Determinants and prevalence of modern contraceptive use among sexually active female youth in the Berekum East Municipality, Ghana

INTRODUCTION: Contraceptive use among sexually active women in Ghana remains low despite the efforts by the Ghana Health Service. This development has negative consequences on reproductive health care, particularly among adolescents. This study assessed the prevalence and factors influencing contraceptive use among sexually active young women in the Berekum Municipality, Ghana. METHOD: A community-based cross-sectional analytical study was carried out in Berekum East Municipality among young women between the ages of 15 to 24 years. Using a probabilistic sampling technique, we recruited 277 young women from the four selected communities in the Berekum Municipality based on data available from the Municipal Health Administration. We applied a univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to test the associations between the dependent and independent variables at a 95% Confidence interval (CI) and 5% significance (p value = 0.005). RESULTS: The modern contraceptive prevalence rate among the study participants was 211 (76%). Contraceptives ever used were emergency contraceptive pills 88 (41.7%) condoms 84 (39.8%), injectables 80 (37.9%) and the rest used the Calendar method 16 (7.58%), withdrawal 15 (7.11%), and implants 11 (5.21%). In the adjusted multivariate logistic regression, Age (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI; 1.29–7.50) p = 0.023, marital status (AOR = 0.08; 95%CI; 0.01–0.91) p = 0.041 and religion (AOR = 0.17; 95% CI; 0.05–0.64) p = 0.009 were significantly associated with contraceptive use. Other determinants such as hearing about contraceptives (AOR = 9.44; 95%CI; 1.95–45.77) p = 0.005, partner opposition (AOR = 33.61; 95%CI; 1.15–985.39) p = 0.041, side effects (AOR = 4.86; 95%CI; 1.83–12.91) p = 0.001, lack of knowledge (AOR = 5.41; 95%CI; 1.15–25.42) p = 0.032, and respondents receiving counselling on family planning were significantly associated with contraceptive use (AOR = 4.02; 95% CI;1.29–12.42), p = 0.016. CONCLUSION: Contraceptive use among sexually active women in the Berekum Municipality is higher than the national conceptive prevalence rate. However, factors such as knowledge about the side effects of contraceptive influences contraceptive use among women. Healthcare providers must explore avenues to enhance partner involvement, intensify health education and detailed counselling about contraceptive use to address misconceptions and myths surrounding the side effects of contraceptives.