Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2022 Dec 16;19(1):226.
doi: 10.1186/s12978-022-01545-0.

Trends and socio-demographic components of modern contraceptive use among sexually active women in Rwanda: a multivariate decomposition analysis

Chester Kalinda  1 , Million Phiri  2   3 , Kafiswe Chimpinde  2 , Marie C S Ishimwe  4 , Simona J Simona  2
Affiliations

Trends and socio-demographic components of modern contraceptive use among sexually active women in Rwanda: a multivariate decomposition analysis

Chester Kalinda et al. Reprod Health. .

Abstract

Background: The attainment of targets set for modern contraceptive use remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Rwanda, in its new Family Planning and Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health/Family Planning (FP/ASRH) Strategic Plan 2018-2024 has set the attainment of a contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) of 60% by 2024. To achieve this, identifying factors that enhance modern contraceptive use among sexually active women is critical.

Methods: We used three Rwanda Demographic Health Surveys (RDHS) datasets collected in 2010, 2015, and 2019/2020 in a multivariable decomposition analysis technique to describe trends and identify factors influencing change in modern contraceptive use among sexually active women aged 15-49 years. Results presented as coefficients and percentages took into consideration the complex survey design weighted using StataSE 17.

Results: Modern contraceptive use increased from 40% in 2010 to 52.4% in 2020 among sexually active women. About 23.7% of the overall percentage change in modern contraceptive use was attributable to women's characteristics which included women's education levels, number of living children, and being told about family planning at health facilities. Coefficients contributed 76.26% to the change in modern contraceptive use. This change was attributed to modern contraceptive use among young women between the age of 20-24 years, women's education level, the number of living children, changes in family size, and being visited by community health workers.

Conclusion: Rwanda remains on course to archive its 2024 family planning targets. However, there is a need to enhance programs that target sexually active adolescents and young adults, and women from rural areas to sustain the gains made. Furthermore, continuous support of community health workers will be key in exceeding the set targets of modern contraceptive use among sexually active women in Rwanda.

Keywords: Contraceptives use; Decomposition analysis; Rwanda demographic health surveys.

Plain language summary

Modern contraceptive use has been observed to improve the health of women and accelerate the attainment of health rights and gender equity. Sustaining and enhancing the uptake of modern contraceptives is essential in designing sexual reproductive health programs for all sexually active women to reduce the risks of unplanned pregnancies. This paper identified and reports changes in modern contraceptives among all sexually active women aged between 15 and 49 years old for the period 2010–2020. The manuscript used Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) data that is collected every after five years to track changes in the health and demographics of the citizens. The study found that a change in the behaviour of women towards contraceptive use is key to improving modern contraceptive use among sexually active women. Therefore, focusing on these behavioural components will enhance modern contraceptive use and contribute to improving women’s sexual and reproductive health.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Sampling and inclusion criteria for the number of women included in the analysis from the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) cycles of 2010, 2015, and 2020 cycles
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Modern contraceptive use among sexually active women A Overall trends in contraceptive use in 2010, 2015, and 2020; B modern contraceptive use among women in different age groups in 2010; C modern contraceptive use among women in different age groups in 2015; D modern contraceptive use among women in different age groups in 2020
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Changes in the preference for modern contraceptive methods among sexually active women in Rwanda between 2010 and 2020. (Inject injections, pill oral contraceptive pill, IUD intrauterine device, Fem ster female sterilization, Impla implants, male con male condoms)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Frederiksen BN, Ahrens KA, Moskosky S, Gavin L. Does contraceptive use in the United States meet global goals? Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2017;49:197–205. doi: 10.1363/psrh.12042. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Starbird E, Norton M, Marcus R. Investing in family planning: key to achieving the sustainable development goals. Global health: science and practice. 2016;4:191–210. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dockalova B, Lau K, Barclay H, Marshall A. Sustainable development goals and family planning 2020. The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) United Kingdom. 2016:1–12.
    1. Solo J: Family planning in Rwanda: how a taboo topic became priority number one. IntraHealth International; 2008.
    1. UNDESA. World fertility and family planning 2020: highlights. United Nations Department for Economic Social Affairs; 2021.

Substances

LinkOut - more resources