Contraceptive failure in China

Abstract

This study examines patterns and differentials of contraceptive failure rates by method and characteristics of users, using the Chinese Two-per-Thousand Fertility Survey data. The results show that contraceptive failure rates for modern methods including sterilization are some of the highest in the world. The first year failure rates are 4.2% for male sterilization, 0.7% for female sterilization, 10.3% for IUD, 14.5% for pill, and 19.0% for condom. There are also some differentials in contraceptive failure rates by users' sociodemographic and fertility characteristics. Contraceptive failure rate declines with women's age for all reversible methods. Rural women have higher sterilization, IUD, and condom contraceptive failure rates than urban women. Women with two or more children have a higher failure rate for sterilization methods but have lower failure rates for other methods.