Contraceptive choice and reproductive health -- a survey report on reproductive health in Hunan
Xiao, Z.; Li, B.
China Population Today 15(4): 3-5
1998
PMID: 12294258 Document Number: 203703
This article presents findings from a reproductive health survey conducted in Hunan Province, China, in 1996. The sample included 3714 married women aged 20-35 years. Findings indicate that 3434 women (92.5%) had ever used contraception. 3338 (89.9%) were current users. 54.3% relied on sterilization, 40.3% used the IUD, and 5.4% relied on other methods. During 1992-96, the contraceptive prevalence rate changed significantly among persons aged 25-29 years and 29-34 years. The percentage of women aged 20-24 years and 25-29 years accepting sterilization declined sharply during 1992-96. The total rate of sterilization remained stable. IUD users tended to remain with this method. Among the 3338 contraceptive users, 1252 users (37.5%) selected their contraceptive method at the recommendation of local family planning (FP) workers, and 1168 (35.0%) selected their method by themselves. 918 (27.5%) relied on recommendations and their own decision-making. Findings reveal that the extent of satisfaction in the method chosen was higher among women who made an active choice by themselves than a passive choice by taking the recommendation of FP workers. The extent of satisfaction was affected the most significantly by choice patterns, followed by educational attainments and other factors, such as the method itself and childbearing.