Abstract:
Contraceptive discontinuations contribute
substantially to the total fertility rate,
unwanted pregnancies, and induced abortions.
This study examines levels and trends in
contraceptive switching, contraceptive
failure, and abandonment of contraception
while still in need of pregnancy prevention.
Data come from the two most recent
Demographic and Health Surveys in Armenia,
Bangladesh, Colombia, the Dominican Republic,
Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
Results show that contraceptive
discontinuation in the first year of use is
common (18 to 63 percent across countries),
and that the majority of these
discontinuations are among women who are
still in need of contraception: between 12
and 47 percent of women stop using
contraception within one year even though
they do not want to become pregnant. We found
discontinuation to be strongly associated
with the type of contraceptive method used.
Additionally, age, parity, education,
partner’s desired fertility, community-level
contraceptive prevalence, and the region in
which women live were all associated with
contraceptive switching, failure, or
discontinuing while still in need of
contraception. In summary, rates of
contraceptive discontinuation, even among
women who want to avoid pregnancy, remain
high and are increasing in some countries
where family planning efforts have decreased.
This contraceptive discontinuation study,
along with future research in this area, can
help policymakers and program managers track
family planning progress and refocus efforts
to meet the goal of reproductive health for
all.
Levels, Trends, and Reasons for Contraceptive Discontinuation (PDF, 2829K)