Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning PubHealthInfo

[PubHealth.info Homepage] [Category Homepage] [Disclaimer/Copyrights] [Feedback]

Thank you for your kind visit to PubHealth.info®, an information portal created in technical collaboration with PakMed Biomedical Solutions * * * PubHealth.info® presents hundreds of thousands of informative Web pages on a variety of public health issues / issues * * * An ultimate source of information for teachers, students and research workers who need to find information on various public health issues, like population planning, contraception, HIV AIDS, STDs, maternal and child health, communicable and non-communicable disease, etc. * * * PubHealth.info® regularly updates the repository of these hundreds of thousands of informative Web pages * * * PubHealth.info® is one of the world's largest repositories and information portals with online Web pages on public health issues particularly those pertaining to developing countries!

PubHealth.info® (a subsidiary of PakMed) presents scientific information mainly based on abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health issues/topics, particularly encompassing population planning, disease prevention, maternal and child health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases (like HIV AIDS, malaria, etc) that are affecting a significant portion of population in developing and developed countries. Here you can find abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health topics under category "Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning". Contraception (birth control) is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. Therefore contraception is the utilization of various and sundry surgical procedures, devices, practices, agents, or drugs with the intention of preventing conception or impregnation (pregnancy). Methods and intentions typically termed birth control may be considered a pivotal ingredient to family planning. Birth control is a controversial political and ethical issue in many cultures and religions, and although it is generally less controversial than abortion specifically.

YEAR: 1997

CATEGORY: Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning

TITLE

Contraceptive usage and reasons for method-switching and discontinuation

[letter]

AUTHORS

Westaway MS; Chabalala HP; Viljoen E

SOURCE

SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL. 1997 Nov;87(11):1551-2.

ABSTRACT

A study concerning contraceptive usage prior to pregnancy and the reasons for method switching or contraception

termination among women in a periurban informal settlement (Ivory Park, Gauteng) in South Africa was conducted as

an adjunct to an intervention study to improve antenatal care. 52% (208) of those interviewed used contraception

prior to conception. 25% of teenagers interviewed used effective contraception. Teenagers were also significantly

less likely to use contraception and less likely to plan their families than older age groups. Reasons given for

switching methods or terminating contraception included: 1) wanting a baby; 2) side effects; 3) forgetting or missing

appointments; 4) never stopped; and 5) other (partner's influence, or too old for pregnancy). Bleeding irregularities

(too much bleeding, no bleeding, nosebleeds but no menstruation) were the main side effects given. Reasons for

terminating contraception were significantly related to family planning. 79% of women in the planned pregnancy

group discontinued contraception because they wanted a baby. In the unplanned pregnancy group, 42% of women

terminated contraception because of side effects, 33% did so because of forgotten or missed appointments, and

22% never stopped. Very few women stopped because of a partner's influence; this contradicts the findings of an

Ethiopian study. In conclusion, women, due to side effects, terminate contraception rather than switch methods.

This may be due to perceptions about the seriousness of side effects and about the lack of alternative methods and

to a lack of knowledge about reproductive biology and contraception. In-depth family planning education is needed

so that clients switch methods rather than terminate contraception. (PubHealth.info Document ID: CONT2T 506-06)

PubHealth.info NOTE: The author(s) of this article titled, "Contraceptive usage and reasons for method-switching and

discontinuation [letter]", is(are) Westaway MS; Chabalala HP; Viljoen E. The source of this article is "SOUTH

AFRICAN MEDICAL JOURNAL. 1997 Nov;87(11):1551-2.". This article was published in 1997 in English language(s).

(PubHealth.info® Document ID: CONT2T 506-06. All rights reserved with PubHealth.info) PIN: 5506

This page is optimized to be viewed by Java script enabled Microsoft® Internet Explorer 6 or later version, at screen resolution of 800 by 600 pixels.