Emergency contraceptive use in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Challenging common assumptions about young people’s contraceptive practices

Drawing on an ethnographic case study of young people’s (aged 18-29) use of emergency contraceptives (ECs) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this article highlights areas of disconnect between how reproductive health experts envision EC use and local meanings ascribed to ECs by young people. ECs – designed by reproductive health experts to be used only in case of emergency – were preferred by study participants over other contraceptive methods because of their ease of use, discreetness, perceived minimal side effects on beauty and future fertility, and usefulness in navigating reproductive intentions.
Source: Reproductive Health Matters - Category: Global & Universal Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research