health. 2023 Jul 4;23(1):357. doi: 10.1186/s12905-023-02512-y.
By creating an international emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to compromised reproductive health care, including family planning services, and thus increased unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions. This study was conducted to compare methods of contraception, abortion, and unintended pregnancies in those served by the health centers of Babol city in Iran, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A cross-sectional study was conducted including 425 participants registered to the health centers of Babol city, Mazandaran province, Iran. Using a multi-stage method, 6 urban health centers and 10 rural centers were selected for inclusion. Proportional allocation method was used for sampling those who met the inclusion criteria. A questionnaire was used to collect data in relation to individual characteristics and reproductive behaviors via 6 questions focused upon methods and preparation of contraception, number and type of abortions, and number and causes of unintended pregnancy from July to November 2021. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 26. Significance level was considered to be p < 0.05 in all tests.
Most participants aged between 20 and 29 years old had a diploma level of education, were housewives and lived in the city. Prior to the pandemic, 32.0% used modern contraceptive methods and 31.6% used these during the pandemic. No change in the combination of contraceptive methods used was observed between these two periods. Approximately two-thirds used the withdrawal method in both periods. The majority of participants in both periods purchased their contraceptives from a pharmacy. Unintended pregnancy increased from 20.4% prior to the pandemic to 25.4% during the pandemic. Abortions increased from 19.1% prior to the pandemic to 20.9% during the pandemic, although these findings were not found to be statistically significant. Contraceptive methods had a statistically significant relationship with age, education, spouse's education, spouse's occupation, and place of residence. The number of unintended pregnancies had a significant relationship with age, the educational level of both participants and their spouses and socio-economic status, and the number of abortions had a statistically significant relationship with the age and education level of the spouse (p > 0.05).
Despite there being no change in contraceptive methods compared to the pre-pandemic period, an increase in the number of unintended pregnancies, abortions and illegal abortions was observed. This may be indicative of an unmet need for family planning services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
通过制造一场国际紧急情况，COVID-19 大流行可能导致生殖健康护理受到损害，包括计划生育服务，从而导致意外怀孕和不安全堕胎的增加。本研究旨在比较伊朗巴博勒市卫生中心在 COVID-19 大流行前后提供服务的人群中，避孕、堕胎和意外怀孕的方法。
本研究采用横断面研究，纳入了 425 名来自伊朗马赞达兰省巴博勒市卫生中心的参与者。采用多阶段方法，选择了 6 个城市卫生中心和 10 个农村中心纳入研究。采用比例分配法对符合纳入标准的人员进行抽样。使用问卷收集了与个人特征和生殖行为相关的数据，共 6 个问题，重点关注避孕方法和准备、堕胎数量和类型，以及意外怀孕的数量和原因，调查时间为 2021 年 7 月至 11 月。使用 SPSS 软件版本 26 进行数据分析。所有检验的显著性水平均设为 p<0.05。
大多数参与者年龄在 20 至 29 岁之间，具有大专学历，是家庭主妇，居住在城市。大流行前，32.0%的人使用现代避孕方法，大流行期间使用这一方法的比例为 31.6%。这两个时期使用的避孕方法组合没有变化。大约三分之二的人在这两个时期都使用了撤出法。大多数参与者在这两个时期都从药店购买避孕药具。大流行前意外怀孕的比例为 20.4%，大流行期间为 25.4%。大流行前堕胎的比例为 19.1%，大流行期间为 20.9%，但这些发现无统计学意义。避孕方法与年龄、教育程度、配偶的教育程度、配偶的职业和居住地呈统计学显著相关。意外怀孕的数量与年龄、参与者和配偶的教育程度以及社会经济地位显著相关，堕胎的数量与配偶的年龄和教育程度呈统计学显著相关（p>0.05）。
尽管与大流行前相比，避孕方法没有变化，但意外怀孕、堕胎和非法堕胎的数量有所增加。这可能表明在 COVID-19 大流行期间，计划生育服务的需求未得到满足。
