title: Unintended pregnancy and its risk factors among university students in eastern China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study was conducted to determine the prevalence of unintended pregnancy, induced abortion and contraceptive use, and factors associated with unintended pregnancy among Chinese university students.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-administered questionnaire survey with cross-sectional design was administered among students in two universities in Ningbo, China, in November-December 2003. Sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with unintended pregnancy were identified in both genders using univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of sexually active students, 10.6% of male and 11.6% of female students reported their partner or they had a history of pregnancy; 10.0% of male and 11.3% of female students reported their partner or they had a history of induced abortion. The risk factors for unintended pregnancy identified among males by multivariate analysis were older age [odds ratio (OR), 2.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.15-3.88], initiation of sexual activity before high school (OR, 2.45; 95% CI, 1.36-4.44), reported lack of condom use in first sexual activity (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.10-2.64), multiple sexual partners (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.06-2.23), and often used condoms during their lifetime (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.01-3.81). The identified risk factors among females were initiation of sexual activity before high school (OR, 5.12; 95% CI, 1.49-17.68), non-consensual sexual intercourse as first sex (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.08-2.90), multiple partners (OR, 2.75; 95% CI, 1.61-4.71), and sometimes/never (OR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.16-7.87) or often (OR, 3.92; 95% CI, 1.43-10.73) used condoms during their lifetime.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence of unintended pregnancies and induced abortions in this population indicates a need for better and targeted sex education and family planning services.
authors.affiliation: Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China. qiaoqinma@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Qiaoqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ono-Kihara
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.forename: Guozhang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Saman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zamani
authors.forename: Shahrzad Mortazavi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ravari
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kihara
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002681:China; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012923:Social Class; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D003270:Contraceptive Agents