Abstract:
Background: Pregnancy and its related complications are an important public health issue in
both developed and developing countries with more pronounced risks in particular populations
like female sex workers. Research and programs for female sex workers tend to focus
exclusively on human immune deficiency virus prevention, with little attention paid on how
pregnancy affects their lives. Despite the need for information, no study is available on the level
of pregnancy among female sex workers in the study area.
Objective: To assess the magnitude of pregnancy and associated factors among female sex
workers in Diredawa city, Eastern Ethiopia, from June 15-August 10, 2019.
Methods: - A community based cross-sectional study design was used. Snowball sampling
technique was used to recruit 409 female sex workers. Data were collected through face to face
interview by using semi-structured questionnaire. Data were entered and stored in Epi data
version 3.1 and analaysed using statistical package for social sciences version 21 software.
Descriptive statistics were used to estimate the magnitude of pregnancy. Bivairiate and
multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with pregnancy. In
multivariate analyses p-value less than 0.05 considered as statistically significant.
Results: - A total of 182 (47.5%) [95 % CI=42.6 %, 52.5%] of the respondents had experienced
at least one pregnancy after they start sex work. Pregnancy experience was positively associated
with having emotional partner [AOR = 2.4, 95 % CI; 1.48, 3.95]; longer duration of sex work (5-8
years) [AOR=2.8, 95% CI; 1.2, 6.51] and (>=8years) [AOR= 7.1, 95% CI; 2.32, 21.9];
Substance use [AOR = 2.0; 95 % CI=1.12, 3.56] and sexual violence [AOR=2.23; 95% 1.4,
3.37].
Conclusion: -Pregnancy is found to be a common experience of female sex workers and most
pregnancies are unintended. Factors like having emotional partner, substance use, and sexual
violence were positively associated with pregnancy. Continuous counseling on negative
consequences of substance use, safe sex practice including correct/consistent use of condoms
with both paying and non paying partners is important to reduce the burden of pregnancy
including the unintended ones
