Abuse of emergency contraceptive could cause infertility

The use of emergency contraceptive pills more than twice a year could disrupt the menstrual circle of a woman, cause virginal bleeding and could make them infertile.

However, a project undertaken by the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) in some selected tertiary institutions in the country indicates that, the emergency contraceptive is being abused.

Many of the female students who responded to a survey conducted under the project were of the view that, students engage in unprotected sex and take the emergency contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

This came up at a dissemination meeting on the contraception promotion in tertiary institutions, a project, implemented by the PPAG and supported by the West African Health Organization (WAHO), in Accra.

The project was conducted at the University of Education, Winneba, and the Ho and Accra Polytechnics.

Presenting the project evaluation report, Mr Asamoah Boateng of the PPAG said, out of the 1,013 students surveyed at the three institutions, 25 per cent who had ever had sex never use condoms.

He said 39.4 per cent said they took emergency contraceptive after unprotected sex at the baseline survey, which dropped to 38.6 after the project survey.

Mr Charles Kafui Agblanya explained that, the objective of the project, which lasted from September 2014 to March 2015, was to promote condom usage among the sexually active students at the tertiary institutions to help prevent the spread of Sexually Transmitted Infections(STI) including HIV, AIDS and unwanted pregnancy to help keep female students in school.

Mr Albert Wuddah Martey, the Acting Executive Director of PPAG said, the association took up the project based on a survey, conducted at the University of Ghana which indicates low knowledge and usage of contraceptives among the students.

He called on students and all those involved in the project to seek knowledge and share it.

Lecturers from the tertiary institutions where the project took place, were surprised at the data presented and requested that faculty members of the tertiary institutions be made aware of the results, so that they could strategies and educate the students on the use of contraceptives.

The students engaged in the project shared their experience at the meeting and urged that the project be extended to other tertiary institutions in the country.