A qualitative analysis of women's explanations for changing contraception: the importance of non-contraceptive effects
Wigginton, B.; Harris, M.L.; Loxton, D.; Lucke, J.C.
Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care 42(4): 256-262
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 2045-2098 PMID: 26811435 DOI: 10.1136/jfprhc-2015-101184Document Number: 642476
Women commonly report changing contraceptive methods because of side-effects. However, there is a lack of literature that has thoroughly examined women's perspectives, including why they changed contraception. Using qualitative data from a contraceptive survey of young Australian women, we explored women's explanations for their recent changes in contraception. A thematic analysis of 1051 responses to a question about why women recently changed contraception was conducted. Themes reflected reasons for changing contraception which included: both contraceptive and non-contraceptive (4%); relationship/sexual (9%); medical (11%); contraceptive (18%); non-contraceptive (41%). A minority of responses were uncoded (17%). Non-contraceptive effects (effects unrelated to pregnancy prevention) featured most frequently in women's reasons for changing contraception. While cessation of various contraceptives due to unwanted side-effects is a well-known phenomenon, this analysis provides evidence of the changing of contraception for its non-contraceptive effects and reframes the notion of 'side-effects'.