Reproductive Health Knowledge, Contraceptive Practices and Predictors of Unprotected Sexual Intercourse among Female Undergraduates in Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND

Unprotected sex among female undergraduates remains a significant reproductive health concern in Nigerian tertiary institutions, yet evidence on socio-cultural predictors remains limited. This study examined reproductive health knowledge and factors associated with contraceptive use and engagement in unprotected sex among female undergraduates at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 286 female undergraduate students selected, using multistage sampling techniques. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using IBM SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression were employed, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The study revealed that most respondents (63.6%) demonstrated good knowledge of reproductive health, and the majority (85.0%) perceived institutional reproductive health support services as inadequate. Students in higher academic levels had lower odds of using contraceptives; on the other hand, married students and those influenced by religious values had lower odds of engaging in unprotected sex.

CONCLUSION

Consistent contraceptive use remains low among female undergraduates, irrespective of the relatively high reproductive health knowledge. Socio-cultural factors were significantly associated with engagement in unprotected sex. Universities should strengthen youth-friendly health services and sexuality education programmes.