A GLOBAL RISK IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: ANALYSIS OF WOMEN'S UNMET NEEDS FOR MODERN CONTRACEPTIVE

Abstract

The unmet need for contraception in the COVID-19 pandemic is a global risk. This study analyzed the unmet modern contraceptive needs of Turkish women in the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 263 Turkish women of reproductive age who were reached through social media channels between February and December 2022. Categorical data on unmet family planning needs were compared using Chi-square tests, and the effects of risk factors were analyzed through multivariate logistic regression. Women were administered a web-based online questionnaire with data. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of unmet needs increased 5.29 times in women aged 30-39 years compared to women aged <30 years (p=0.028). The risk of unmet need was 4.69 times higher in women whose husbands had a high school education level or less compared to women whose husbands had a university degree (p=0.044). The unmet need of those who did not have an abortion during the pandemic increased 5.34 times (p=0.013). Women who did not receive information on modern contraceptive methods from nurses/midwives had a 15.6-fold higher risk of unmet needs than those who did (p=0.013). Being in their 30s during the COVID-19 pandemic, having a spouse's education level of high school or less, not experiencing abortion during the pandemic, and not receiving information about contraceptive methods from nurses/midwives were factors that increased the risk of unmet modern contraceptive need. Contraceptive healthcare providers should prioritize women at risk, especially during times of restrictions such as the pandemic. They should guide all women, men, and adolescents with telemedicine and/or hybrid care practices.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Global Risk
• Pandemic
• Women
• Unmet Modern Contraception

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