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. 2020 Jul;46(3):200-209.
doi: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2019-200474. Epub 2020 Jan 21.

Changes in the prevalence and profile of users of contraception in Britain 2000-2010: evidence from two National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles

Rebecca S French  1 , Lorna Gibson  2 , Rebecca Geary  3 , Anna Glasier  3 , Kaye Wellings  3
Affiliations

Changes in the prevalence and profile of users of contraception in Britain 2000-2010: evidence from two National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles

Rebecca S French et al. BMJ Sex Reprod Health. 2020 Jul.

Abstract

Aim: To describe prevalence and trends in contraceptive method use in Britain through a comparison of the second and third National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-2 and Natsal-3).

Methods: Cross-sectional probability sample surveys. General population sample of women aged 16-44 years, resident in Britain, with ever-experience of vaginal sex and, for analysis by sociodemographic characteristics, vaginal sex in the last year. Main outcome measure was current contraceptive method use ('usual these days'), categorised by effectiveness.

Results: Prevalence of current contraceptive use among women who had ever had vaginal sex declined between Natsal-2 and Natsal-3, 83.5% (95% CI 82.4 to 84.5) and 76.4% (95% CI 75.0 to 77.7), respectively. The condom and oral contraceptive pill remain the most commonly used methods. One in five women reported use of a most effective method. While no difference was found between surveys in use of most effective methods, a decline in sterilisation use was compensated by an increase in long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) use. Increased LARC use was particularly evident among under-25s compared with women aged 40-44 years (OR 11.35, 95% CI 3.23 to 39.87) and a decline was observed among those with two or more children relative to those with none (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.35).

Conclusions: Strategies to improve access to LARC methods have been particularly successful in increasing uptake among young people in the first decade of the 21st century. Whether this trajectory is maintained given changing sociodemographic characteristics and more recent financial cuts to sexual health service provision will warrant investigation.

Keywords: contraceptive methods; prevalence; probability sample survey; trends.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: RSF has received an honorarium from Natural Cycles to attend a meeting on research needs in relation to fertility awareness apps and a grant to conduct a study exploring women’s use of Natural Cycles to help with conception. AG has done consultancies for HRA-Pharma Paris. None of the other authors have any conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Changes between Natsal-2 and Natsal-3 in the odds of usual contraceptive method use in the last year: sexually experienced*Reporting having ever had vaginal intercourse among women aged 16–44 years. CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Changes between Natsal-2 and Natsal-3 in the odds of long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method use in the last year by demographic and lifestyle characteristics: sexually active* women aged 16–44 years.*Reporting vaginal sex in the last year. CI, confidence interval; FE, further education; OR, odds ratio.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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