Prevalence and factors associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse among postpartum adolescents in Soroti district :

Abstract

Introduction Adolescent childbearing is associated with Poor health, economic and social outcomes Uganda has a high proportion of adolescents who have begun childbearing and Eastern Uganda has the highest proportion at 30%. Prevention of subsequent pregnancies is a key intervention but information 011 resumption of sexual intercourse among adolescent mothers postpartum is limited, further, information on factors associated with early resumption of sexual intercourse among postpartum adolescents is scarce Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Soroti district among adolescent girls 10 to 19 years of ages who had given birth and had come to a health facility for postnatal care or child health services but were ~ 6weeks postpartum Results: There "Were 622 respondents in this study, the mean and median ages were 18 I a-id 18 years respecllvely,23.15% were 16 to 17 years,74 6% were 18 to 19 years and the youngest was 13 years and 63 5% of the adolescents were married/cohabiung. Over all 153(25%) of the respondents had early resumption of sexual intercourse postpartum at bivariate analysis, settmg of respondent'S residence (p=O.OOO), marital status (p=O 024), staying with partne husband (p=O.OOO), Income of respondent (p=0.055), pregnancy outcome (p=0.025), rrode of delivery (p=O 000) were the factors associated with early resumption of sexual Intercourse postpartum. At multivariate analysis, staying in urban (aORI 82, CI 1.066 - 3.107, P 0028), delivery by caesarean section (aOR 0.10, CI 0030- 0.334, p=O 000), staying with partner/husband smce giving b rth to current baby (aOR 392, CI 1.766 - 8.766. p=O 001) were the predictors of early resumption of sexual intercourse. Adolescents aged 18 - J 9 years were 0.17 times more likely to resume coitus early compared to their counterparts (10 - 17 years) though this was not statistically significant, Conclusion: This study showed that 25% of the adolescent girls resumed Coitus early (before 6 weeks) after childbirth among the adolescents who were married those who were staying with their partner/husband after delivery those staying in the urban setting are more likely to resume Coitus before 6 weeks postpartum Programs need to be Intensified to provide contraceptive before 6 weeks postpartum as a high number resume sexual intercourse before then.