Awareness and Acceptability of Emergency Contraception Among Female Undergraduates at University of Benin

Emergency contraception (EC) represents a second-line strategy for preventing unintended pregnancy after unprotected intercourse, yet awareness and acceptability among Nigerian female undergraduates, a high-risk group for unplanned pregnancy, requires local empirical characterisation. This study assesses awareness, knowledge, and acceptability of emergency contraception among female undergraduates at the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, South South Nigeria. A cross-sectional study enrolled 280 sexually active female undergraduates aged 16 to 30 years from five faculties through stratified random sampling. A self-administered structured questionnaire assessed ever-hearing of EC, knowledge of correct timing, methods available, and attitude towards use. Awareness of emergency contraception was 71 percent. However, only 44 percent knew that EC should be used within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, and fewer than 30 percent identified levonorgestrel as the standard EC preparation. EC had been used by 29 percent of respondents. Acceptability was high (78 percent) among sexually active respondents, with moral and religious objections cited by 22 percent as barriers. Peer communication (52 percent) and internet sources (44 percent) were the most common information sources, with healthcare providers cited by only 18 percent. The study identifies a critical gap between EC awareness and accurate knowledge at UNIBEN. Recommendations include campus reproductive health counselling services, pharmacist-dispensed EC education, and destigmatised reproductive health information campaigns in the university health centre. Keywords: emergency contraception, undergraduates, University of Benin, awareness, reproductive health