The utilization of contraceptives by teenagers in Lesotho: A descriptive cross-sectional survey

Background Contraceptive service provision to teenagers prevents pregnancy and childbirth complications, which are the leading causes of death among teenage girls globally. Aim The study aimed to assess how teenagers utilized the contraceptive services provided at selected healthcare facilities in Lesotho. Methodology A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 194 teenagers who were conveniently sampled from two health facilities in Berea district, Lesotho. Permission to conduct the study was sought and granted from the Ministry of Health and written informed consent was sought from the participants before they completed selfadministered questionnaires. Data was captured and analyzed using the SPSS version 24. Results Most (64.5%) of the teenagers knew that contraceptives prevented pregnancy, whilst a fifth of them referred to them as the prevention of HIV or sexually transmitted infections. Utilization of contraceptives was reported by just over a third and about two-fifths were able to access them at the public health clinics daily. Injectables and condoms were the most preferred methods used by teenagers. Factors that enhanced contraceptive usage included nurses’ friendliness, as well as an understanding of why teenagers are not fully utilizing the contraceptive services provided. Most teenagers were found not to be utilizing contraceptive services due to the belief that they led to weight gain and unsatisfactory intercourse. Conclusion The study findings provided a need for and importance of contraceptive service provision to teenagers, including the need for education to improve their understanding and reduce myths. Implications for nursing management Healthcare service providers need to improve access to contraceptive services to improve their utilization by teenagers.