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. 2022 Jul 19;19(1):165.
doi: 10.1186/s12978-022-01461-3.

Prevalence of and factors associated with unintended pregnancies among sexually active undergraduates in mainland China

Yan Yuan #  1 , Fang Ruan #  1 , Yusi Liu #  1 , Lei Wu  1 , Mingliang Pan  1 , Zijie Ye  1 , Youxiong Zhao  1 , Lu Lin  1 , Li Zhang  1 , Jiajun Liu  1 , Dongsheng Luo  1 , Bangzheng Zhu  1 , Xinyu Liao  1 , Mengsi Hong  1 , Siyi Wang  1 , Jilun Chen  1 , Zihao Li  1 , Gaoming Yang  1 , Hongfang Jiang  1 , Guochen Fu  2 , Junfang Wang  3
Affiliations

Prevalence of and factors associated with unintended pregnancies among sexually active undergraduates in mainland China

Yan Yuan et al. Reprod Health. .

Abstract

Background: Unintended pregnancies (UIP) among unmarried sexually active college students in mainland China have emerged as a major reproductive health issue with detrimental personal and socioeconomic consequences. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with UIP among sexually active undergraduates in mainland China.

Methods: Between September 8, 2019 and January 17, 2020, a total of 48,660 participants were recruited across the Chinese mainland to complete the self-administered, structured, online questionnaire. This analysis was restricted to 6347 sexually experienced, never-married 15-26 year old undergraduates. Pearson's Chi square tests and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify sociodemographic, familial and individual variables associated with UIP.

Results: The overall prevalence of UIP was 17.7%. More specifically, 19.5% of male college students reported they had unintentionally gotten a partner pregnant, while 14.9% of female college students became unintentionally pregnant. Students who experienced UIP were more likely to belong to the older age group (23-26 years), live with only one parent or live without parents at home, report that their family members approve of premarital sex, initiate sexual activity younger than 14 years old and have casual sex partners. Furthermore, females with multiple partners and males who came from low- income households, experienced sexual abuse, perceived difficulties in acquiring condoms and did not know how to use condoms correctly were also at higher risk of experiencing an unintended pregnancy.

Conclusion: In order to prevent UIP, a comprehensive intervention measure should be taken to target older students and those engaging in risky sexual behaviors, work with young male students to improve condom use skills, improve the availability of free condoms, optimize the involvement of parents and other family members in their children's sex education.

Keywords: Prevalence; Risk factors; Undergraduates; Unintended pregnancies.

Plain language summary

In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with UIP among sexually active undergraduates in mainland China. Between September 8, 2019 and January 17, 2020, a total of 48,660 participants were recruited from the Chinese mainland to complete the self-administered, structured, online questionnaire. This analysis was restricted to 6347 sexually experienced, never-married 15–26 year old undergraduates. Based on a social-ecological theoretical framework, we ran separate multivariate Logistic regression models for men and women to identify sociodemographic, familial and individual variables associated with UIP. Our findings indicate that the overall prevalence of UIP was 17.7%. More specifically, 19.5% of male college students reported they had unintentionally gotten a partner pregnant, while 14.9% of female college students became unintentionally pregnant. Students who experienced UIP were more likely to belong to the older age group, live with only one parent or live without parents at home, report that their family members approve of premarital sex, initiate sexual activity younger than 14 years old and have casual sex partners. Furthermore, females with multiple partners and males who came from low-income households, experienced sexual abuse, perceived difficulties in acquiring condoms and did not know how to use condoms correctly were also at higher risk of having an unintended pregnancy. In order to prevent UIP, a comprehensive intervention measure should be taken to target older students and those engaging in risky sexual behaviors, work with young male students to improve condom use skills, improve the availability of free condoms, optimize the involvement of parents and other family members in their children’s sex education.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

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Flow chart showing study sample selection
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