Table 4 Emergency contraceptive utilization and reproductive health-related factors, college female students, Gondar city, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023

Started sexual intercourse

No

194

23.83

Yes

620

76.17

Had exposure to unprotected sex? (n = 620)

Yes

582

93.87

No

38

6.13

Ever used emergency contraceptive(s) (n = 620)

Yes

162

26.13

No

458

73.87

If no for above question why? (n = 458)

Fear of infertility

121

26.42

Fear of provider

78

17.03

Fear of side effects

194

42.36

No information

65

14.19

Use EC regularly to prevent unwanted pregnancy (n = 162)

No

127

78.40

Yes

35

21.60

Age at first sex (n = 620)

14–19

368

59.35

20–22

252

40.65

Ever become pregnant (n = 620)

Yes

64

10.32

No

556

89.68

Was it unplanned pregnancy? (n = 64)

Yes

63

98.44

No

1

1.56

Have you had an induced abortion (n = 64)

Yes

56

87.50

No

8

12.50

Place of abortion (n = 56)

Government health institution

14

25.00

Private clinic

39

69.64

Traditional method

3

5.36

Discuss on reproductive health issues with husband/partner (n = 620)

Yes

279

34.28

No

535

65.72

Discuss on reproductive health issues with friend

Yes

297

36.49

No

517

63.51

Discuss on reproductive health issues with parents

Yes

257

31.57

No

557

68.43

Easy to get emergency contraceptives

No

419

48.53

Yes

395

51.47

Fear side effect of emergency contraceptives

No

217

26.66

Yes

597

73.34

Sin to use emergency contraceptives

No

221

27.15

Yes

593

72.85

Emergency contraceptives cause infertility

No

283

34.77

Yes

531

65.23