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. 2012 Jun;206(6):479.e1-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.04.012. Epub 2012 Apr 6.

Knowledge of contraceptive effectiveness

David L Eisenberg  1 , Gina M Secura, Tessa E Madden, Jenifer E Allsworth, Qiuhong Zhao, Jeffrey F Peipert
Affiliations

Knowledge of contraceptive effectiveness

David L Eisenberg et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine women's knowledge of contraceptive effectiveness.

Study design: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a contraceptive knowledge questionnaire that had been completed by 4144 women who were enrolled in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project before they received comprehensive contraceptive counseling and chose their method. For each contraceptive method, women were asked "what percentage would get pregnant in a year: <1%, 1-5%, 6-10%, >10%, don't know."

Results: Overall, 86% of subjects knew that the annual risk of pregnancy is >10% if no contraception is used. More than 45% of women overestimate the effectiveness of depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate, pills, the patch, the ring, and condoms. After adjustment for age, education, and contraceptive history, the data showed that women who chose the intrauterine device (adjusted relative risk, 6.9; 95% confidence interval, 5.6-8.5) or implant (adjusted relative risk, 5.9; 95% confidence interval, 4.7-7.3) were significantly more likely to identify the effectiveness of their method accurately compared with women who chose either the pill, patch, or ring.

Conclusion: This cohort demonstrated significant knowledge gaps regarding contraceptive effectiveness and over-estimated the effectiveness of pills, the patch, the ring, depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate, and condoms.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Participant flow from screening to enrollment and baseline contraceptive method chosen
Figure 2
Figure 2
Knowledge of contraceptive effectiveness among all participants (n=4,144)
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparing typical effectiveness of family planning methods
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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