Use of contraceptive methods in Spain: results of four national surveys by
age groups
I. Lete, J.L. Dueñas, I. Serrano, J.L. Doval, J.J. Parrilla, J.
Martinez-Salmean, C. Coll, R. Bermejo
Daphne Group
Introduction: A biennial survey on the use of contraceptive methods is
being performed in Spain since 1997 among women in fertile age.
Aims and Methods: To know the rate of contraception use in Spain in
women aged 15 to 49 years old. A questionnaire was designed to investigate the
different contraceptive methods used in fertile age and the reasons why a
specific method is chosen. The same questionnaire was used in years 1997, 1999,
2001 and 2003.
Results: A number of 2.300 women have answered the questionnaire every
period studied. In the group of adolescents, ranged 15–19 years old, the most
used method has been condoms, realising that there has been an increase of use
that went from 14.2% in 1997 to 35.8% in 2003. In the group of women aging 20 to
29 years old, condoms is also the most used method and secondly the pill, use of
pills has increased until 30% in this age group. In the group of 30 to 39
year-old women use of condoms is also the first contraceptive option followed by
pills, with a decrease in the use of pills mainly after 35 years old (12% of
women from 35 to 39 years old); this age group is also the one that most
frequently use IUD, increasing from 5% in 1997 to 9% in 2003. In the group of
women aging 40 to 49 years old the use of condoms and pills is very low, being
the surgical procedures the ones preferred; it has been seen an increase of the
number of male surgical contraception in the last years; surgical methods are
actually used by 28% of women of this age group.
Conclusions: Contraceptive use in Spain has increased in all ages,
mainly in adolescents, during the last 6 years, the most relevant methods are
condoms and pills.
